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Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

This Easy Strawberry Layer Cake is a stunning dessert to serve for any occasion. It features three irresistible layers of pink cake, that are frosted with a fresh strawberry cream cheese icing. It’s the kind of cake you’ll want to make over and over again.

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe

I bake, ninety-five percent of the time, completely from scratch. It’s a fact that’s well demonstrated here in the recipe index on my website. Whether it’s strawberry shortcake, pound cake, cookies or homemade brownies, baking is my happy place. That being said, I also think that it’s perfectly acceptable to bake using a boxed cake mix from time to time. This recipe for strawberry layer cake is made with a “doctored” cake mix and no one will be able to tell. How to make Easy Strawberry Layer Cake: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Prepare Pans – Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray.
  • Cake – Use an electric mixer to beat together cake mix, flour, gelatin mix, buttermilk, oil and eggs. Beat on medium speed until fully combined.
  • Transfer to Pans – Divide batter evenly between pans.
  • Bake – Bake per the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
  • Cool – Cool in the pans for 20 minutes then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
  • Frosting: Whip together cream cheese butter and vanilla until fluffy.
  • Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add powdered sugar. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Strawberries – Add strawberries and food coloring, if using. Whip until fully combined. Add additional powdered sugar to stiffen frosting to your taste.
  • Frost Cake – Frost between cake layers first, then top and sides. Decorate with whole strawberries. Chill for 6 hours or overnight to allow icing to set. Slice and enjoy.
step-by-step images and ingredients to make strawberry cake

How to Make the Best Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make this easy Strawberry Layer Cake: 1 box strawberry cake mix, self rising flour, 1 box strawberry jello mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs.
  • For the homemade Strawberry Frosting ingredients you’ll need: Crushed fresh strawberries, plain cream cheese, salted or unsalted butter and powdered sugar.
  • You’ll need a stand mixer or a hand mixer to plus large mixing bowls to whip together the cake batter and the frosting.
  • For this recipe, don’t follow the directions on the back of the cake mix box, follow the written recipe.
  • Why add flour to cake mix? Cake mixes have continued to dwindle in volume over time which results in smaller cakes. The addition of flour to this recipe increases the volume and does an excellent job masking or doctoring the obvious cake mix flavor.
  • The sweetened jello not only heightens the strawberry flavor, but it also adds enough sweetness for the extra flour added to the mix.
  • Please note, it’s very important to drain the mashed strawberries well before adding them to the frosting.
  • The cream cheese frosting is softer, not stiff like a classic buttercream, due to the fresh strawberries.
  • Place strips of waxed paper under the bottom cake layer to keep the cake pedestal clean when frosting. Gently remove before chilling the cake.
  • To keep things simple, I wanted to show you how arranging fresh berries on top sends the presentation of this cake into the stratosphere. Garnishes don’t have to be fussy to be impressive.
  • Allow Chill Time for the Strawberry Frosting to Firm
  • Due to the fresh strawberries in the frosting, allow enough chill time for the frosting to set. If some pools around the bottom, it makes it even more luxurious to eat and no one will ever believe this started with a cake mix.
  • Store this easy Strawberry Layer Cake chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • You can freeze the strawberry cake layers to expedite make ahead preparation, but I don’t recommend freezing once frosted. The frosting may break down when thawing.
Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

When to Serve Strawberry Cake for Dessert

There’s simply no wrong time of year to enjoy this delicious cake. The color makes it ideal for holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. However, I could see serving this cake for tea parties, casual summer gatherings, wedding and bridal showers. It would also make an amazing birthday cake for the strawberry lovers in your life.

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

More Southern Cake Recipes to Make

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Chilling time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 45 minutes
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: easy-strawberry-layer-cake, strawberry-cake
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 811kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 15.25 oz box strawberry cake mix
  • 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  • 1 3.0 oz box strawberry gelatin
  • 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk
  • 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • Frosting:
  • 2 8 oz blocks cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup mashed strawberries well drained
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 6 cups powdered sugar plus additional, as needed
  • few drops red or pink food coloring optional
  • strawberries for garnishing

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together, cake mix, flour, gelatin mix, buttermilk, oil and eggs. Beat on medium speed until fully combined.
  • Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
  • Frosting: In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese butter and vanilla for 2 minutes or until fluffy.
  • Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add powdered sugar. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add strawberries and food coloring, if using. Whip until fully combined. Add additional powdered sugar to stiffen frosting to your taste.
  • Frost between cake layers first, then top and sides. Decorate with whole strawberries.
  • Chill for 6 hours or overnight to allow icing to set. (You can wait until just before serving to garnish with berries)
  • Slice and enjoy. Store leftovers chilled for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • Mashed strawberries release a fair amount of juice. If the berries aren’t drained well, you may need extra powdered sugar to stiffen the frosting. This frosting is naturally smooth due to the fresh berries, not stiff like a buttercream. 
  • Placing strips of wax paper under the bottom layer of the cake will keep the cake pedestal clean while frosting. Gently remove before chilling the cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 811kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 80g | Vitamin A: 597IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
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20 Comments

  1. Oh my gosh! I made this cake, can I say YUM. It made way to much frosting so I froze it for the next cake. Great recipe.

  2. The cake looks amazing.what I would like to know is can I not add the gelatin or why is it a part of the recipe.
    Thank you

    1. 5 stars
      Couldn’t find a strawberry cake mix, so I used a white cake mix and added 4 single serving sleeves of sugar free strawberry drink mix. No food coloring needed.

  3. Why use self rising flour instead of regular all purpose flour? Could I use all purpose if I didn’t have self rising?

    1. Because self-rising has leavening in it so, the cake will rise. If you want to use all-purpose, you’ll need to add leavening, for the amount of extra flour called for in the recipe, it’s totally up to you.

  4. Want to make this cake for wedding anniversary 17years.Have a few questions.Can it be made in one layer?Is a electric mixer necessary?Do non stick cake pans need to be sprayed with non stick spray?

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