Bake This Award Winning Strawberry Cake!
Strawberry fans, listen up! Here’s a family favorite strawberry cake recipe for ya! 🍓
Consider making a yummy strawberry cake with a secret ingredient: Jell-O Gelatin! It’s a brilliant way to enhance an ordinary cake mix from the pantry, and give it a more delicious flavor and texture. I’m also sharing a delicious cream cheese strawberry frosting to spread on top of it, too!
This is an awesome cake idea that we are calling “award-winning” because my daughter actually entered it into a baking contest at school this year — and won with the most votes! 🙌
I love that it’s easy enough for kids to bake on their own and uses simple pantry ingredients. This has become a go-to cake for special occasions and family birthdays!
Strawberry Cake
yield: 12 SERVINGS
prep time: 30 MINUTES
cook time: 25 MINUTES
total time: 55 MINUTES
This old-fashioned strawberry cake is easy to make and turns out moist and delicious. The cream cheese frosting makes it an over-the-top strawberry dessert!
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake:
- 1 box of strawberry cake mix
- 3 oz. package of strawberry Jell-O
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup finely chopped strawberries
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mashed strawberries
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Directions
1
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper on the bottom.
2
Mix the storebought cake mix and Jell-O in a large mixing bowl. You could also use a stand mixer if preferred.
3
Add the eggs, oil, and water, and mix using a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth, about one minute. Fold in the fresh strawberries using a spoon.
4
Transfer the cake batter to both of the cake pans and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into middle of cakes comes out clean. Let cool.
5
For the frosting:
Add all frosting ingredients to a mixing bowl. Beat using a hand mixer, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. If frosting isn't thick enough to liking, add 1/2 to 1 cup of additional powdered sugar as desired.
6
Frost the first layer of cake, and then stack the 2nd layer on top, frosting cake completely. Decorate the top with fresh strawberries if desired. Enjoy!
Additional Notes
Recipe adapted from TasteOfHome.com
Be sure to keep these recipe tips in mind when making this strawberry cake:
Prep two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom. To easily get the right size for the parchment paper, put one of the cake pans on a piece of parchment paper, and then use a pen to trace around the pan. Once cut, you’ll get the correct shape to place on the bottom of both pans to avoid sticking.
Don’t have a strawberry cake mix on hand? We’ve used yellow and white cake mix with this idea too, and all have been great! Also, try serving this with chocolate ice cream- such an awesome combination!
For the mashed berries in the frosting, I used a potato masher to mash them and then measured 1/2 cup.
You can never go wrong with strawberry cake!
I love this old-fashioned tasting cake, and really think you will, too! It stays super moist with the fresh strawberries, and the cream cheese frosting makes it over the top delicious!
Everyone will be voting for more of this cake, for sure! Enjoy!
Sounds ahhhhmazing! I think I’ll make it this weekend for my mothers birthday! It reminds me of the birthday cakes my mom used to make me growing up! Thank you!
Thanks Samantha! Happy birthday to your mom 👍
Thanks, Lina! 🎂🎉❤️
Looks delicious! Do you have the recipe on Pintrest to save for another day?
So if you are on the H2S app you may not see our pin it button. If you press the triangle dots in the upper right corner – then you can share to Pinterest.
Lina. Thanks for the recipe! Could you use vegetable oil in place of coconut oil? Also could I cook this in a 13″ x 9″ pan? If so what temp and time?
Yes and yes of course that would work too. I have not tried but I found a resource online that says about 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees until an inserted toothpick comes back clean. Thanks 😊
Thanks so much! I am going to make this tonight!!
Pinned another Lina post:):):) Thanks!
Oh yay thanks!
Thank you!
Yum!
Looks delicious! Has anyone tried making these into cupcakes? Thank you!
Just use the time and temp on the back of the box for cupcakes. Should work out just fine! 👍🏻
Thank you! 😊
If you look below the picture above, you can Pin the recipe there.
Thank you!!! My kids always request strawberry cake and the plain box mixes just don’t cut it for me. Excited to give this recipe a try!
Yes! I think you’ll love this then 🥰
Thank you soo much Lina! My husband loves strawberries will make this for him for Father’s Day
Oh yay! This will be so great 😃 thanks Denise!
Looks so good. Would you possibly have a homemade version of the cake versus boxed? I prefer only homemade. TIA
Here’s one I love: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/08/strawberry-cake-recipe.html
Any sub ideas for the coconut oil? Daughter is allergic.
You can use vegetable oil instead 👍
Thank you!
OMG!!! Yummy! Thank you so much for posting! Love when you post recipes!
Oh yay thanks so much Thia – this is a yummy one!
I made this cake about a week ago. Nobody liked it and I wound up throwing in the trash! It was dry as dust!
Oh we just posted this yesterday. Lol – With the fresh strawberries it’s actually very moist unsure what happened.
The original/adapted from recipe added 3 tbsp sugar & 3 tbsp flour. I wondered if anyone has made the original vs. this adapted version and how they compare?
Yes I have made the original too over the years and personally didn’t tell much difference leaving out the extra sugar and flour. But you could always put them in. 👍
Adding cream cheese to the frosting was the best change though! Yum.
Any suggestions a coconut oil substitute? I’d like to omit it.
Oh -You can use vegetable oil instead 👍
Thank you!
I feel like you could add pretzels and make it a strawberry pretzel salad cake! Yum.
I don’t like the jello cakes, ( they were all the rage in the 80’s) they are too moist for my taste 🙂
How can I make the frosting more frosting like? i made it but its more like a glaze?
Add more powdered sugar to stiffen it.
Does this need to be refrigerated after icing it?
With cream cheese in the frosting I’d say yes!
Another suggestion, if you don’t want to add more sugar, is too use freeze dried strawberries for the frosting. I pulverize them in my little Ninja blender, and it’s perfect for making delicious strawberry frosting!
That’s a great tip!
Thank you Lina I made it for my husband for Father’s Day and it was excellent! I will be keeping this recipe
Oh I’m so glad – thanks for sharing 💕
Anyone seen the tik tok strawberry and salt water video?? 😣
Hi Lina, did you add anything in the middle between both layers? Like a filling? Can’t wait to try this!
Hey there! ❤️ For this you’ll frost the first layer of cake and then add the 2nd layer on top! YUM! 😋 Hope you love it if you decide to try it, Nancy! 🤗