This Easy Fresh Strawberry Cake starts with a boxed cake mix, strawberry jell-o, fresh strawberries and is topped with cream cheese frosting!
FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This Easy Fresh Strawberry Cake starts with a boxed cake mix, strawberry jell-o, fresh strawberries and is topped with a sweetened cream cheese frosting! It is a deliciously simple way to use all those fresh-picked strawberries. The cake mix makes it easy but the fresh strawberries and cream cheese frosting make it taste totally homemade!
VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:
For this recipe, I’m using my favorite Fresh Strawberry Cake recipe from Duncan Hines. It’s an old favorite and it has never failed me. And I’m using my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe that I like to use for my RED VELVET CHEESECAKE CAKE. It really is the perfect frosting for this cake!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
For the cake:
vanilla cake mix
strawberry gelatin mix (Jell-O)
eggs
vegetable oil
water
fresh strawberries
For the frosting:
cream cheese
butter
powdered sugar
vanilla extract
milk
butter
powdered sugar
vanilla extract
milk
HOW TO MAKE FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Y’all know I love this kind that has flour in it. Perfect for baking.
Give your strawberries a good rinse then gently dry them with a paper towel. Remove the stems and dice them up.
Then stick them in a plastic Ziploc bag and start crushing them up.I’m using the flat side of my meat tenderizer here but you can use any heavy object or a rolling pin. This will probably take you a minute or two.
In the bowl, combine cake mix with strawberry gelatin powder. Mix until combined.
Then stir in your oil, eggs and water.
Once that is combined, add in 1 cup of your smooshed strawberries.
You will want to gently stir those in by hand.
Then pour batter into baking dish.
Bake for about 30-33 minutes. Oven times do vary, so to make sure it is done, stick a toothpick in the center, if it comes out clean, it is good to go. Allow cake to cool completely before adding frosting.
If you’ve ever made a strawberry cake before, you know they always brown a bit on top. No worries, that is normal. We are gonna cover it up with frosting anyway. To make the frosting, mix together your softened butter and softened cream cheese. It’s easiest if you have an electric mixer.
Mix until smooth and creamy and lump-free. Then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Note: If you have any leftover crushed strawberries, you could always add it to your frosting. Slather frosting onto cooled cake.
Then slice and serve. If there are any leftovers, you’ll want to cover it and put into the fridge.
Note: If you have any leftover crushed strawberries, you could always add it to your frosting. Slather frosting onto cooled cake.
Then slice and serve. If there are any leftovers, you’ll want to cover it and put into the fridge.
Enjoy!
Originally published: February 2013
Updated & republished: June 2019
EASY FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE
This Easy Fresh Strawberry Cake starts with a boxed cake mix, strawberry jell-o, fresh strawberries and is topped with cream cheese frosting!
Print Pin RatePrep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 391kcal
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box vanilla cake mix (or white, yellow cake mix)
- 1 3 oz box strawberry gelatin mix (Jell-O)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 pint fresh strawberries (or 1 cup crushed fresh strawberries)
For the frosting:
- 1/2 block cream cheese (4 oz) softened
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Give the strawberries a good rinse then gently dry them with a paper towel. Remove the stems and dice.
- Put strawberries into a plastic Ziploc bag and start crushing them up using a rolling pin or other heavy object. This will probably take you a minute or two.
- In the bowl, combine cake mix with strawberry gelatin powder. Mix until combined.
- Then stir in oil, eggs and water.
- Once that is combined, add in 1 cup of the smushed strawberries. You will want to gently stir those in by hand.
- Then pour batter into prepared baking dish.
- Bake for about 30-33 minutes.
- Oven times do vary so to make sure it is done, stick a toothpick in the center, if it comes out clean, it is good to go.
- Allow cake to cool completely before adding frosting.
For the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer, mix together the softened butter and softened cream cheese.
- Mix until smooth and creamy and lump-free.
- Then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Slather frosting onto cooled cake. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
If there are any leftovers, you'll want to cover it and put into the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 370IU | Vitamin C: 23.2mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1.4mg
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I've made this cake twice now and it is absolutely delicious!!! Would highly recommend – my friends have been begging me to make it again for them!
Delicious! I did not make the frosting, I served it with sugar free Cool Whip. I used a sugar free cake mix. sugar free gelatin and subbed sugar free apple sauce for most of the oil. Thanks for posting, I think different flavors of gelatin and fruit would be good.
I made this last weekend. The only change I made was to substitute equal parts apple sauce for the oil which was simply a personal preference for me. I have to say, the cake was easy to make as was the frosting. It was truly delicious and I will definitely make it again..soon!
Love how you made it your own Leann!! That’s wonderful!
I have not made it yet, but I have had it before and it is very good. Thanks for the recipe. I do have a question though, can I use frozen strawberries and thaw them first? Thank you again.
Hi Barb! I love hearing that! I don’t see why you couldn’t. 🙂
Hello. I have made this cake before and its delicious… this time I picked up strawberry cake mix instead of vanilla forgetting recipe calls for vanilla…should I skip the gelatin in this case? Thanks a bunch
Hi Dagmara! Yes, just leave out the strawberry gelatin. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to add it. It’ll just boost the strawberry flavor. 🙂 No harm done either way!
On my way home right now to make this beautiful cake
???? my husband has been smiling all day waiting for me to get it done
Awwww – you are so sweet!! Love hearing that Rhonda!!
I made this cake last year and it was wonderful! was wondering if you could do these as cupcakes and if so how to adjust the temp/cook time if needed?
Hi Nicole! I’ve never made these as cupcakes but it would definitely work. The timing you may have to play with though. Maybe start with 18 minutes and go up from there?
This cake is Delicious. I have made it so many times. My friends and family say it is the best cake they have ever eaten.
Oh wow!! So wonderful to hear that Denise! Thanks so much!!
Can I use frozen sweet strawberries instead of fresh?
Hi Shirley, it might turn out a bit too sweet. I haven’t tested it that way unfortunately…
I’m going to try this recipe this weekend I wanted to know if this recipe is good for a layered cake
Is there anyway to make the frosting strawberry?
Sure! You can add about a tablespoon of strawberry extract or you can add diced fresh strawberries (or a combination of the two!)
Hi. For the frosting, did you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks.
Hi April, I tend to use salted butter for everything. I hate buying separate butter just to make a recipe so I almost always go with salted. Hope that helps! 🙂
OMG!!! This cake and icing was FANTABULOUS!! It was sooooooo moist and soooooooo fluffy and sooooooooo scrumptious tasting!! I had to make a “MMMM MMMM MMMMMMM” sound on EVERY bite! Thank you Brandie for posting and allowing us to experience the deliciousness of your recipe. I will be trying more!
Do you use instant jello or regular jello? Also, what size package? Thanks!
There’s different jellos? I only know of one kind of jell-o. Unless maybe you are thinking of the puddings? If you scroll up you can see my photo of the ingredients if that helps. 🙂
Can I make this the day before?
& how would I store it?
This recipe sounds like I want more!
My question ; can I use a bundt pan to bake it in??
Hi Jasmine – this cake is extremely moist. You can certainly try but I can’t say for certain that it will turn out since I haven’t tested it. 🙂
Planning to make this my kid’s bday. Have you tried it in the the round pans (2-3 layers) or is the 9×13 the only recommendation. Thanks!