Easy Strawberry Cake (+Video)

This Easy Strawberry Cake starts with a boxed cake mix, strawberry jell-o, fresh strawberries and is topped with cream cheese frosting!

A SIMPLE 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!

TIPS FOR MAKING STRAWBERRY CAKE:

• For this recipe I am using a vanilla cake mix and adding strawberry Jell-O instead of using a strawberry cake mix. This gives the cake a more homemade flavor rather than tasting like a boxed cake mix. But if you want, you could certainly use a strawberry cake mix.
• I’m also 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 but you can use a store-bought canned frosting if that is your preference.
• Frozen strawberries can be used. Just make sure they are unsweetened and thawed before using.
• If you don’t like a cream cheese frosting, just leave out the cream cheese. It will then be a buttercream frosting. Adjust milk in the frosting to get the consistency you enjoy.
• It’s super important that the cream cheese is fully softened. If not, it won’t mix smoothly and you’ll end up with al bumpy frosting.
• This can be made as a layer cake. Just use (2) 8-inch round baking pans. Adjust baking time as necessary (you can go by cake mix instructions on the back of the box.)

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

• vanilla cake mix
• strawberry gelatin mix (Jell-O)
• eggs
• vegetable oil
• water
• fresh strawberries
• cream cheese
• butter
• powdered sugar
• vanilla extract
• milk

HOW TO MAKE 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.

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 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.

CRAVING MORE STRAWBERRY RECIPES?

• STRAWBERRY MESS 
• STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE
• STRAWBERRY KOOL-AID PIE
• HOT MILK SPONGE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES
• STRAWBERRY MUFFIN MIX WAFFLES

Easy Strawberry Cake (+Video)

This Easy Strawberry Cake starts with a boxed cake mix, strawberry jell-o, fresh strawberries and is topped with cream cheese frosting!

4.85 from 76 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Author: Brandie @ The Country Cook

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Ingredients

For the cake:

• ▢ 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix (or white, yellow cake mix)
• ▢ 3 ounce box strawberry gelatin mix (Jell-O)
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 1 pint fresh strawberries, (or 1 cup crushed fresh strawberries)

For the frosting:

• ▢ ½ block cream cheese (4 ounces), softened
• ▢ ⅓ cup butter, softened
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9×13-inch 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, creamy and lump-free.
• Then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Mix until smooth and creamy.
• Slather frosting onto cooled cake. Put the cake back into the refrigerator for about an hour to help the frosting set up.
• Then slice and serve! I like to top each piece of the strawberry cake with a slice of fresh strawberry .

Video

Notes

• If there are any leftovers, you’ll want to cover it and put into the fridge.
• It’s really important the cream cheese is fully softened. If not, it will stay lumpy as you try to mix it. 
• If you are not a fan of cream cheese frosting, just leave it out and it will be a buttercream frosting. Adjust milk as necessary in the frosting to get the consistency you enjoy. 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Fresh Strawberry Cake, Strawberry Cake

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

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Originally published: February 2013
Updated & republished: May 2020