This strawberry buttermilk cake is one of those simple signature cakes every baker needs ~ soft, tender, full of fresh berries, and universally loved.
It’s the cake I come back to every strawberry season: simple to make, and so pretty. My strawberry buttermilk cake works for a weekend breakfast, feels special enough for company, and has earned a permanent place in my rotation.
What readers are saying about this strawberry buttermilk cake
➡ “Wow ~ this is the best cake I’ve ever had!”
➡ “Easy and fun to make. I’ve made this breakfast cake several times now and it always gets raves.”
➡ “We ate this entire cake in one sitting -SO GOOD!!
➡ “it is my favorite cake recipe ever! It has been a hit at every event I have brought it to!”
Ingredient notes
This recipe includes almost a pound of strawberries, which sounds like a lot for a one layer cake, but trust me, it works. The berries bake with the cake batter to create a soft, custardy interior which is magical.
- strawberries
- I like to use good quality ripe berries that aren’t too big ~ small to medium size berries have the best flavor, usually. Baking enhances the flavor of the berries, but it helps to start with good ones.
- sour cream and buttermilk
- Why use both? Buttermilk keeps the crumb light and tender, while sour cream adds richness and a little structure. Together they give this strawberry cake that just-right texture ~ soft, plush, and sturdy enough to hold all those juicy berries.
Baking details that matter
- Follow the recipe exactly the first time.
- Cake recipes rely on precision, and even small changes can affect the final texture. This strawberry buttermilk cake is simple, but it’s worth making as written before experimenting.
- Buy a 16-ounce package of strawberries.
- You won’t use every last berry. I found 14 ounces to be the sweet spot, so save a few for serving.
- Dry the berries thoroughly.
- After washing, spread the strawberries out on a clean dish towel and let them dry. Wet berries can add extra moisture to the batter and make the cake too soft in the center.
- Jumbo eggs are intentional.
- I used jumbo eggs for this cake, which I know is unusual, but they gave me the texture I was after. If you only have large eggs, use 3 large eggs instead ~ that works well too.
- Use a springform pan if you can.
- This cake is tender and fruit-filled, so the removable outer ring makes it much easier to slice and serve neatly. You can use a regular cake pan, but plan to serve the cake directly from the pan.
- Store it loosely covered.
- This cake is best the day it’s made. If you need to store it, cover it loosely with foil and keep it at room temperature; airtight wrapping can soften the top too much.
Best pan for making this strawberry cake
I recommend: 9-inch Spring Form Pan
A spring form pan is handy for a recipe like this because the cake is very delicate, and removing it from a regular cake pan would be impossible. With a spring form pan you can release the sides so that even the most delicate cakes can be presented and sliced perfectly. I use my spring form pan for cornbread too because I love to be able to remove it and serve it on the table beautifully sliced. USA makes a whole line of bakeware and I’m slowly replacing all my pans. Plus, they’re made in the USA!
Your questions
Fresh strawberries are best here because they hold their shape and don’t flood the batter. Frozen berries can work in some cakes, but I don’t recommend them for this one.
Yes, but plan to serve it from the pan. This cake is tender and fruit-filled, so a springform pan makes slicing and serving much neater.
It’s best the day it’s baked, when the top is prettiest and the texture is freshest. You can bake it earlier in the day and leave it loosely covered at room temperature.
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Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
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Equipment
- a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, or 2 jumbo eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 14 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Lightly spray a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- Cream the soft butter and sugar together in a stand mixer for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl a couple of times.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the vanilla.
- Stir the sour cream and buttermilk together to blend, and then add the flour to the mixing bowl alternately with the sourcream/milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until combined, but don't over mix.
- Fold in the berries and turn into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top. Sprinkle the surface of the cake liberally with granulated sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake no longer jiggles in the center and the top is golden and slightly crackled. The exact cooking time will depend on the pan size you use. You can insert a toothpick in the center to test.
- Let cool briefly, and then unlatch the spring and remove the outer ring. I like to run a spreading knife along the edge first to loosen any parts of the cake that are sticking to the pan. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.
Notes
- I used half sour cream and half buttermilk, but you can use all sour cream, all buttermilk, half and half, full fat yogurt, or full fat milk for this cake.
- You can bake this in a 9 inch cast iron skillet. Serve it right in the pan.
- Try it with other fruit, especially other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
Nutrition
What to make next with strawberries
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Can I use Kefir instead of buttermilk? Am lactose intolerant. I make many many of ur wonderful, tasty, colorful recipes. Thank you
Yes, that would be a great substitute.
Can I used frozen rhubarbs in this cake butter ?
Hi my dear friend please let me know if I can use frozen rhubarb in this cake butter?
I think that should be fine Mary. I assume your rhubarb is already chopped? If so, use it straight from frozen.
can this be frozen?
Yes, it should freeze well.
This cake was a big hit with my family! I was going to make it last week because we bought a flat of local strawberries at a farm stand in Niagara, but we ate them all before I could make a cake 😛 This weekend the nearby strawberry patches opened for the season but there were huge lineups so we went out for brunch instead and then bought a flat of local strawberries at the grocery store (for much cheaper!) I made the cake in a 9″ round casserole dish and used 3 extra large eggs – then I thought it would be more moist than with large eggs so I used all sour cream and no buttermilk. It came out perfectly and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.
Haha, love this, it’s so true. I’m sure the grocery store berries were perfect 🙂
I freeze sour cherries from my tree and plan on using them. I’ll defrost them slightly in the microwave, then slice them. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Made this gluten free by subbing 222grams of Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. Also used s mixture of strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. It came out great!
Oh great, thanks! I definitely plan to try it with blackberries.
I’ve made this cake twice and learned a lot on the first try. First, I remembered that I don’t like cooked strawberries. Second, I don’t have a springform pan so I made it in a round pie dish and it didn’t get completely cooked in the middle. The second time I made it I added blueberries instead of strawberries and baked it in a bundt pan. In both cases I sprayed a thick coating of Baker’s Joy and had no trouble with the cake sticking to the pan. The second time the cake was a huge hit and everyone loved it (everyone loved the Strawberry cake except me). I can’t wait until the peaches get ripe so I can try them in the cake.
Baking is such an adventure, isn’t it? So much to learn, and there are so many variables. I’m glad it worked out for you, and yes, go for the peaches when they get here!
Thank you for this gorgeous recipe! It’s quickly become a huge favorite around here. When a little short on strawberries, I have added cubed pear in as well. Will be trying strawberry/raspberry tomorrow 🙂
Thanks Leahann, the combo of strawberries and pear is so unique. I will definitely try a pear version this fall, for sure! Isn’t it fun dreaming up new fruit combinations?
Well, I bought my strawberries and tried the recipe. Thank you for sharing. It was wonderful z
🙂 I’m so glad.