Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Strawberries can be plentiful and affordable this time of year, especially if you have your own little patch going crazy in the backyard! I love adding strawberries into smoothies or just eating them plain (or dipped in chocolate!), but sometimes it’s fun to make something a little more special.

a slice of homemade strawberry cake

Homemade Strawberry Cake

A few months ago, I came across this delicious but simple-looking recipe in one of my very old cookbooks that I collect, and I knew I had to try it and give it my own little modern twist.

Strawberries make a perfect addition to this cake, but if you don’t have them on hand, you can use other types of fruit or berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, etc.

homemade strawberry cake

Ingredients in Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

Formerly known as Hard Times Cake in Buckeye Cookery, 1887

  • 1/2 cup Butter, softened
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 3 cups All Purpose Flour (gluten free flour should work too!)
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Step By Step Instructions for Making Homemade Strawberry Cake

homemade strawberry cake batter

In a bowl, whip the eggs and sugar together. Add in the butter and sour cream. Then, add in the flour and baking soda. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated well.

strawberry cake batter in two cake pans

Pour into 2 greased cake pans (they can be round or square or any shape, but make sure they are the same shape).

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool undisturbed. Do not remove them from the pans until they are cool.

Recipe Binder Post Promo

Want to print this recipe for Homemade Strawberry Cake? Grab it below:

Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

You won't believe how easy it is to make this homemade strawberry cake!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Homemade Strawberry Cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 491 kcal
Creator Merissa

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Strawberries and Cream Frosting

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup strawberries pureed – you can also use strawberry jam

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whip the eggs and sugar together. Add in the butter and sour cream. 

  2. Then add in the flour and baking soda. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated well.

  3. Pour into 2 greased cake pans (can be round or square or any shape but make sure they are the same shape).

  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

  5. Let the cakes cool undisturbed. Do not remove them from the pans until they are cool.

Instructions for Strawberries & Cream Frosting

  1. In a large bowl, whip the Heavy Cream with the vanilla and sugar until it forms soft peaks.

  2. Fold in the pureed strawberries or jam until incorporated.

How to Assemble Your Homemade Strawberry Cake

  1. Carefully remove one cake from the pan and place on some kind of plate or cake dish.

  2. Spread the top with the strawberry filling.

  3. Remove the other cake from the pan and top with remaining frosting.

  4. Enjoy right away or refrigerate the cake for later.

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 491 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 180mg8%
Potassium 99mg3%
Carbohydrates 74g25%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 49g54%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 708IU14%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Next, make the filling!

ingredients for strawberry cake filling

Ingredients in Strawberries and Cream Frosting and Filling

Step By Step Instructions for Strawberries and Cream Frosting

frosting ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer

In a large bowl, whip the Kalona SuperNatural Heavy Cream with the vanilla and sugar until it forms soft peaks. Fold in the pureed strawberries or jam until incorporated.

How to Assemble a Homemade Strawberry Cake

strawberry cake being topped with strawberry icing

Carefully remove one cake from the pan and place on some kind of plate or cake dish. Spread the top with the strawberry filling. Remove the other cake from the pan and top with remaining frosting. Enjoy right away or refrigerate the cake for later.

homemade strawberry cake with strawberry icing

This cake looks like it was hard to make, but you can actually whip it up fairly quickly, and it’s delicious! If you are looking for something a little fancier to take to a summer picnic, you will want to try this recipe!

a slice of homemade strawberry cake

Made this recipe and loved it? Be sure to leave a star rating on the recipe card above, and don’t forget to share with your friends on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), and through Email using the sharing buttons below.

Me and Kady

Merissa Alink

Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.

This Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe was originally published on Little House Living in June 2014. It has been updated as of March 2024.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Support Little House Living by Sharing This

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




27 Comments

  1. This cake sounds wonderful! Just now our berry patch is producing like crazy. I am looking for new ideas,since I’ve made all the pie filling,jam and such that I need. I also collect old cookbooks..my favorite is a 1933 Ohio State Grange cookbook. It was given to me by my Great Aunt when I got married. It is literally falling apart! I also enjoy the Farmwife(later Farm Journal) cookbooks. They use real ingredients that most people have. I bought my daughter an old one of those on ebay a couple years ago.

  2. This does look delicious! Old cookbooks are just wonderful. I love to think about the cooks who owned them, who they were likely cooking for, how much effort it took (chopping wood for stove and producing the ingredients themselves,) what kind of aprons they wore, how the table may have looked, and on and on. I love seeing all the stains in the old books–vanilla, eggs, tears? I have my grandmothers’ old cookbooks, as well as my mother’s. When I make the old recipes, I feel so close to these loving, hard-working women, now long-gone, and remember not only how much I loved them and their cooking–but how much they loved ME 🙂

    It’s interesting that this was called “Hard Times Cake.” My estimation of today’s prices for organic store-brand ingredients from my Texas store totals at least $10 before taxes. Hardly a thrifty dessert when you could barely put food on the table. I’m sure it helped if you produced your own creams, eggs, and butter. Thanks for a sharing your old recipe with us.

    1. Yes, I wondered the same thing but then thought it was most likely called that because it had few store bought ingredients back in the day 🙂

  3. This so yummy! Thank you for sharing. I made the peach cobbler in the crock pot last week and it was delis and im not a cobbler fan but i will make it again…!!!!! Thank you again and again

  4. This cake looks delicious. And, it’s so easy. I don’t do a lot of baking but I think I’m gonna have to try this. My rasberry bushes are getting ready to go crazy over here! I picked my first 2 raspberries yesterday. So, I’ll use those in place of strawberries. YUM! I was thrilled to find out that several stores close to me sell the heavy cream. It’s neat that you collect cookbooks. I do too. I have wayyy too many though. Someday I need to make myself downsize my collection. It’s hard though, because I love them all. 🙂
    Thanks for the recipe.

  5. I collect old cookbooks too. I love the small town family cookbooks, I have quite a few from South Dakota.

  6. Can I use any heavy cream or does it have to be brand specific? I love strawberries & baking so I’m def going to make this cake. 😀

  7. I followed this recipe from the Mama Buzz link party, and it looks delicious. I love strawberries and this looks wonderful!

  8. What a decadent looking cake. Thanks for linking up at Tips and Tricks link party. I have a bucket full of fresh strawberries, and now I know what to do with them. Pinned.

  9. Mmm I want this. Thanks for sharing. Hello from Paula’s No Rules Weekend Blog Party!

  10. I never get tired of strawberry cake. This looks like a grand treat. That cream frosting looks so wonderful! 🙂

    Passing by from Foodie Friday.

    -Tammy<3

  11. I love this recipe strawberry cake (my mom loves strawberries) and will be making it for Fourth of July. I would love if you would share a post on my meet up Monday Blog Party. I am doing a Fourth of July cupcake tutorial on Tuesday and I know your post will be an awesome addition! Here is where you can add your post on Monday!

  12. I always make my own cakes from scratch, but I have never tried strawberry. Pinning this to try for later. Thanks for partying with us this week at Let’s Get Real.

  13. Mmmm, that cake looks so delicious. I love cooking with strawberries, and a strawberry cake is so perfect for this time of year. Thanks so much for sharing on Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in this week’s issue.

  14. Love this fresh cake!! Just pinned and will be sharing on FB!!

    Hugs from Freedom Fridays

  15. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you enjoy your weekend and your new Red Plate!
    Miz Helen