Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe
Strawberry cake is one of my very favorites. It’s summertime perfection. I made this strawberry cake recipe using cake mix for my parents when they came to town for a visit for my birthday last month and we all loved it. I never make myself birthday cakes, and didn’t set out with that as the goal when I made this cake. I make so many cakes as a blogger that I didn’t think twice when I embarked on this one, but it turned out to be a wonderful happy accident of a birthday cake. This soft, tender, moist strawberry layer cake is loaded with so much strawberry flavor, both in the cake and in the frosting. It’s an easy recipe that starts with cake mix which gets doctored up with strawberry gelatin and fresh strawberries. It’s an almost scratch cake, which is fine by me.
What’s in Strawberry Layer Cake?
To make this strawberry cake recipe using cake mix, you’ll need:
White cake mix Strawberry gelatin Canola oil Fresh strawberries Cream or half-and-half Unsalted butter Strawberry preserves Vanilla extract Confectioners’ sugar Red food coloring (optional)
How to Make a Strawberry Layer Cake
Simply whisk together the strawberry cake batter, then gently fold in the diced berries. Bake the strawberry cake layers until done, then let cool completely before frosting. To make the strawberry frosting, first beat the butter until smooth. Then, add the confectioners’ sugar, preserves, and food coloring (if using). Continue mixing until very well whipped, light, and fluffy. Add a splash of cream or milk as needed to achieve the right consistency. Once cooled, frost the strawberry layer cake. I garnished my cake with fresh berries as well just before serving.
Do I Have to Make This as a Layer Cake?
No, I baked the cake in two 9-inch rounds because I love the presentation pop that a layer cake lends, but you can make it as a 9×13-inch cake if you prefer.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Cake
I frosted the strawberry Jello cake with from-scratch strawberry frosting that’s made with strawberry preserves. Make sure you use a thick jam with strawberry chunks and not thin and runny jelly so your frosting has wonderful strawberry flecks throughout. The frosting is very sweet, but then again all frosting is sweet. This one happens to be sweeter than most because there’s both strawberry jam and confectioners’s sugar in it, but if you have a sweet tooth you’re going to love it. If you don’t have sweet teeth I would suggest another less sweet frosting, such as doubling this one. If you have leftovers of this strawberry Jello cake, I recommend storing it in a sealed container in the fridge. Leftovers will last up to 5 days, but be sure to bring the cake to room temperature before serving it again.
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