Fresh Strawberry Cake
This gorgeous Fresh Strawberry Cake is tender and moist thanks to buttermilk and a trio of naturally gluten-free flours. Loads of ripe strawberries flavor this pretty cake that’s capped with a sweet swipe of cream cheese frosting.
Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe
This gorgeous fresh strawberry cake pays homage to strawberry season – if you’re lucky enough to grow your own, you have to use them in a cake! This is a lovely buttermilk-based cake that takes advantage of seasonal strawberries by folding fresh diced strawberries into a lightly sweetened whole-grain cake batter. The result is a wonderfully tender cake bursting with berries and topped with a tangy cream cheese icing.
And did I mention it’s gluten-free? Indeed, yes. The gluten-free flours needed are teff, sorghum, and tapioca, a wholesome trio that can be easily substituted for an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend if that’s easier.
The cream cheese icing is the crowning touch, and it’s just barely sweetened with maple syrup for flavor and natural sweetness. The slight tang in the frosting is a perfect contrast to the sweet cake beneath that’s bursting with fruit. Make this one all summer long!
Why You’ll Love It
- Naturally gluten-free. All of the ingredients needed to make this wholesome, fruit-infused cake are gluten-free.
- Fresh and flavorful. In-season strawberries are one of life’s little pleasures. I look forward to spring strawberries all year long, and this cake is a wonderful way to make the most of them.
- Easy to adapt. See my suggestions below for substitution options and variation suggestions.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this beautiful spring cake. The full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below.
For the Cake
- Teff flour – A hearty whole grain gluten-free flour
- Sorghum flour – Sorghum flour balances the teff flour with a bit of lightness
- Tapioca flour – Starchy tapioca flour helps to create a tender gluten-free crumb for this cake
- Baking powder and baking soda – To help the cake rise
- Salt – I use fine sea salt in all of my baking recipes
- Butter – Unsalted butter is usually best for baking
- Granulated sugar – To sweeten the batter
- Eggs – Eggs help bind the gluten-free batter and give it structure
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract will give the best flavor!
- Buttermilk – This will keep the cake flavorful and moist
- Strawberries – Fresh strawberries are ideal but you can use frozen strawberries if necessary
For the Icing
- Butter – Unsalted is best
- Cream cheese – For a wonderful tangy, creamy touch
- Maple syrup – Pure maple syrup lightly sweetens this frosting
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cake:
Make the Cake
- Heat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8×8 inch baking pan and line it with a square of parchment paper.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream, the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well to combine. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add in the buttermilk and flour, then fold in the strawberries and pour into the prepared pan: With mixer on low, add the buttermilk and flour mixture in three additions, beginning with the flour. Mix until combined. Gently fold in the strawberries using a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the surface of the cake springs back lightly when pressed. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the Icing
- Make the icing: In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add the maple syrup and taste for sweetness. Add more to reach the desired sweetness and consistency. Spread the icing evenly across the cooled cake. The cake will keep, well wrapped in the fridge, for 5 days.
Tips and Variation Ideas
Need subs? I’ve got you covered! Read on for substitution suggestions plus some variation options:
- Substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour: Substitute 1 ½ cups 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour for the teff, sorghum, and tapioca flours.
- For the teff flour: Substitute oat flour.
- For the sorghum flour: Sub millet flour.
- For the tapioca flour: Substitute arrowroot.
- To make dairy-free: Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter and cream cheese and make non-dairy buttermilk by taking ½ cup of your preferred non-dairy milk and adding 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or vinegar, then let it rest for 15 minutes before using.
- Use frozen strawberries: I love fresh strawberries in this cake, but you can use frozen strawberries if that’s easier.
- Make it a raspberry cake! Substitute raspberries for the strawberries.
Storage Options
The strawberry cake will keep, well wrapped in the fridge, for 5 days.
More Strawberry Recipes
Fresh Strawberry Cake
This gorgeous Fresh Strawberry Cake is tender and moist thanks to buttermilk and a trio of naturally gluten-free flours. Loads of ripe strawberries flavor this pretty cake that's capped with a sweet swipe of cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- ½ cups/70 g teff flour
- ½ cup/70 g sorghum flour
- ½ cup/70 g tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk , at room temperature
- 2 cups strawberries , hulled and diced
Icing
- ¼ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese , at room temperature
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Make cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter an 8×8 inch baking pan and line with a square of parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream, the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well to combine. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With mixer on low, add the buttermilk and flour mixture in three additions, beginning with the flour. Mix until combined. Gently fold in the strawberries using a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the surface of the cake springs back lightly when pressed. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
Make Icing
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add the maple syrup and taste for sweetness. Add more to reach desired sweetness and consistency. Spread the icing evenly across the cooled cake. Cake will keep, well wrapped in the fridge, for 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 140gCalories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 0.02gFat: 0.05gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 131mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 0.001gSugar: 20gCalcium: 45mgIron: 0.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know in the comments how it went!