The Best Sourdough Strawberry Cake Recipe {With Fresh Strawberries}
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This cake tastes like strawberry season in the best way. It’s moist, fluffy, and packed with real berry flavor. Instead of tossing in fresh strawberries that get lost in the mix, you’ll cook them down into a sweet, thick layer of flavor. The final bake is a sweet treat with a real homemade jam taste and no soggy crumbs.
It’s not a one-bowl recipe, but once the strawberry part is done, the rest is pretty straightforward. The cake layers hold up well, so you can bake them a day ahead and frost when you’re ready.
Scroll down for the full strawberry sourdough cake recipe and let’s get baking!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
It has a bold, bright, and real strawberry flavor:
Instead of just tossing in chopped berries or a thin purée, this recipe uses a slow-cooked strawberry reduction that turns into a thick, jam-like syrup.
This simple kitchen trick packs a deep strawberry punch without watering down the batter.
It takes the delicious bake from basic to a homemade cake with rich, satisfying flavor. Top it with fresh berries or a big dollop of homemade whipped cream and it easily becomes the perfect summer dessert.
You don’t need any fancy equipment or expert-level steps:
This isn’t one of those cakes that needs a pastry degree to make. Aside from a stand mixer, which you can swap out for a hand mixer and a little elbow grease, you probably already have everything you need.
It’s a simple, easy recipe that turns into a sweet and gorgeous layer cake. If you’ve ever made strawberry shortcake before, you’ll find this cake just as easy to make, but it’s way fluffier and more show-stopping once it’s frosted with strawberry cream cheese frosting.
It’s a thoughtful way to use up your leftover sourdough discard:
If you’re into baking sourdough recipes, this cake gives you a sweet option for that extra discard besides the usual sourdough biscuits or pancakes.
Using leftover sourdough discard adds a nice tang and makes the cake super tender, especially when you use cake flour. You can even refrigerate the batter overnight to deepen the sourdough flavor or prep ahead.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Strawberry reduction: Strawberry reduction is what makes this cake stand out. If you just toss in chopped strawberries, you end up with a white cake with fruit bits. And adding straight strawberry puree makes the batter too runny. The fix is cooking down the puree until thick and jammy. That’s how you pack real strawberry flavor into every bite.
- Flour: For the lightest and most tender sourdough cake, I highly recommend using cake flour. This flour is lower in gluten content, which creates a lighter and fluffier bake. However, you can substitute with all-purpose flour, though this can lead to a slightly denser cake.
- Unsalted butter: For the best cake texture, the temperature of your butter is important. Before creaming, the butter should be soft enough that a fingerprint can easily be left when you press into it. If the butter is too hard or too soft, it will affect the cake’s texture. Aim for 67°F. If using salted butter, subtract 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) of salt from the recipe.
- Leaveners: Make sure your baking powder and soda haven’t expired; otherwise, the cake won’t rise properly. Refresh these levening agents after 6 months of opening.
- Eggs: It’s important that all your ingredients are at room temperature. Bring eggs to room temperature quickly by placing them in a bowl of hot water for at least 5 minutes. I like to crack the eggs in a separate bowl first to ensure no egg shells sneak into the batter. Using only egg whites keeps the cake lighter in color, soft and fluffy. If you prefer to use whole eggs, add 3 eggs instead of 5 egg whites and skip the oil.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for this recipe. However, you can substitute with non-dairy options like almond milk. Bring the milk to room temperature quickly by heating it for 15-20 seconds in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Unfed sourdough starter: It’s best to use fresh sourdough discard that’s no older than 1-2 days for sweet recipes like this Sourdough Strawberry Cake. Alternatively, you can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- Food coloring: It’s common for strawberries to bake up gray instead of a vibrant pink. For the most beautiful color, I like to add a food coloring, like this! You could also add a drop or two of gel food coloring or skip all together.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Not only do freeze-dried strawberries bring the delicious strawberry flavor to the frosting, but also add color. Blitz them in a food processor or blender until fine. They are different from “dried” strawberries, as these are more like raisins, while freeze-dried strawberries have all their water removed from the sliced strawberries.
- Unsalted butter: Again, in order for the frosting to be smooth, it is important that the butter is at room temperature before mixing.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs. It’s also important that the cream cheese is softened, otherwise it will be challenging to mix evenly.
- Strawberry preserves: For one extra punch of strawberry flavor, I love adding some strawberry preserves into the frosting to add some texture. If you prefer, you can use strawberry jam instead or substitute it with heavy cream or milk for a smoother strawberry cream cheese frosting.
How to Make Sourdough Strawberry Cake
PREPARE THE STRAWBERRIES
This is the most time-consuming step of the recipe, so I recommend preparing the strawberry puree a day in advance to help break up the recipe.
- Wash, hull, and puree the fresh strawberries in an immersion blender, food processor or blender. Cook the puree down over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and jammy. Spread the puree on a plate, cover and cool to room temp before using.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 9-inch cake pans with butter and parchment paper.
DRY INGREDIENTS
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set to the side.
WET INGREDIENTS
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature milk, sourdough discard, strawberry reduction, oil, vanilla extract and food coloring, if desired, until smooth. Set aside.
Baker’s Note
You can use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and soft room temperature butter at medium speed for about 4-5 minutes, or until white in color and fluffy.
- Next, add in the room-temperature egg whites, beating at high speed for about 2 minutes or until a very light and fluffy texture.
COMBINE
- Alternate between the dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Mix on low speed.
- Stop mixing when there are just a few streaks of flour left and finished by hand with a rubber spatula. The batter will be very light and silky.
Long Fermentation Tip
To long ferment, cover the just-mixed batter and place it into the fridge overnight. The next day, divide the batter evenly between two prepared cake pans and bake. You might need to add a few minutes to the bake time since the batter is chilled.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
BAKE
- Bake the Sourdough Strawberry Cake for 20-25 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist bites of cake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
How To Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- To a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries until a fine powder. Set to the side.
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, for about 1 minute on high until creamy, then add the butter and continue to beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the powdered sugar to the butter, one cup at a time at medium speed.
- Finally, add the freeze-dried strawberry powder, strawberry preserves, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until combined.
How to Decorate
Before decorating, double-check that the cakes are completely cooled! If they are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt into a sugary mess.
If the cake is domed, slice off a thin piece of the top of the cake with a serrated knife. This helps the cake to lay evenly when layered.
First, place the bottom layer on the cake stand. Top with about a cup of the strawberry cream cheese frosting and spread with a flat knife until it is evenly covered. Place the 2nd cake layer on top and cover evenly with another cup of frosting. Cover the edges with the remaining frosting.
I decorated my Sourdough Strawberry Cake with more strawberries, but here are some other creative ideas for you to try:
- dollops of homemade whipped cream
- Chocolate ganache
- edible flowers
- Macaroons
Alternative Baking Suggestions
Sourdough Strawberry Cupcakes
If you want cupcakes instead, this cake batter works great for that, too. Line a muffin tin with paper liners, fill each one about three-quarters full, and bake at 350°F for around eighteen to twenty minutes.
Use a toothpick to check if they are done. If it comes out clean, your cupcakes are ready. Let them cool completely before frosting. Top with the strawberry cream cheese frosting and add a fresh strawberry on top if you want to.
Sourdough Strawberry Sheet Cake
If you’re not into stacking cake layers, make a sheet cake. Pour the batter into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan and bake it at 350°F for about 30 to 35 minutes. Let it cool before frosting. This version is easy to slice and serve for a casual get-together or just a regular day at home.
If you want to make smaller cakes or go with a sheet-style bake, this batter works nicely for that too. You can use six-inch pans or spread it into thinner layers. Just check a little earlier, as thinner cakes bake a little faster.
How to Store:
Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack until room temperature before you frost, store, or freeze it. If it’s still warm, the frosting can melt or the steam can mess with the texture.
If your kitchen stays cool, you can leave the frosted cake out on the counter for a day. Just keep it covered with a cake dome or a sealed container so it doesn’t dry out. You can also store leftover cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. Wrap it up tight or place slices in an airtight container and let it sit out for about 30 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens.
The cake also freezes well. Freeze the whole cake or in slices, and it’s best to do that before frosting. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then add a layer of foil or put it in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to eat it, thaw the cake in the fridge overnight. If you just want a slice, leave it out on the counter for a couple of hours. Skip the microwave so the flavor and texture stay the same.
FAQs
Make sure the sourdough strawberry cake is completely cool before frosting or the buttercream will melt right off. If the top domes up, just trim it flat with a serrated knife so your layers stack up nice and even. Fresh strawberries are always a hit on top, but you could also go with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate ganache, edible flowers, or even a few macaroons.
Yes, you can. Just mix up the batter, cover it, and stick it in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready to bake, divide it between the pans and pop it in the oven. You’ll probably need to add a few extra minutes since the batter’s cold.
I used cake flour, but all-purpose works too. The texture just won’t be quite as soft and fluffy, and the cake will turn out a little denser. Use unsalted butter at room temp, but salted is fine. Just leave out the extra salt in the recipe.
Egg whites keep the cake light and pale, but you can swap 5 whites for 3 whole eggs and leave out the oil if you prefer. Whole milk gives the richest flavor, but almond or other non-dairy milk at room temp is fine.
Use 1-2 day old sourdough starter discard for the best flavor. Active starter works too, same amount. Strawberries can turn grayish when baked. A drop or two of food coloring keeps the cake pink, but it’s optional.
Sourdough Strawberry Cake
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Equipment
- two 9-inch cake pans
Ingredients
Sourdough Strawberry Cake
- 454 grams strawberries 1 pound
- 300 grams cake flour *see notes 2 cups + 2 teaspoons
- 8 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
- 5 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
- 350 grams sugar 1 3/4 cups
- 227 grams unsalted butter 1 cup
- 170 grams egg whites about 5 large eggs
- 120 grams milk 1/2 cup
- 120 grams sourdough discard 1/2 cup
- 30 grams oil 2 Tablespoons
- 8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- 1 gram red food coloring (optional) about 1/4 teaspoon
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 28 grams freeze-dried strawberries 1 cup
- 226 grams cream cheese, softened 8 ounces
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup
- 650 grams powdered sugar 5 cups
- 90 grams strawberry preserves 1/4 cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Sourdough Strawberry Cake
- Prepare the Strawberries: This is the most time-consuming step of the recipe, so I recommend preparing the strawberry puree a day in advance to help break up the recipe.
- Wash, hull, and puree the fresh strawberries with an immersion blender, in a food processor or blender. Cook the puree down in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and jammy. This took about 25-30 minutes. You should be left with about 135g (½ cup) of strawberry reduction. Spread the reduction on a plate, cover and cool in the fridge overnight. The following day, remove the strawberry reduction from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Alternatively, you could pop it in the freezer to cool down quickly, about 10 minutes or so, and continue on with the cake recipe on the same day.454 grams strawberries
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 9-inch cake pans with butter and parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set to the side.300 grams cake flour *see notes, 8 grams baking powder, 3 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt
- Wet Ingredients: In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the room-temperature milk, sourdough discard, 135g of strawberry puree, oil, vanilla extract and food coloring (optional) until smooth. Set aside.For the best outcome, it’s important that all of the ingredients are at room temperature.30 grams oil, 8 grams vanilla extract, 120 grams milk, 120 grams sourdough discard, 1 gram red food coloring (optional)
- Baker's Note: You can use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and soft room temperature butter at medium speed for about 4-5 minutes, or until white in color and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the ingredients are being mixed properly.350 grams sugar, 227 grams unsalted butter
- Next, add all the room-temperature egg whites, then beat the batter on high speed for about 2 minutes or until it becomes a very light and fluffy texture. Scrape the sides of the bowl once more.170 grams egg whites
- Combine: While mixing on low, alternate between the dry ingredients and wet ingredients. First add about ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the strawberry/discard mixture. Stop mixing when there are just a few streaks of flour left and finished by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Long-Ferment: To long ferment, cover the just-mixed batter and place it into the fridge overnight. Then divide the batter evenly between two prepared cake pans and bake. You might need to add a few minutes to the bake time since the batter is chilled.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans, about 700 grams per cake pan.
- Bake: Bake the Sourdough Strawberry Cake for 20-25 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist bites of cake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- To a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries until they become a fine powder. Set to the side.28 grams freeze-dried strawberries
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, for about 1 minute on high until creamy, then add the butter and continue to beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.226 grams cream cheese, softened, 113 grams unsalted butter, softened
- Next, add the powdered sugar to the butter, one cup at a time at medium speed.650 grams powdered sugar
- Finally, add the freeze-dried strawberry powder, strawberry preserves, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until combined.90 grams strawberry preserves, 4 grams vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Assemble, decorate and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Strawberry reduction: Strawberry reduction is what makes this cake stand out. If you just toss in chopped strawberries, you end up with a white cake with fruit bits. And adding straight strawberry puree makes the batter too runny. The fix is cooking down the puree until thick and jammy. That’s how you pack real strawberry flavor into every bite.
- Flour: For the lightest and most tender sourdough cake, I highly recommend using cake flour. This flour is lower in gluten content, which creates a lighter and fluffier bake. However, you can substitute with all-purpose flour, though this can lead to a slightly denser cake.
- Unsalted butter: For the best cake texture, the temperature of your butter is important. Before creaming, the butter should be soft enough that a fingerprint can easily be left when you press into it. If the butter is too hard or too soft, it will affect the cake’s texture. Aim for 67°F. If using salted butter, subtract 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) of salt from the recipe.
- Leaveners: Make sure your baking powder and soda haven’t expired; otherwise, the cake won’t rise properly. Refresh these levening agents after 6 months of opening.
- Eggs: It’s important that all your ingredients are at room temperature. Bring eggs to room temperature quickly by placing them in a bowl of hot water for at least 5 minutes. I like to crack the eggs in a separate bowl first to ensure no egg shells sneak into the batter. Using only egg whites keeps the cake lighter in color, soft and fluffy. If you prefer to use whole eggs, add 3 eggs instead of 5 egg whites and skip the oil.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for this recipe. However, you can substitute with non-dairy options like almond milk. Bring the milk to room temperature quickly by heating it for 15-20 seconds in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Unfed sourdough starter: It’s best to use fresh sourdough discard that’s no older than 1-2 days for sweet recipes like this Sourdough Strawberry Cake. Alternatively, you can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- Food coloring: It’s common for strawberries to bake up gray instead of a vibrant pink. For the most beautiful color, I like to add a food coloring, like this! You could also add a drop or two of gel food coloring or skip all together.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Not only do freeze-dried strawberries bring the delicious strawberry flavor to the frosting, but also add color. Blitz them in a food processor or blender until fine. They are different from “dried” strawberries, as these are more like raisins, while freeze-dried strawberries have all their water removed from the sliced strawberries.
- Unsalted butter: Again, in order for the frosting to be smooth, it is important that the butter is at room temperature before mixing.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs. It’s also important that the cream cheese is softened, otherwise it will be challenging to mix evenly.
- Strawberry preserves: For one extra punch of strawberry flavor, I love adding some strawberry preserves into the frosting to add some texture. If you prefer, you can use strawberry jam instead or substitute it with heavy cream or milk for a smoother strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Light, fluffy, and incredible strawberry flavor, this is the perfect summertime cake.
Could I use frozen strawberries for the reduction
Yes! You can use frozen strawberries, but know that it might take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first.