This strawberry red velvet cake has an ultra-moist and velvety texture! It has tangy strawberry cream cheese frosting and is filled with real chopped strawberries. It's perfect served for Valentine's Day, at birthday parties, or at any special event.
My favorite kind of cake is red velvet, and this strawberry red velvet cake definitely lives up to the hype! It's a perfect cake for Valentine's Day or to make when ripe strawberries are abundant in the Summer.
Red velvet cakes are notorious for being a bit dry and bland, but this one has a super moist, velvety texture and subtle chocolate flavor. Slather it with strawberry cream cheese frosting and you have a delicious dessert perfect for celebrating any special occasion.
If you love strawberry desserts, try strawberry vanilla cake, strawberry coconut cake, strawberry almond cake, strawberry crumb cake, or strawberry white chocolate cheesecake next.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft and fluffy cake- Like these small batch red velvet cupcakes and Oreo red velvet cake, this red velvet cake with strawberries has a soft, moist sponge that goes perfectly with the frosting.
- Fresh strawberries- There are chopped fresh strawberries in between each cake layer for a juicy texture and flavor.
- Strawberry cream cheese frosting- Cream cheese frosting is the best topping for a classic red velvet cake. This frosting is made with freeze dried strawberries to give it a bright, fruity flavor and pink color.
Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about some of the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Ingredients for the cake.
Ingredients for the frosting.
- All purpose flour- Flour makes up the cake's structure. For the best results, either weigh it in grams or use the spoon and level method.
- Granulated sugar- White sugar not only sweetens the cake but also contributes to its texture and structure.
- Cocoa powder- Both Dutch-processed and unsweetened natural cocoa powder work to give your red velvet cake a mild cocoa flavor. I prefer Dutch-processed since it has a deeper, richer flavor.
- Baking powder & baking soda- These leaveners react with heat and acid and make the cake rise. Check the expiration date of both before using.
- Salt- This activates the leaveners and offsets some of the sweetness. Use finely ground salt.
- Buttermilk- The acid in buttermilk breaks down some of the gluten strands and creates a tender crumb. It needs to be room temperature, so pull it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before starting.
- Sour cream- Full fat sour cream helps keep the cake moist and tender. Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking.
- Oil- Neutral oil adds fat and keeps the sponge soft and moist. Opt for a flavorless oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Eggs- Large eggs play a crucial role in binding all the ingredients together and providing some lift. It's important to ensure they're room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator at the same time as the buttermilk and sour cream.
- Vinegar- White vinegar adds the tanginess that red velvet cakes are known for. It reacts with cocoa powder to turn the cake red.
- Red food coloring- Add gel food dye for the most intense, vibrant red color.
- Unsalted butter- Make sure your butter is room temperature so it's easy to mix into the cream cheese.
- Cream cheese- Use full-fat cream cheese in a block. Avoid using reduced-fat cream cheese or any variety in a tub, as they may result in runny frosting.
- Powdered sugar- This sweetens the frosting and thickens it by drawing water out of the cream cheese. You don't have to sift it.
- Freeze-dried strawberries- Pulse or smash these into a powder to add a nice strawberry flavor and pink color to the frosting.
- Fresh strawberries (not pictured)- Use fresh strawberries, not frozen and thawed! Those will be too mushy.
Substitutions & Variations
- All purpose flour: If you're gluten free, you can substitute 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour.
- Buttermilk: The best buttermilk substitute is plain Kefir.
- Sour cream: You can use plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Strawberries not in season? You can totally use a different fruit like blueberries or raspberries!
- Add a chocolate ganache drip on top for even more decadence.
- If you don't like cream cheese frosting, you can use a different kind of buttercream like American buttercream or this faux Swiss meringue buttercream. Substitute 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for 2 tablespoons pulverized freeze-dried strawberries.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
- I used metal 6-inch round cake pans for baking my cakes. Opt for metal pans instead of glass or silicone as they can lead to burning. I highly recommend non-stick pans for optimal results. Remember to spray them with baking spray and line them with parchment rounds.
- Either a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer is suitable for making the frosting.
- For decorating, you'll definitely need an offset spatula. A bench scraper comes in handy for smoothing everything out.
- Consider investing in a cake decorating turntable, although it's optional. It spins while you frost, saving you from awkwardly reaching around the cake.
Step by Step Instructions
Before you begin baking, remember to preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease or line your cake pans with parchment paper and set them aside.
STEP 1: Start by whisking the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until they are thoroughly combined.
STEP 2: Whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla in a separate bowl until well combined. Then whisk in the food coloring.
STEP 3: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while whisking gently. Whisk until there are few to no lumps and the dry streaks of flour disappear into the batter.
STEP 4: Next, divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
STEP 5: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Gently loosen the sides of the pans with a butter knife, then flip them onto a wire cooling rack and release. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
STEP 6: For the strawberry cream cheese frosting, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth.
STEP 7: Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar into the mixture, beating on low speed, adding one cup at a time until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix in the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and vanilla on medium-low speed until creamy.
Assembling the Cake
STEP 8: To assemble, fit a piping bag with a large tip and fill it with frosting (not all of it). Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake stand and spread about ½ cup frosting on it.
Pipe a circle around the edges of the cake (a dam) and fill the center with chopped strawberries.
STEP 9: Place another cake layer on top and repeat the frosting and filling process of Step 8. Place the last layer with the bottom (or flat) side up so the top is perfectly flat.
STEP 10: Use an offset icing spatula to spread a thin layer of frosting (or crumb coat) on the top and sides of the cake. Try to make this layer as even as possible by running a bench scraper along the sides.
Chill the cake in the freezer for 20 minutes or until the frosting is dry to the touch. It's easier to apply the final layer of frosting when chilled!
STEP 11: Next, evenly spread a final coat of frosting all over the cake. Pipe a border or swirls all over the cake with the remaining frosting in your piping bag. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Wash your strawberries. Make sure they're clean before adding them to the cake!
- Measure the flour correctly. Weigh the flour in grams with a scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements! If you don't have a scale, fluff the flour and spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Use room temperature ingredients. The dairy ingredients and eggs need to be room temperature for a moist, evenly baked cake.
- Don't overmix the cake batter. Mixing the batter too much can cause too much gluten development, which causes a tough, gummy texture.
- Use gel food coloring. Gel is more concentrated than liquid, so you won't need as much of it to get a bright red color.
Storage & Freezing
You can keep your strawberry red velvet cake fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store it in a cake carrier or another large, airtight container. If you've already cut into it, make sure to cover the cut section with extra frosting to prevent it from drying out
Freezing
Wrap each slice of cake tightly in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy, simply unwrap a slice and allow it to thaw at room temperature for approximately 1 hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It will make 12-24 cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for 18-20 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick after 15 minutes.
You can use two 8 or 9-inch cake pans or a 9x13-inch sheet cake pan.
Nope, it's much more than that! Red velvet cake is only made with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, so it has a much milder flavor than a traditional chocolate cake. It also has a tangy flavor from buttermilk, sour cream, and a touch of vinegar which is key in a traditional red velvet cake. Most red velvet cakes are covered in cream cheese icing because its smooth and creamy texture complements the moist crumb perfectly.
Because of the cream cheese frosting, the cake can only be left out for up to 2 hours before it needs to be refrigerated.
More Cake Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Red Velvet Cake
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment
Ingredients
Strawberry Red Velvet Cake
- 300 grams all purpose flour
- 300 grams granulated sugar
- 45 grams cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 225 grams buttermilk room temperature
- 180 grams sour cream room temperature
- 186 grams neutral oil
- 3 large eggs room temeprature
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 226 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 454 grams full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 800 grams powdered sugar
- 28 grams freeze-dried strawberries crushed
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 grams chopped strawberries
Instructions
Red Velvet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease or line three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.300 grams all purpose flour, 300 grams granulated sugar, 45 grams cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla until smooth. Then whisk in the food coloring.225 grams buttermilk, 180 grams sour cream, 186 grams neutral oil, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk until the dry streaks of flour disappear into the batter and there are no lumps.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the pans, flip onto a wire cooling rack, and release. Let cool completely before assembling.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat softened butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer until smooth.226 grams unsalted butter, 454 grams full fat cream cheese
- Slowly add powdered sugar on low speed one cup at a time until combined.800 grams powdered sugar
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix in the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and vanilla on medium-low speed.28 grams freeze-dried strawberries, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assembly
- Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake stand and spread ½ cup frosting on it. Pipe a circle around the edges and fill the center with chopped strawberries. Repeat with the second layer.100 grams chopped strawberries
- Place the last layer with the bottom (or flat) side up so the top is flat.
- Use an offset icing spatula to spread a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) all over the cake. Run a bench scraper along the sides to make it even.
- Chill the cake in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or until the frosting is dry to the touch.
- Apply a final thick layer of frosting. Pipe swirls, a border, or any other decoration you like with the remaining frosting.
- Garnish the cake with fresh strawberries or sprinkles, slice, and enjoy!
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