Strawberry Sheet Cake
This strawberry sheet cake is summer on a plate — soft, tender, and made with real strawberries rather than artificial flavour. Because it is baked in a single tin and frosted right in it, there is no layering or fuss, which makes it my go-to for potlucks and birthdays alike.
Reducing the strawberries into a quick puree concentrates their flavour so the cake actually tastes of fruit. That same puree tints and flavours the frosting a natural soft pink.
For more easy crowd cakes, try my vanilla layer cake, or the fragrant cardamom pistachio sheet cake.
Why this recipe works
Fresh strawberries are watery, so reducing them to a thick puree concentrates the flavour without thinning the batter. Butter and a little oil keep the crumb soft, and the same puree in the frosting gives real strawberry taste and a natural pink hue. A sheet format means even baking and easy serving.
What you'll need
Simple ingredients, real strawberries at the centre:
- Strawberries: fresh or frozen, reduced to a thick puree for concentrated flavour.
- Butter and oil: both, for flavour and a moist crumb.
- Buttermilk: adds tenderness; a milk-and-lemon substitute works too.
Smart swaps: frozen strawberries work well (thaw and reduce). No buttermilk? Use milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice. For a lighter finish, top with strawberry whipped cream instead of buttercream.
Strawberry Sheet Cake
Easy real-strawberry sheet cake. Serves 15.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups strawberries, reduced to ½ cup puree
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- For frosting: 1 cup (227 g) butter + 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar + 3 tbsp strawberry puree
Method
- Puree the strawberries and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup. Cool. Reserve 3 tbsp for frosting.
- Heat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease and line a 23x33cm (9x13-inch) tin.
- Whisk the butter, oil and sugar, then the eggs, vanilla and most of the strawberry puree.
- Add the flour and baking powder alternately with the buttermilk, mixing until smooth.
- Spread into the tin and bake 28–34 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Beat the butter, powdered sugar and reserved puree until fluffy, then frost the cake in the tin.
Step by step
Step 1 — Reduce the strawberries
Simmer the strawberry puree until thick and jammy. This concentrates the flavour so the cake and frosting truly taste of fruit — and keeps the batter from going watery.
Step 2 — Mix and bake
Add most of the puree to the batter, saving a few spoonfuls for the frosting. Bake in one tin until a skewer comes out clean.
Step 3 — Frost right in the tin
Cool completely, then beat the reserved puree into the buttercream and spread it over the cake. No layering, no fuss.
Pro tips
- Reduce the puree well. Thick, concentrated puree gives real flavour without thinning the batter.
- Cool the puree before mixing. Warm puree can affect the butter and eggs.
- Do not over-mix. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth.
- Frost in the tin. A sheet cake is easiest frosted and served straight from the pan.
- Chill to set. A short chill firms the frosting for clean squares.
Storage & make-ahead
Keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 (bring to room temperature to serve). The un-frosted cake freezes well for up to 3 months. The strawberry puree can be made a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge.
Variations & substitutions
- Strawberries and cream: top with strawberry whipped cream instead of buttercream.
- Lemon-strawberry: add lemon zest to brighten the cake.
- Cupcakes: bake as cupcakes for 18–20 minutes.
- Smaller cake: use the ½x scaler and a square tin.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes — thaw and reduce them the same way. They are great when fresh are out of season.
Why reduce the strawberries?
Fresh berries are watery. Reducing concentrates the flavour and keeps the batter the right consistency.
Is the pink colour natural?
Yes — it comes entirely from the strawberry puree. Add a drop of colour only if you want it brighter.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes — bake a day ahead or freeze un-frosted, and frost before serving.
Final thoughts: this is the cake that tastes like summer no matter the season, and it feeds a crowd with almost no effort. Bake it, keep the pink all-natural, and tell me what you think over on the contact page.
For tips on cooking down fruit for baking, King Arthur Baking has helpful guidance.
About Aisha
I'm a self-taught home cook who writes recipes the honest way — refined until they genuinely work, with no shortcuts and no fake awards. More recipes by Aisha →
