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Strawberry cake slice on a white plate. The cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe

This easy strawberry cake recipe is an old classic. It uses a cake mix, a packet of strawberry gelatin, and sour cream to make the best strawberry cake you’ve ever had.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

  • 1 (15.25 ounce ) white cake mix
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (2 ¼ ounces; 65 grams)
  • 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup oil (3 ½ ounces; 100 grams)
  • ½ cup milk (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • ½ cup sour cream (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • ¾ cup mashed strawberries (about 5 ounces; 142 grams)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, see note
  • ½ cup butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (14 ounces; 400 grams, plus more as needed)

Instructions

Strawberry Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9x13-inch cake pan OR two 8-inch round cake pans.

  2. Whisk together cake mix, flour, and gelatin. Add eggs, oil, milk, and sour cream. Blend until smooth. Stir in the mashed strawberries. Note: If the batter is too thick, stir in an extra tablespoon or two of milk

  3. Spread the batter into prepared pan. For 8-inch rounds, divide batter between the two pans.

  4. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. About 40 minutes for a 9x13-inch cake or 35 minutes for 8-inch rounds.

  5. Remove pan(s) from the oven. Allow to cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting or your favorite frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and fluffy.

  2. If the frosting is too soft, add an additional ½ cup of powdered sugar.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient Note: Use brick-style cream cheese, not whipped. Low-fat and fat-free is NOT recommended. Cream cheese frosting made with low-fat or fat-free cream cheese is very soft.

Cupcake Directions: Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Lightly spray the top of the pan with nonstick spray. Fill each cup about ⅔ full with batter. Bake until the cupcakes are set, about 22 minutes.