Strawberry Sheet Cake

This strawberry sheet cake is made with fresh strawberries and turns out amazingly moist and tender. It's topped with a creamy from-scratch strawberry frosting that you're going to love.

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 26

Resting Time 30

Total Time 1 41

Servings or more servings

Author Heather

Ingredients

Strawberry puree

21 ounces strawberries if frozen, thaw

Cake

3 cups (336 g) cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
1 ¾ cups (345 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 large (180 g) egg whites or ¾ cup liquid egg whites, room temperature
½ cup (113 g) whole milk room temperature
¾ cup (190 g) strawberry puree

Frosting

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
3.5 cups (400 g) confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (63 g) strawberry puree

Instructions

Strawberry puree

Hull and halve strawberries and add to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. You should have about 2 cups of strawberry puree.
Add to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until mixture has reduced by half and looks thick (like tomato paste).
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely (warm puree will ruin the cake batter and melt the frosting). Optionally, puree can be made the day before and refrigerated.
Divide the cooled strawberry puree into ¾ cup for the cake batter and ¼ cup for the frosting and set aside.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 13x18 or 9x13 cake pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk (or sift) together the dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add egg whites, one at a time, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, until all ingredients are just incorporated and batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
Add ¾ cup of prepared strawberry puree and stir gently until incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.
9x13 baking pan: 34-40 minutes
13x18 half sheet pan: 18-21 minutes
Bake cakes, using time estimates above, until cake pops back in the center when gently pressed down, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back dry or with dry crumbs, not wet batter. Ovens can run hot or cold, so I recommend relying more on how your cake looks and less on time.
Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until creamy, about 1 minute.
Add half of the confectioner's sugar and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Add remaining confectioner's sugar and slowly mix until combined. Then, whip at high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Add salt, vanilla extract, and strawberry puree and mix until fully incorporated.
Spread frosting in an even layer onto cooled cake.

Video

Notes

Strawberry puree look thin? If your strawberry puree looks thin and watery after 35 minutes, keep cooking. Finished mixture will look thick, like jam or tomato paste.
Want to make a non-strawberry frosting? Strawberry puree makes enough puree for the cake and frosting. If you'd like to make a non-strawberry frosting, reduce the strawberries to 16 ounces. Add ¼ cup of whole milk to the listed frosting recipe for a vanilla buttercream.
Storage: Assembled cake is best served the same day as baking for best flavor and texture, but will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature.
Freezing: Cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition