I have a Strawberry Buttermilk Cake recipe to share with you. It’s moist and vanilla-scented, studded with jammy strawberries and lashed with icing. Would you like a slice?
This strawberry buttermilk cake is the perfect way to finish a summer dinner. It’s soft and tender, scattered with beautiful strawberries that roast right on top. A generous drizzle of vanilla icing finishes it off, but you could swap in a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like.
For more easy summer baking, also try my strawberry shortcakes, killer strawberry brownies, or no-bake strawberry icebox cake.
Strawberry Buttermilk Cake Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this soft cake.
Cake Ingredients
- Butter: Softened to room temperature. I use unsalted, but salted works.
- Sugar: Regular granulated, for the cake batter.
- Egg: At room temperature for the smoothest batter.
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level off. Scooping packs the flour.
- Baking soda: The leavener. The acid in buttermilk activates it.
- Kosher salt
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and tenderness. No buttermilk on hand? See my easy buttermilk substitute options.
- Fresh strawberries: Hulled and sliced. Ripe, fragrant berries roast into jammy little pockets.
Icing Ingredients
- Confectioners’ sugar: For a thin, drizzly glaze.
- Buttermilk: A splash of tang in the icing too.
- Pure vanilla extract
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
A few easy ways to switch things up.
- Different fruit: Swap in raspberries, blueberries, or pitted sliced cherries. Frozen berries work too, but thaw and drain first.
- Strawberry rhubarb: Replace half the berries with diced rhubarb. Or try my strawberry rhubarb cake.
- Lemon: Add 1 tsp lemon zest to the batter. A squeeze of lemon juice in the icing is lovely too.
- Almond: Replace half the vanilla extract with almond extract. It pairs beautifully with strawberries.
- Glaze swap: Skip the icing and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Or try my fluffy vanilla frosting for a richer finish.
- Yogurt swap: No buttermilk? Plain yogurt thinned with a splash of milk works in the cake.
Grab These Tools
Here’s the equipment you’ll want on hand.
- 9-inch round springform pan: Releases the cake cleanly without breaking the fruit-topped surface.
- Parchment paper: For lining the bottom of the pan.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer: For creaming the butter and sugar.
- Two mixing bowls: One for the dry whisking, one for the icing.
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula: For folding and scraping the bowl.
- Wire rack: So the bottom doesn’t steam as the cake cools.
How to Make Strawberry Buttermilk Cake: An Easy Guide
The method is classic creaming with alternating wet and dry additions. Then the berries go right on top before baking.
Prep the Pan and Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides well with butter.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking distributes the leavener evenly through the flour.
Alternate the Dry and Wet
With the mixer on low, add about 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of the buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the final third of flour. Beat just until combined after each addition.
Top with Strawberries and Bake
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Cover the surface with the sliced strawberries. Bake about 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the centre springs back when pressed. The best, most foolproof way to tell doneness is with a cooking thermometer. It’ll be 190ºF when done.
Cool and Glaze
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Once fully cool, release the springform ring. Whisk the icing ingredients in a small bowl, drizzle over the cake, and slice.
How to Make the Best Strawberry Buttermilk Cake: Final Notes + Secrets
A few of my food-scientist notes for the best results every time.
- Buttermilk does the work: Its acid tenderizes gluten and activates the baking soda. That’s why you get such a soft crumb.
- Don’t pack the flour: Spoon and level. Packed flour can add up to 25% more flour, which dries out the crumb. Better yet, tap the “Metric” option in the recipe card and go by weight.
- Slice strawberries thinly: Thin slices roast into jammy pockets. Thick slices stay watery and weigh the top down.
- Cool fully before glazing: A warm cake melts the icing into a sticky puddle. Wait until the cake is completely cool.
- Springform pans help: They release the cake without breaking the fruit-studded top. A regular pan works, but it’s trickier.
Make Ahead and Storage
This cake keeps beautifully for a few days, and it freezes well too.
Storing Leftovers
- Room temperature: Cover the cake and store for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Keeps for 4 days wrapped well. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Glaze later: For the prettiest look, drizzle the icing the day you plan to serve.
Freezing
- Whole cake: Wrap unglazed cake tightly in plastic, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Slices: Freeze with parchment between slices for grab-and-go pieces.
- Thawing: Thaw wrapped at room temperature for a few hours.
Refreshing Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
- Warm a slice: Microwave a slice for 10 seconds for a soft, just-baked feel.
- Glaze fresh: Drizzle fresh icing over thawed cake right before serving.
FAQs About Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
You can make this cake without buttermilk by using a quick substitute. Whisk 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with milk also works well in the batter.
Frozen strawberries work in this cake, but you’ll want to thaw and drain them first. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Frozen berries release more juice, which can make the top soggy in spots if not drained well.
You can bake this in a regular 9-inch round cake pan. Grease and line it well with parchment. The cake will be harder to remove without breaking the berry topping. Serve it from the pan if needed.
Yes, this simple buttermilk vanilla icing works on most cakes and quick breads. It’s especially nice on lemon cake, banana bread, and pound cake. Swap regular milk for the buttermilk if you don’t have any on hand.
Other Strawberry Recipes You’ll Love
Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup butter softened, plus more for greasing pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour lightly spooned into measuring cup and levelled off
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 oz strawberries hulled and sliced
For the Icing:
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tbsp buttermilk
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper, and grease the sides well with butter.
- Combine the 1/2 cup butter and the sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. With mixer speed on low, gradually incorporate about 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk. Repeat, beating to combine between each addition, and ending with the final third of flour.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, then cover the surface with strawberry slices. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center feels slightly springy when gently pressed. The internal temp should be 190ºF for perfect doneness. Cool in the pan set on a wire rack. Remove the ring from the springform pan when the cake is cool.
- To make the icing, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So easy to make and such a lovely summer dessert! The crumb came out really tender and moist, and the strawberries get all jammy as it bakes. This one’s a keeper.
The buttermilk gives this cake the most tender crumb and pairs so beautifully with fresh strawberries. Took it to a neighbor’s birthday and got asked for the recipe twice. The perfect spring/summer cake.