The Strawberry Cake Recipe I’ve Made 3 Times This Month

We recently tested our five most popular strawberry cake recipes to find out which one reigns supreme. Spoiler alert: They were all delicious. But the cake that took the top spot—French Strawberry Cake, submitted by SiriZ—is truly in a league of its own. 

“I knew as soon as this cake emerged from my oven with its sparkling-sugar crust and lightly browned edges that it was going to be my favorite,” wrote tester Mary Claire Britton. 

I headed to the store to grab the ingredients before I even made it to the end of her glowing review. 

Suffice it to say, she was right. My infatuation with this recipe has gotten a bit out of hand. In fact, I’ve already made it three times this month. 

The Secret Ingredient

Sour cream takes this simple recipe from good to great. Full disclosure: This isn’t the first time I’ve written an ode to my favorite magic ingredient—it also takes my go-to banana bread recipe over the top. I won’t bore you with the details again. But, in short, sour cream is a baking powerhouse because it’s:

• High in fat. Fat tenderizes gluten, which provides moisture and richness.
• Thick. Sour cream lends a ton of moisture, but it doesn’t thin the batter in the same way a liquid would. That’s why it’s perfect for a finished product with a tender, fine crumb. 
• Acidic. Baking is a science and, in this recipe, sour cream acts as an acid that reacts with baking soda to ensure an ultra-soft texture. 
• Tangy. Because of the fermentation process, sour cream lends a subtle tanginess. The flavor is similar to baked goods made with buttermilk (such as this beloved buttermilk pound cake), but it’s somehow even more luxurious.

How to Make French Strawberry Cake

Cream sugar and butter until it’s pale and fluffy, then beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture—alternating with sour cream—until the batter is well-blended. Stir in the strawberries, pour into a prepared pan, and bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Tips and Tricks

• The recipe calls for halved strawberries, but every berry is different. Some strawberries are massive—especially in peak season. I like to quarter the largest strawberries for a bit of fruit in every bite. 
• Strawberries have a tendency to sink to the bottom of baked goods. That’s why I always toss the halved and quartered berries in a bit of flour before I incorporate them into the batter. This creates a barrier that adheres to the rest of the ingredients, which helps suspend the fruit throughout the cake. 
• Instead of an 8-inch cake pan, I use a 9-inch fluted pie pan that’s about 1.5 inches deep. Why? Because I recently purchased a gorgeous fluted pie pan and I wanted to show it off. Also, that’s how Mary Claire baked it and it looked simply stunning. I can’t speak to any other vessel, but I’m confident that a slight variation won’t make or break this recipe. Just use the toothpick test and you’ll be fine. 

What the Allrecipes Community Has to Say

• “This was very easy to make! It was for a grandchild’s birthday so I frosted it with buttercream icing. It was delicious!” —seaislegrl
• “I made this recipe almost exactly as written, I found my batter was very dry so I added a splash of milk. This was delicious! I was craving something with real fresh strawberries and simple ingredients. This recipe delivered amazing results! I enjoyed it so much I made an account just to say so!” —Amanda Doe
• “Quite easy to make and so good! I followed the instructions to whip for 5-7 minutes and it came out perfectly!” —Betsy888

Get the recipe: French Strawberry Cake