Strawberry Jam Cake
This strawberry jam cake is light, tender, and moist. Strawberry jam is blended into the cake batter, giving it a sweet and fruity flavor. Top it off with strawberry cream cheese frosting for an extra layer of sweetness, and you have a delicious dessert that's perfect for any occasion.
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients
Strawberry Jam Cake
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 300 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 300 grams
- 6 tablespoons butter melted (85 grams)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (50 grams)
- ½ cup strawberry jam 166 grams
- 1 tablespoon strawberry extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pink gel food coloring optional
- 1 cup buttermilk 237 grams
Strawberry Glaze
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup strawberry jam plus 2 tablespoons to swirl on top
- 3 tablespoons freeze dried strawberry powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with non stick spray or line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside for later.
- Add the eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture gets light in color and nearly triples in volume. If you lift the beater and let the mixture fall back into the bowl, it should fall in a ribbon-like pattern. This step will help add volume and lightness to the cake.
- Stir in the melted butter, oil, strawberry jam, strawberry extract, vanilla extract, and pink food coloring (if using).
- Sift half of the flour mixture over the batter and stir it with a wide spatula.
- Stir in the buttermilk then sift the rest of the flour mixture over the batter and stir it until well combined.
- Spread the batter into the cake pan and bake for 34 to 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Strawberry Jam Glaze
- Combine 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam with 1 tablespoon of water.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then use a fork to poke holes in the top of the cake. Spread the strawberry jam glaze over the top of the warm cake. Let the cake cool completely before covering it with cream cheese frosting.
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the powdered sugar and butter to a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.
- Add ¼ cup of strawberry jam, powdered freeze-dried strawberries, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until well combined. (Save the additional 2 tablespoons of jam to swirl into the top of the cake).
- Add the cream cheese and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- When the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting over the top, then swirl dollops of strawberry jam into the frosting.
Notes
Don’t rush the eggs and sugar: Beating the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy (about 5 to 7 minutes) is key. It should nearly triple in volume and fall in ribbons when you lift the beater. This step builds structure and gives the cake a light, airy crumb.
DIY strawberry powder: For the best flavor and a natural pink hue, use freeze-dried strawberries. Just blitz ½ ounce in a food processor until it becomes a fine powder (you’ll get about 3 tablespoons).
No clumps: To keep the strawberry powder from clumping, blend it with a tablespoon of sugar before mixing it into the frosting.
No freeze-dried berries?: You can substitute 1 teaspoon of strawberry extract for the powder. The extract brings nice flavor if used sparingly, though it’ll have a more candy-like vibe compared to the deeper, fruitier flavor of the powder.
Frosting tip: Beat the butter and sugar together before adding the cream cheese. This coats the sugar in fat, which helps prevent the frosting from turning soupy by drawing moisture out of the cream cheese.
Use block-style cream cheese: Skip the spreadable or low-fat versions, they’re too soft and can make your frosting runny.
Want a brighter pink frosting? A drop or two of red food coloring will do the trick. The freeze-dried berries will give it a soft pink tone, but a little boost is great if you’re going for color drama.
Storage: Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cake (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months, just wrap it well and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 200mg | Sugar: 18g
