Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

This gluten-free strawberry cake is made from scratch with fresh strawberries reduced down to a thick, concentrated puree. No artificial strawberry flavoring or extracts needed, just real strawberries for authentic flavor. Topped with strawberry buttercream and decorated with fresh berries, it’s perfect for birthdays, baby showers, or any spring and summer celebration.

The secret to this cake’s light, fluffy texture is a combination of gluten-free flour and cornstarch, which mimics cake flour. The fresh strawberry reduction is mixed directly into the batter, creating a tender pink cake that stays moist for days. Add a touch of red food coloring for a vibrant pink color, or skip it for a more natural look.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Fresh strawberries – Use ripe, in-season strawberries for the best flavor. Off-season or underripe strawberries won’t have enough sweetness or flavor, and your cake will taste bland. Look for bright red, fragrant berries. Summer strawberries work best.
• Gluten-free flour blend – I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour for this recipe. It already includes xanthan gum. Other flour blends may not work the same way since I haven’t tested them.
• Cornstarch – I used cornstarch to lighten up the cake batter. Don’t skip this ingredient otherwise your cake will be dense. 
• Sour cream – I love to use sour cream in cake recipes to make them really moist. You could substitute milk if you want, but it will change the consistency slightly. 
• Red food dye (optional) – Gives the cake a vibrant pink color. The strawberries alone create a light brown-pink color. Use gel food coloring (more concentrated) or liquid food coloring. Check that it’s gluten-free if needed.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This gluten-free strawberry cake is so easy to make with a few simple steps. Follow the step-by-step instructions with the matching photographs to help you make this gluten-free cake perfectly every single time.

Watch for the thickness of the fresh strawberry purée, the cake batter consistency and the pink coloring of the cake batter after adding the food dye to the batter.

Recipe FAQs

Storage Instructions

• Storage: Store frosted cake at room temperature in an airtight container 3-4 days. Keep unfrosted cake layers covered with plastic wrap.
• Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake layers tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting. Freeze individual slices of frosted cake—place on sheet pan and flash freeze 1 hour, then wrap individually and store in freezer-safe bag up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Thaw frozen slices at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

This gluten-free strawberry cake is best served topped with strawberry buttercream (recipe included in the recipe card). The strawberry frosting makes the strawberry flavor shine through in every bite. For a different twist, try chocolate cream cheese frosting for chocolate-strawberry cake, or use whipped cream for a lighter strawberry shortcake-style cake. If using a different frosting, add a layer of strawberry coulis between the cake layers for extra strawberry flavor. Serve with fresh strawberry ice cream on the side or layer it in the cake for an ice cream cake.

4.60 from 5 votes

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

This gluten-free strawberry cake is made from scratch with fresh strawberry puree and topped with strawberry buttercream. Light, fluffy, and bursting with real strawberry flavor, no artificial extracts needed.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Metric – US Customary

Ingredients

Strawberry reduction:

• ▢ 1 lb (453 g) strawberries - hulled and quartered
• ▢ ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh lemon juice

Strawberry Cake:

• ▢ 2¼ cups (315 g) gluten-free flour blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Flour Blend
• ▢ ⅓ cup (43 g) cornstarch
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 g) whole milk - at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (120 g) sour cream - at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 (200 g) large eggs - at room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ red or pink food coloring - optional

Strawberry Buttercream:

• ▢ 1 cup (22 g) freeze-dried strawberries
• ▢ 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 g) whole milk

**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!

Instructions

To make the strawberry reduction:

• Add the quartered 1 lb (453 g) strawberries, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh lemon juice to a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and then turn down to a simmer.
• Let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and is reduced down to about 3/4 cup of strawberry reduction. It will be very thick.
• Let the strawberry reduction cool for 5-10 minutes before using.

To make the strawberry cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and line two 8-inch cake rounds with parchment paper. Dust with gluten-free flour, tapping off any excess. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups (315 g) gluten-free flour blend, ⅓ cup (43 g) cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking sodaa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, ¼ cup (60 g) whole milk, and cooled 3/4 cup of strawberry reduction until combined. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add softened 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter. Mix until the butter is smooth.
• Add 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar and cream together for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Add 4 (200 g) large eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• Add about ⅓ of the gluten-free flour mixture to the bowl, mixing just until combined. Scrape down the bowl and add ½ of the strawberry sour cream mixture and mix until combined.
• Repeat with ⅓ of the gluten-free flour, remaining ½ of the strawberry mixture, and finish with the last ⅓ of the gluten-free flour mixture. Mix just until no more streaks of flour remain, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed so that everything is combined.
• If desired, add red or pink food coloring until it has reached the level of pink that you want. Some of the pink color will bake off so add just a shade or two darker than desired.
• Pour the strawberry cake batter into the two prepared cake pans.
• Bake at 35°0F for 28-33 minutes, until the cake is cooked through. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. When removed, a few moist crumbs should be on the toothpick.
• Let the cakes cool completely before frosting with strawberry buttercream.

To make the strawberry buttercream:

• Add 1 cup (22 g) freeze-dried strawberriess to a food processor. Process until finely ground. Set aside.
• Add 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter to a large mixing bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
• Add the finely ground freeze-dried strawberries to the butter and mix until combined.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until combined.
• Gradually add in 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing in between. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure it is all mixed in.
• Add 2 tablespoons (30 g) whole milk and mix until it is a pipeable consistency. You don’t want the buttercream to be too stiff that it is difficult to spread on the cake, but also not too loose that it will slide around on the cake. Add more milk if needed.

To assemble the cake:

• Place one layer of strawberry cake on a serving plate or platter. Add dollops of strawberry frosting on top and smooth with a spatula.
• Place the other strawberry cake layer on top of the frosting.
• Then, do a thin layer (crumb coat) of frosting on the cake to trap in all of the crumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to make it easier to frost. Then, go back and frost the cake with a thicker layer of frosting.
• Pipe decorations on top and garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.

Video

Notes

• Use in-season strawberries: Ripe, summer strawberries are essential for best flavor. Off-season or underripe strawberries won’t have enough sweetness, and your cake will taste bland. The strawberry reduction should be very thick, almost jam-like.
• Measure accurately: Weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale for most accurate results, especially gluten-free flour and cornstarch. I’ve included measurements in grams. 
• Gluten-free flour: I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It already includes xanthan gum. Other flour blends may not work the same way since I haven’t tested them.
• Cool completely before frosting: If cake is even slightly warm, buttercream will melt and slide off. Wait at least 30 minutes after removing from oven.
• Storage: Store frosted cake at room temperature in airtight container 3-4 days. Freeze unfrosted cake layers or fully frosted cake tightly wrapped up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 766kcal | Carbohydrates: 111g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 85g | Vitamin A: 1101IU | Vitamin C: 264mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 6mg