Strawberry Snacking Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

Wake up! A brand new, showstopping summer dessert just dropped.

There’s something about a beautiful, perfectly fluffy cake that just feels extra special when shared with friends and family. This incredible, gluten-free strawberry snacking cake is just one of those cakes. It’s SO easy to make right in one bowl, but it truly looks like you picked it up from a local bakery.

The next time you’re in charge of dessert for a summer party or cookout (Fourth of July, anyone?), add this strawberry cake recipe to your must-bake list and watch your loved ones swoon.

Everything you’ll need to make this strawberry snacking cake

Like most of my fun cakes, this strawberry snacking cake recipe requires simple ingredients that keep it gluten-free and perfectly moist. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Strawberries: we’re actually using blended freeze-dried strawberries to give the cake and frosting a lovely strawberry flavor. I like to sprinkle the powder on top, AND add fresh strawberries for a pretty look.
• Sugar: we’re sweetening the cake with granulated sugar.
• Eggs: you’ll need 4 eggs to help the cake bake properly.
• Extra moisture: we’re mixing in whole-milk Greek yogurt, a little milk, and avocado oil or olive oil for the perfect amount of moisture.
• Flours: both fine blanched almond flour and oat flour keep the cake gluten-free.
• Baking staples: don’t forget the vanilla extract and almond extract to bring out that bakery-style strawberry cake flavor, plus baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• For the frosting: the strawberry buttercream is made with salted butter (or unsalted butter), powdered sugar, vanilla, a little milk, and that same freeze-dried strawberry powder to give it a fun pink color and strawberry flavor.

Can I use a different flour?

Unfortunately, no, I can’t recommend substitutions for the almond flour and oat flour here. The combination is what gives this cake its fluffy texture, and I’ve only tested it as written!

Can I make it vegan or dairy-free?

Because there are 4 whole eggs in this strawberry snack cake, I cannot recommend swapping them all for flax eggs or other egg alternatives, as I’m afraid the cake will not bake up properly.

However, this cake can be made dairy-free! Simply use:

• A thick, dairy-free greek yogurt in the cake
• Dairy-free milk (I like to use almond milk) in the cake and frosting
• And vegan butter in the frosting

How to make the perfect strawberry snacking cake

1. Blend the freeze-dried strawberries. Start by adding the freeze-dried strawberries to a small blender and blending until a fine powder forms.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together all of your wet ingredients in a large bowl until nice and smooth.
3. Add the dry. Whisk in your dry ingredients and half of the strawberry powder until a smooth batter forms.
4. Bake it up. Pour the cake batter into an 8-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and bake.
5. Make the frosting. While the cake is baking, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy. Add the rest of the strawberry powder and frosting ingredients, then beat again, starting on low and increasing the speed until fluffy.
6. Frost, top & devour. Add the frosting to the top of your cooled cake, and spread it to the edges in an even layer with a small offset spatula. Top with fresh berries and extra freeze-dried strawberries if you’d like, then slice and devour!

Make beautiful strawberry cupcakes

I always get questions about turning my snacking cakes into cupcakes, and good news: it’s SO easy to do!

1. Make the batter as directed.
2. Divide the batter into a standard cupcake pan lined with cupcake liners, and spray the insides with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Bake for about 15-18 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

Storing & freezing tips

• To store: I recommend storing this strawberry snacking cake in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• To freeze: let the cake cool and then wrap it well without the frosting in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place the full cake in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. To serve it, thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight, then let the cake come to room temp before frosting and serving it.

My favorite cake-baking tools

• Small blender
• Kitchen scale
• Mixing bowls
• Parchment paper
• 8×8-inch baking pan
• Whisk
• Electric mixer or hand mixer
• Frosting spatula

Get all of my kitchen essentials here!

More cake recipes you’ll love

• Brown Butter Strawberry Coffee Cake with Lovely Strawberry Icing
• Lemon Pistachio Cake with Lovely Lemon Frosting
• Chocolate Zucchini Cake (healthy + gluten free)
• Neapolitan Cake
• Healthy Birthday Cake

Get all of my cake recipes here!

I hope you love this strawberry snacking cake! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

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Strawberry Snacking Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

4.83 from 17 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

ServesServes 16 servings

Beautiful strawberry snacking cake with a luscious strawberry buttercream frosting. This easy, one bowl strawberry cake is deliciously moist thanks to greek yogurt, and made with a mix of almond flour and oat flour to keep it gluten-free. Top with fresh strawberries and share with loved ones for the perfect summer dessert!

Ingredients

• Strawberries
• 2 (1 ounce) packages freeze-dried strawberries (56 grams)
• Wet Ingredients
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup (113 grams) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup (67 grams) avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) milk of choice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Dry Ingredients
• 1 ¾ cups (196 grams) fine blanched almond flour
• 1 cup (95 grams) oat flour, gluten free if desired
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Buttercream and topping
• ½ cup (1 stick, 113 grams) salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup (150 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk of choice
• For serving (optional)
• 8 ounces fresh strawberries, quartered
• Extra freeze dried strawberries, crumbled

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Blend the freeze dried strawberries: In a small, high powered blender, add the freeze dried strawberries and blend on high until they are a fine powder similar to flour, 30 seconds. Set aside.
• Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, add the sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, olive oil, milk, and vanilla and almond extracts and whisk together until well combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Add the dry ingredients: In the same bowl as the wet ingredients, add half of the strawberry powder (28 grams or about ¼ cup), almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until evenly incorporated into the wet ingredients, 1 minute.
• Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a tester comes out almost clean with just a few crumbs attached, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl (if using a hand mixer), beat the butter on high speed until soft and fluffy, 1 minute. Add the remaining strawberry powder (28 grams or about ¼ cup) powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Frost the cake: Add frosting to the top of the cake and evenly spread it to the edges. Cut into 16 slices. Enjoy as is or serve with fresh strawberries on top or on the side, or top with a few extra freeze dried strawberries.
• To store: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and foil and store the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days to ensure freshness.

Recipe Notes

To make dairy-free: use a thick, dairy-free greek yogurt in the cake, dairy-free milk (I like to use almond milk) in the cake and frosting, and vegan butter in the frosting.

See the full post for tips, tricks & ways to customize your cake!

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 304calCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 23g