Last Updated on January 12, 2025 by Kimberly Stroh

Strawberries have such a vibrant flavor and they’re so delicious when incorporated into desserts. In-season strawberries are the perfect ingredient for springtime desserts. The pink color of this Cast Iron Strawberry Cake recipe is beautiful. It has strawberries baked into it and whipped into the frosting. It’s baked in a cast iron skillet for ease and simplicity, but the flavor is anything but ordinary. I make it for springtime holidays and my family loves it.

Of course, you can make this Fresh Strawberry Cake any time of the year, but I love picking my own berries fresh from the farm. The kids and I will bring home a big haul and I always have leftovers for baking. In the south, our strawberry season starts in May but goes into the summertime. 

When you’re picking berries, whether in the grocery store or on a farm, you want to look for bright red berries and fresh green stems. Look for signs of mold and don’t worry about size. Bigger strawberries aren’t always sweeter. If you’re buying from the store, check all angles of the container.

Looking for other great strawberry recipes? Here are some family favorites:

• Boozy Strawberry Trifle
• Homemade Strawberry Puree For Cocktails and Drinks
• Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Dessert Salad
• Strawberry Bread – Just Is A Four Letter Word

Why We Love This Strawberry Cake

If you’ve never made a cake in your cast iron skillet, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is. You don’t have to worry about multiple layers or several pans. Keep the cake in the skillet, frost directly on top and then serve from the skillet. It’s easy to clean up and easy to bake! The skillet creates a nice edge on the outside and bottom of the cake.

I also used my stand mixer for the batter and hand mixer for the frosting, but you can just use a hand mixer if you don’t own a standing one.

What To Serve With Fresh Strawberry Cake

For garnish, I like to add some fresh whipped cream and a few more slices of strawberry. It’s such a beautiful cake, even if it’s not ornate. The flavor speaks for itself. Serve it as a sweet ending to a springtime dinner or holiday meal. I make a fresh pot of coffee anytime I’m serving dessert too.

Easy Buttermilk Substitutes

If you don’t have buttermilk in your home, you can always try these easy buttermilk substitutes. My favorite way to substitute buttermilk is to use milk and vinegar. You’re going to achieve the same acidic base that you’d get from a traditional buttermilk.

How To Store Leftovers

You can either transfer cake slices to an airtight food storage container or keep it in the skillet. With the cream cheese frosting, refrigerate the cake after serving. It will last for 3-4 days. Freezing the cake is possible, but remove it from the skillet. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Let it thaw to room temperature before enjoying it again.

Cast Iron Strawberry Cake Ingredients:

• Butter: Unsalted or Salted Cream Butter works
• Sugar: Granulated sugar
• Strawberry Gelatin: Do not use Sugar-Free
• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Buttermilk
• Fresh Strawberries (1 Quart): Purchase in-season
• Cream Cheese: Regular full-fat cream cheese
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as Confectioner’s Sugar

How To Make A Fresh Cast Iron Skillet Strawberry Cake

Preheat your oven to 325ºF. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Start by making the cake. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and gelatin with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy (3-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition, and stir in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture while alternating with buttermilk – beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Fold in the fresh strawberries. Spread the cake batter in the skillet.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean – about 50 minutes. You can loosely cover the cake with foil to prevent browning if the cake needs more baking time. Let the cake cool completely.

For the frosting: Using a blender or food processor, process the strawberries until smooth. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar. Gradually add 5 tablespoons of strawberry puree, beating until well combined.

The frosting will seem thin. Refrigerate the frosting for at least 30 minutes. Beat the frosting one more time until fluffy and spread it over the cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.