Homemade Vegan Strawberry Cake

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Made with fresh strawberries, this fluffy vegan strawberry cake is pure magic. Packed with strawberry flavor and topped with vegan cream cheese frosting, this cake is so delicious that you will lick it off the plate!

Sinful Kitchen has passed a significant milestone, 100 posts with this post! That is right, Sinful Kitchen has been on a roll, and I am so proud to make it 100 posts and counting.

I have been saving my best vegan strawberry cake to celebrate. This dairy-free strawberry cake is fluffy and moist, leaving you asking for more. The vibrant strawberry flavors add sweetness to the cake. Every bite will be a burst of flavor, especially during strawberry season!

This eggless cake is easy to make, and there is no way you can go wrong with this easy vegan strawberry cake. It is perfect for any occasion, especially a milestone! You can always amp up the pink with extra food coloring, which is perfect for lovers like me!

You can always make it up a notch into a vegan strawberry crunch cake using these strawberry crumbles. Make sure the crumbles are small, pack them into the frosting, and have a vegan strawberry crunch cake!

Jump to:

Why You Will Love This Cake
Ingredient Notes
How to Make This Cake
Instructions
Decoration Ideas
Expert Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Great British Baking Show Bake
Recipe

Why You Will Love This Cake

Flavor – The cake mix utilizes four cups of REAL strawberries, which gives it a fresh taste. Even for the frosting, you will not have to use artificial flavorings or strawberry extract if you do not want to.

Soft Texture- Some strawberry cakes can become heavy because of more liquid or structural variables. However, this vegan strawberry cake is fluffy and not dense.

Easy to make- Even if you are not much of a baker, this vegan cake is easy to make from scratch. Blend the strawberries, pour wet and dry ingredients into a large bowl, and mix. Put it in the oven to bake. See, super easy!

Ingredient Notes

To make this dairy-free strawberry cake, you will need the following ingredients:

Cake Ingredients

Flour – The best part of making this cake is using cake or all-purpose flour. I prefer cake flour to give the cake an extra bit of softness. Add baking powder and salt to create your flour mixture, known as the dry ingredients.
Fresh Strawberries – You would need at least 2 pounds of fresh strawberries. One pound will go into the cake batter, whereas the other half will be used for decoration and layering. If you crave Vegan strawberry cake in the off-season, you can use frozen strawberries for the batter. However, you cannot use it for decoration.
Vegan Buttermilk – This recipe will use oat milk as a great vegan option. You can also use almond, coconut, or soy milk. The milk will be combined with apple cider vinegar to create vegan buttermilk. To learn more about vegan buttermilk, check out my post dedicated to it and its uses.
Oil – Grapeseed oil is the perfect choice for this recipe because it enhances the flavor without overpowering natural flavors. Moreover, it has a clean taste and works well for cakes. Oil also aids in keeping the cake moist and fluffy. You can also use canola or vegetable oil as long as the oil is light and flavorless.
Other Ingredients – Vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and food coloring (optional).

Strawberry puree being mixed into batter.

Frosting Ingredients

Vegan Butter – Use plant-based butter that is at room temperature for the frosting.
Vegan Cream Cheese - I use the Mykonos brand I bought at Sprouts. I have also found this brand at Target. If you do not like the flavor of vegan cream cheese, you can omit it. Using the other ingredients will create a classic buttercream frosting.
Powdered Sugar – Looking for organic options to ensure the sugar is vegan. w
Oat Milk - A splash of oat or other non-dairy milk is perfect for this batter
Freeze-Dried Strawberries – optional - Bring pure strawberry flavor to the frosting without adding moisture. You can order them online or get them from your nearest store. You can omit the vegan cream cheese and have a perfect vegan strawberry frosting.
Food Coloring - optional - I use food coloring because I like vibrant colors. However, this ingredient is optional. If you use food coloring, only use gel food coloring. The gel will provide color without adding too much moisture to the recipe.

How to Make This Cake

Instructions

1. Prepare the Strawberry Reduction

Use either fresh or frozen strawberries. Rinse the strawberries and add them to a food processor. Pulse until the strawberries are a smooth liquid. Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan and simmer until it reduces by half, measuring ½ cup. This takes between 10 - 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the Batter

Start by preheating your oven to 350 (176 C) degrees and greasing two 9-inch cake pans. Next, mix the wet ingredients: non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside. Mix your dry ingredients, cake flour (or all-purpose flour), baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together room-temperature butter, sugar, and oil using either a hand or stand mixer. You cannot overdo this step. It is critical to ensure the two are thoroughly combined and smooth.

Next, add the wet and dry ingredients. The ingredients are often over-mixed during this step, resulting in a dense cake. As a result, I recommend doing this step by hand. Mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients, then ⅓ of the wet ingredients (vegan buttermilk). Repeat until the mixture is mostly smooth and there are no large flour pockets. Add the strawberry puree and the pink gel food coloring (optional).

Divide the batter into two greased pans. Place the cake pans in the center of the oven and bake for 28 to 32 minutes. Test if the cake is made by inserting a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cakes are done baking. If the toothpick has some cake, continue to cook until it comes out clean.

3. Prepare the Frosting

To prepare the frosting, use a handheld mixer and a medium-sized bowl. Place room-temperature vegan cream cheese in a medium bowl and blend until smooth and fluffy. Add in vegan butter and beat until thoroughly combined about 2 minutes. The goal is to create a smooth consistency with thoroughly blended cream cheese and butter.

Next, I like to add vanilla extract and powdered sugar. I find that adding powdered sugar in one-cup increments works the best. Remember, when mixing, always start at the lowest speed and slowly increase the speed. Starting at too high a speed will send the contents flying, sometimes outside the bowl. Use your spatula and scrape down the contents as necessary.

Add non-dairy milk in one tablespoon until the desired consistency is reached. For bright pink frosting, add food coloring at the very end.

Now you might have noticed that I left out strawberries. That is because I love cream cheese frosting. Blend one cup of freeze-dried strawberries into a powder to amp up the strawberry flavor. Add the powder when adding in the powdered sugar. This will create vegan strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Decoration Ideas

This dairy-free strawberry cake can have several different toppings. I like the top of the cake to have lots of fresh strawberries. Here are a few other ideas.

Vegan strawberry cream cheese frosting
Vanilla cream cheese frosting is another delicious flavor combination
Vanilla or strawberry buttercream frosting
You can use dairy-free whipping cream if the cake has a single layer.
Are you a chocolate lover? Decorate it with vegan chocolate ganache.
Fresh strawberries or other fruits make great toppings.
Want to keep it simple? Dust some powdered sugar.

Expert Tips

Specific steps can make a difference between a good and an excellent cake. If you want to make a moist and fluffy cake, follow these expert tips:

Room Temperature Butter and Cream Cheese - always use room temperature "dairy" products to ensure a consistent and smooth blend.
Mixing Ingredients - Always start at a low speed when using a handheld or stand mixer. As the ingredients become blended, you can increase the speed. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed to combine all ingredients.
Use Vegan Butter and Oil – Both ingredients make your cake super fluffy. Moreover, the vegan cake will have a buttery flavor. Also, always use room-temperature butter.
Cool the Puree – Before adding the puree to the batter, let it cool to room temperature. If you rush, pop the puree into the fridge or freezer.
Cool the Cakes Before Frosting – Want to avoid a melty mess? Do not miss this step. Ensure that your cakes are completely cool before applying the frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide right off your cake!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Store Strawberry Cake?

Countertop: You can store the Vegan Strawberry Cake at room temperature for approximately four days. However, you must cover the cut parts properly so the cake does not dry.
Refrigerator: If you place the cake in the fridge, it will be slightly dry and crumbly. You can serve it straight from the refrigerator, but it’s better to let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to warm up.
Freezer: If frosted, freeze the cake for 1 - 2 hours. Then tightly wrap the cake in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. If the cake is unfrosted, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before decorating and serving.

Can I use Beetroot Juice Instead of Powder?

There is too much liquid in beetroot juice. The overall result will throw off the wet/dry ingredient ratio. For color, you can add beetroot powder. Some people also try adding color by using pink pitaya powder. Even though it gives great color, the cake can have a rancid smell and taste.