Strawberry Cake (Doctored Cake Mix Recipe)

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Oh how we love a big slice of strawberry cake, and today's moist & delicious easy strawberry cake from a mix is sure to become a new favorite.

Moist and Delicious Strawberry Doctored Cake Mix Recipe

We have a couple of fabulous scratch strawberry cake recipes that we love, but sometimes you need a tried and true doctored cake mix recipe that you can whip up in a flash & that is guaranteed to please a crowd. THIS is that recipe!

Why we Love It!

There are many reasons to love this Strawberry Cake Mix recipe! It has been one of our most popular doctored cake mix recipes over the years. Here are just a few reasons why:

  • Great strawberry flavor from strawberry jello as well as strawberry puree!
  • Easy to Make, and consistently delicious thanks to the cake mix.
  • Tastes amazing with so many fillings and frostings (from sliced strawberries and whipped cream, to cooked strawberry filling, strawberry buttercream, and more!)
  • Works well for sheet cakes and cupcakes 
  • Perfect strawberry dessert to celebrate birthdays, baby showers, picnics, potlucks, and more!

Benefits of a Strawberry Cake Mix Recipe

We have tons of favorite scratch cake recipes in our Recipes section (homemade strawberry cake, strawberry pound cake, strawberry shortcake cake, etc.) and we have tons of fantastic doctored cake mix recipes too!

The plus of doctored cake mix recipes like today's easy strawberry cake is convenience and consistency- no matter how many cakes you've baked before.

Even with the added ingredients, this strawberry cake can be put together quickly.

The addition of extra ingredients to the white cake mix, like strawberry jello and especially real strawberries (whether frozen or fresh) give it the edge over a box of strawberry cake mix. It has the flavor and texture of a from-scratch recipe.

Slice of three layer strawberry cake from cake mix on a plate, next to two fresh strawberries.

How to make an Easy Strawberry Cake

Although you can easily find strawberry cake mixes at most grocery stores, we prefer to use white cake mix and then add a nice flavor boost from both pureed strawberries as well as strawberry jello.

  • This cake has received rave reviews over the years and we hope that you enjoy it too!
  • To make this recipe, prepare three 8 inch round pans by greasing, flouring, (and we also like to add circles of parchment to the bottom of each pan). 
  • Next, add all of the ingredients including the white cake mix, strawberry jello, flour, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and mashed strawberries/strawberry puree. (By the way, I love that this recipe calls for real strawberries rather than just the jello. It really does make a difference in the strawberry flavor)!
  • Now, it's just a matter of dividing the batter between the pans and baking! 

FAQs

Once my strawberry cake layers have baked, whether I'm working with cake mix or scratch cake layers, I remove them from the oven, allow to cool (in the pans) on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes, and then flip them out, wrap with plastic wrap, and then with foil

Next, into the freezer they go! Freezing the layers while they are still warm adds a noticeable boost in moisture. It's a myth that freezing cake layers somehow results in a less flavorful or moist cake.

We've been doing this for 20 years now! It really does make such a difference. We've frozen cake layers for up to three months and they still taste as fresh as the day they were made, as long as they are properly wrapped. I've even popped freshly baked, wrapped layers in the freezer for just a few hours when I'm in a time crunch!

When the cake layers are ready to thaw, simply place the layers, still wrapped, on the countertop and allow them to come to room temperature (or at least partially thawed if you prefer to assemble while the layers are firm). Keeping the layers wrapped will ensure that the condensation forms on the foil rather than the cake itself.

There are so many options when it comes to pairing fillings and frostings with strawberry cake. Here are just a few of our favorites:

Cream Cheese Frosting  

Strawberry Buttercream

Vanilla Buttercream

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Whipped Cream Cheese Filling

This easy strawberry cake only needs to be refrigerated if you are using a perishable filling or frosting (For instance cream cheese frosting, sliced strawberries, and homemade whipped cream, strawberry puree, strawberry preserves, etc.)

If you do need to refrigerate the cake because of the fillings or frostings, we recommend removing it from the refrigerator two hours before serving so that the the cake has time to warm and soften for best flavor and texture.

It's safe to say that this easy strawberry cake is always a good idea, and is sure to please any crowd! Make sure to check out our other Cakes with Fruit as well as favorite birthday cake designs!

More Strawberry Cakes

If you're looking for more delicious Strawberry Cakes, don't miss these recipes! Also, keep in mind that this versatile strawberry box mix recipe works well for strawberry cupcakes(cake mix) too! 

Enjoy the Recipe

Keep this moist strawberry cake mix recipe in mind the next time you are looking for birthday cake recipes, a baby shower cake, bridal shower cake, or just in the mood for a strawberry dessert!

Yield: 15-20 servings

Strawberry Cake- Doctored Cake Mix Recipe

The BEST Strawberry Cake (doctored cake mix) Recipe by MyCakeSchool.com!

This easy Strawberry Cake from cake mix is fluffy, tender, and delicious. It uses real strawberries and strawberry jello for a delicious boost of flavor.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix ( 15.25 oz) (432g)
  • 1 small box ( 3 ounce) (85g) strawberry Jello
  • 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil ( I used canola oil)
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¾ cup pureed ripe strawberries (You can substitute with frozen strawberries)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, grease and flour three 8 inch round pans or two 9 inch round pans
  2. Put all ingredients into your mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the ingredients are blended. Then increase speed to medium and mix for approximately 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl mid way through.
  3. The pureed strawberries should be well blended into the batter.
  4. Bake for 30 min. or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Notes

This recipe works for easy strawberry cupcakes also!

Freezing: The strawberry cake mix layers can be baked in advance and frozen for up to three months. Individually wrap each layer in plastic wrap followed by foil. When thawing, keep wrapped for 30-45 minutes at room temperature before unwrapping and thawing to desired amount for assembling and decorating.

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311 Comments

    1. Hi Judy, I haven't experimented with substituting the puree with jam. If you decide to experiment, 3/4 cup seems like a lot, considering the additional sugar that it adds. If you give this a try, I would use less jam and then combine with a bit of milk or water to reach the 3/4 cup of strawberries that the recipe calls for. Let us know if you try it!

      1. Can I make this into a Bundt cake? I actually already put it in the oven for 50 minutes or 325. Should have asked sooner. May need to increase the temp to 350?

  1. I made this Strawberry Cake last weekend and it was so delicious! My husband, who is not a huge cake lover, said it was really good and so moist. He took the rest of it to work with him this week, and now they are devouring the rest of it. Do you think that this recipe could be used with most any fruit and jello flavor? I noticed you have a doctored cherry cake recipe, but would this recipe also work to make a cherry cake by just replacing the strawberry jello with cherry jello and the pureed strawberries with pureed maraschino cherries? I am just looking for something with less ingredients for what I am planning. Thanks.

    1. Hi Rachel! Thanks for your feedback on the recipe ;0) I really do think that it would work for any fruit puree and jello flavor. Cake mix recipes are usually so forgiving. If you give it a try, let us know what you think!

  2. hi Melissa, I want to make this into a 10x10" cake. Would I pour the whole batter into the pan, and would it come out with a fairly high cake? I would like for it to measure at least 3". thank you. I just love this recipe

  3. I have a strawberry cake mix. Can I add the strawberry jello to make it more moist and flavorful or would that be too strawberryie? If not, can I add anything to dr it up?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Betsy-- It's been so long since I've tried strawberry cake mix, I'm not sure if it would be overly strawberry or not if using this recipe. It seems like it would. You may want to at least just use 2-3 tablespoons jello rather than the whole box. --

      You could use your cake mix using the same measurements as in our Lemon Doctored Cake Mix Recipe (which uses half box jello) - also, linked below, if you want to avoid doing the pureed strawberries.

      Cake mix recipes are generally pretty forgiving so any of our cake mix recipes should work with the strawberry cake mix-- Our White Almond Sour Cream Cake (WASC) is an option too- minus the almond.
      https://www.mycakeschool.com/lemon-doctored-cake-mix-recipe/

  4. What kind of frosting should I use for this cake? Buttercream? Plain vanilla? Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting? Do you have a recipe for that frosting?
    I would prefer it to be white.
    I will be making this cake for a birthday.
    Thanks!!

    1. Hi Julie! We have several recipes that would work well (some are listed in our Recipe FAQs in this post).

      We have a simple vanilla buttercream: https://www.mycakeschool.com/classic-vanilla-buttercream/

      Cream Cheese Frosting: https://www.mycakeschool.com/cream-cheese-frosting/

      Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting: https://www.mycakeschool.com/whipped-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/
      *This is a great frosting, but keep in mind that it doesn't frost quite as smoothly as buttercream or cream cheese frosting.

      Hope you enjoy the recipe!

    1. Hi Chrysanthi- this is definitely a soft cake- as soft as if you made the recipe straight from the box of cake mix. However, if your top tier is well supported with bubble tea straws or dowels, etc. so that there is not stress on the lower tier, you should be fine to make a tiered cake.

  5. I made the strawberry doctored version and it smells so good. I'm frosting it tomorrow and then it's going in a car for 4.5 hrs so I'm wondering if it will hold up. I'm also wondering if you have a link to watch you frost cakes ?
    Thankyou

  6. I made 1 9inch and 2 8inch layers so in total 3 layers. it was so moist and delicious witb cream cheese frosting.

    1. Hi Carm! I'm sorry that we missed your question before, but I'm so glad to hear that you were happy with the cake! Thanks so much for your feedback.

      Also, to answer your other question, we have a lot of cake decorating tutorials (linked below). "The Basics" subcategory is a great place to start. The "Hot knife Method" is what I use most often when doing a smooth finish. Our "How to Make a Cake" is helpful also for those new to cake decorating.

      We also have lots of different piping & texturing techniques in our "Buttercream Techniques" subcategory. We love simple, textured buttercream designs.
      https://www.mycakeschool.com/category/video-tutorials/

  7. The cake came out very moist and very tasty. I followed the recipe and I made the cream cheese frosting. I put strawberries in between my layers and then put strawberries on top of the cake.