Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake
Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake is a soft, moist strawberry cake filled with fresh strawberries, cream cheese, and vanilla flavor. It's buttery, tender, and topped with a light crackly sugar crust that adds the perfect texture contrast.
This easy homemade strawberry cake is perfect for spring and summer baking, especially for Easter, Mother's Day, brunch, or a simple weekend dessert.
If you love easy strawberry desserts, make sure to also try my Fresh Strawberry Bread, Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Pretzel Salad.
Quick Look: Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥Bake Time 45 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 55 minutes
- 🍽️ 11 simple budget-friendly ingredients
- 🍪 Servings: 8
- ⚡ Calories: 323 calories
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Moist with sweet, fresh strawberries.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy to Medium
- 💡 Why this Works: Cream cheese and yogurt keep it soft and moist
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft, moist, bakery-style strawberry cake
- Easy homemade recipe with simple ingredients
- Juicy fresh strawberries in every bite
- Perfect for spring and summer baking
- Great for holidays, brunch, or coffee cake
- Beautiful crackly sugar topping for extra texture
Key Ingredients
To make this easy and moist cream cheese cake, these essential ingredients create the perfect balance of rich, creamy texture and fresh, fruity sweetness:
- Fresh Strawberries - bring natural sweetness and juicy texture throughout the cake. Use ripe but firm berries for best results.
- Cream Cheese - adds richness and a slight tang that balances the sweetness. If you enjoy cream cheese desserts, try my Fresh Peach Cream Cheese Cake.
- Cornstarch - helps create a softer, finer crumb and improves texture. I also use it in my Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies for a tender bite.
- Greek Yogurt - adds moisture and keeps the cake soft without making it heavy.
- Vanilla Extract - enhances all the flavors and gives the cake a warm bakery aroma.
How To Make Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake
Step 1: Prepare the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Cream Cheese
Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients
Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract and Greek yogurt.
Step 4: Combine the Batter
Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Fold in Strawberries
Gently fold most strawberries into the batter.
Step 6: Top with Strawberries
Pour the batter into the pan and top with remaining strawberries. Sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar.
Step 7: Bake, Sprinkle & Cool - Bake until golden and set in the center. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the baked cake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Use fresh, firm strawberries for best texture
- Pat strawberries dry to avoid extra moisture
- Use room temperature ingredients for smooth batter (just like in my Easy Homemade Blueberry Upside Down Cake)
- Do not overmix after adding flour
- A springform pan makes removal much easier
- Metal pans bake most evenly
- Let cake cool completely before slicing
- Flavor improves the next day after resting
Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake FAQs
Yes! Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake actually tastes better the next day as the flavors deepen and the texture becomes even more moist. Store covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
To prevent sogginess, gently pat strawberries dry before folding them into the batter and avoid overly juicy berries. This helps maintain a soft but structured cake.
Fresh strawberries are best because frozen berries release too much liquid during baking, which can affect texture and make the cake dense or wet.
Yes, but the sugar topping adds a light crackly top that contrasts beautifully with the moist cake and juicy strawberries, so it's highly recommended.ping on Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake?
Yes, but a springform pan is ideal for easy removal. Metal pans give the most even bake. If using glass, increase baking time slightly as it heats more slowly.
Yes! Double the recipe and bake in a 9x13-inch pan or two round pans. Expect slightly longer baking time depending on thickness.
If you love soft, moist homemade cakes, try my Easy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake, Easy Chocolate Pumpkin Cake With Chocolate Ganache, and Cheesecake Banana Bread Crumb Cake for more easy bakery-style desserts.
Other Strawberry Recipes You'll Love
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Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cup strawberries chopped
- 1 cup strawberries halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan or coat with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add ¾ cup sugar and continue mixing until light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and Greek yogurt until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in 1½ cups chopped strawberries. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Top with 1 cup halved strawberries and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- Let the cake cool in the springform pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Looks delicious! I am wondering how this would taste using browned butter? Have you ever tried it that way?
No, I haven't Taren. You can try, but you will get richer, more intense flavor.. I think.
Best,
Dragana
Made this strawberry cake today. It is so good and now one of my favorites! I didn't have yogurt so I substituted sour cream. Like one of the other bakers, I baked a little too long. I'll correct that next time. Will also cut the strawberries in smaller pieces to get better distribution in the batter.
Thank you for the recipe!
Thank YOU, I'm so glad you liked it.
Best,
Dragana
I made this cake and it came out almost like a cheesecake, is this right? Or is it meant to be more cakey?
It's a moist cake, Zarli.
Best,
Dragana
Made this cake with sweet cherries. Turned out amazing!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe
Great combo, I'm so glad.
Thank YOU, Esya.
Best,
Dragans
I would like to make this recipe but I do not know what the weights are in grams I live in UK (I do not know what a cup would be)
Hi Maria, here are list of ingredients in UK grams:
126 grams of all purpose flour
30 grams of cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
120 grams cream cheese
76 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
150 grams + 50 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
82 grams Greek yogurt
500 grams strawberries, cut into quarters
Best regards,
Dragana
Hi! I want to make this but I only have a 10-inch springform pan. Would you recommend I use bigger amounts for ingredients or would this still work? I don't want the cake to be too thin.
Hi Kara,
you need to increase each ingredient by 20 percent.
Best regards,
Dragana
If fresh berries aren’t available can frozen ones be used?
Yes Jane.
Enjoy!
I’m planning to make this cake tomorrow. I’m at an elevation of 3500 feet. Is the oven temperature correct at 350°?
Yes, Trudy. But if you like you can bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.
Best regards!
After adding the sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture how long does it take to reach “ light and fluffy “ stage. Flavor of the cake was great.
Hi Ruth,
In a large dish, mix cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about a minute.
Add 3/4 cup sugar and mix one minute more, until it's light and fluffy.
Best regards.
Hi!
This recipe looks amazing and I'm going to try it today. I was just wondering on how to store this cake. In a fridge or at room temperature?
Thank you Amna. You can keep it in the fridge few days longer.
Enjoy!
I made this cake for a summer cookout and it was delicious! I made a thick vanilla glaze to go on top of the cake with powdered sugar, vanilla flavoring, and heavy cream. Everyone loved it!
Great idea, Leanne. I'm so glad you liked it. Best regards.
I'm confused, I think there is the step missing in the recepie. When do you mix dry ingredients from step 2 (the medium dish)? Thanks.
Hi Irina,
I will repeat process. In step 5 you are adding dry ingredients.
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 9 inch spring form pan or use cooking spray, instead. Leave aside.
2. In medium dish combine dry ingredients - flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Leave aside.
3. In a large dish, mix cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about a minute.
4. Add 3/4 cup sugar and mix some more, until it is light and fluffy.
5. Add one egg at a time, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt and continue to mix, slowly adding dry ingredients.
Best regards.
So I bought a 8 oz stick of creme cheese do I just cut it in half and that's all I need? Because I see many videos of people using 4 sticks of 8 oz so I'm wondering if I need more .
Yes Yohn, you can cut it in half.
Best regards.
Made this and LOVED it. It was so rich and yummy. Will make again!
Thank you, I'm so glad.
Best.
I made this yesterday and it is so wonderful. I baked it a little to long but it's still a fantastic dessert. I"ll correct the baking time next time I make it. Perfect for just me and my husband.
Thanks Dragana,
I'm so glad that you liked it. It really is fantastic dessert.
Best regards!
Our store was out of strawberries, so I used fresh raspberries! It was delicious with the raspberries.
It's a great choice too, Pamela.
I'm so glad you liked it.
Regards!