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Slice vegan strawberry cake on a plate.
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5 from 8 votes

Vegan Strawberry Cake

This vegan strawberry cake has a fluffy crumb made with tons of fresh strawberries and topped with a simple vegan strawberry cream cheese frosting. Made with all-natural ingredients, this cake is soft, moist, and bursting with strawberry flavor.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Cool and Assemble1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 555kcal
Author: Alison Corey

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon beetroot powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Puree

  • 4 cups strawberries

Wet Ingredients

  • cup almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Frosting

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Combine the dairy-free milk and the apple cider vinegar. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to create vegan buttermilk.
  • Add the strawberries to your food processor, and blend until smooth. I recommend using fresh strawberries rather than frozen ones. Set aside
  • Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, beetroot powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together to combine.
  • Add the strawberry puree, vegan buttermilk (dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar), vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Fold together using a spatula until combined. Don't overmix.
  • Pour the batter equally between the two 8-inch cake pans.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick in the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Frosting

  • While the cake is baking, make the vegan strawberry cream cheese frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add room-temperature butter to your mixing bowl. Beat until creamy, about 30 seconds.  
  • Drain any excess water from the cream cheese, then add it to the bowl with the vanilla extract and salt. Beat for 30 seconds to a minute but no longer! Beating for too long can cause a runny texture.
  • Run a spatula along the sides of the bowl. Then add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating on low speed until it becomes thick.
  • Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor. Pulse until a fine powder is formed.
  • Then add the strawberry powder to the cream cheese frosting, beating on low until it's completely incorporated.
  • Use immediately if the cakes are cool, or refrigerate until you are ready to frost the cake.

Assembling the Cake

  • Once the cakes are completely cool, carefully remove the top dome of one of the cakes so that it has a flat top. Use a large bread knife.
  • Spread one cup of the frosting on the flat-top cake. Note: If you refrigerate your cream cheese frosting, allow it to sit for about 5 minutes at room temperature and give it a good stir to make it easier to spread.
  • Place the other cake on top of the frosted layer. Spread another cup of the frosting on the top.
  • If you have additional frosting, carefully spread the frosting along the sides of the cake.
  • Top with fresh strawberries or red sprinkles.

Video

Notes

Tips for Making Vegan Strawberry Cake
    • The best type of oil to use is vegetable or canola oil. You could also use coconut oil, but be sure that it is melted and cooled.
    • Don't over-mix the batter. It will cause a dense cake texture.
    • Place the cake pans on the middle rack of the oven.
    • Check the cake at the 20-minute mark to ensure it doesn't overbake. All ovens are a bit different.
    • Make sure to line your cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides so that it releases easily.
    • Do not frost the cake until it is completely cool. A warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting.
    • Keep the vegan strawberry cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator until you're ready to frost the cake. Allow the frosting to come back to room temperature, and give it a good stir before frosting the cake.
    • Use a piping bag to frost the cakes for a neat and even finish.
    • Reserve a handful of strawberries to decorate the top of the cake.
    • Cover and store the leftovers in the refrigerator. Since this cake has a cream cheese frosting, it must be stored in the refrigerator. The cake will keep for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 439IU | Vitamin C: 179mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 5mg