Strawberry Drip Cake Recipe

This strawberry drip cake is a tall, tender vanilla butter cake covered in a glossy red glaze made from fresh strawberries. The glaze runs down the sides in thick drips and pools on the platter, and a big mound of glazed berries sits on top. No frosting or piping skills needed.

Why You’ll Like This Strawberry Drip Cake

The cake is a classic creamed butter cake with a soft, close crumb that holds up under a heavy fruit topping. The glaze is cooked from real strawberries with a little cornstarch, so it sets glossy instead of sticky and tastes like fresh fruit rather than candy.

• No frosting needed: the strawberry glaze does all the decorating.
• Fresh fruit flavor: real berries in the glaze and piled on top.
• One tall cake: baked in a single deep pan, no stacking or leveling layers.

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Butter Cake

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

For the Strawberry Glaze

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 1 pound)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the Topping

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, small ones whole and large ones halved (about 1 pound)

You will need a 9-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides (or a 9-inch springform pan), parchment, a mixer, a medium saucepan and a white serving platter with a slight rim to catch the drips. Makes one 9-inch cake, about 12 slices.

Ingredient Notes

The butter: Soft but still cool, so a finger leaves a dent without sinking in. Melty butter will not hold air when creamed and the cake bakes dense.

The eggs and milk: Room temperature ingredients blend smoothly into the creamed butter. Cold milk can make the batter look curdled.

The strawberries: Ripe, deep red berries give the brightest glaze. Frozen strawberries work for the glaze if thawed with their juice, but use fresh ones for the topping.

The cornstarch: It thickens the glaze so it clings and drips slowly instead of soaking into the cake.

How to Make Strawberry Drip Cake

Bake the Cake

1. Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment and grease the parchment.
2. Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl.
4. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then add the vanilla.
5. Alternate flour and milk. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts, starting and ending with flour. Mix only until no dry streaks remain.
6. Bake. Spread the batter in the pan and smooth the top. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it for the last 15 minutes.
7. Cool. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours. A warm cake will melt the glaze and soak it up.

Make the Strawberry Glaze

1. Cook the berries. Combine the chopped strawberries, sugar and 1/2 cup of the water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 5 minutes, mashing the berries with a potato masher or fork as they soften.
2. Thicken. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup water until smooth. Stir it into the simmering berries and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, until the glaze turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
3. Finish. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. For a smooth, see-through glaze like a bakery cake, press it through a fine-mesh sieve. Leave it unstrained for a more rustic look.
4. Cool slightly. Let the glaze cool 15 to 20 minutes, until warm and slightly thickened but still pourable.

Glaze and Top the Cake

1. Set the cake. Place the cooled cake on the serving platter. Trim the top flat with a serrated knife if it domed a lot, so the glaze spreads evenly.
2. Pour. Pour about two thirds of the warm glaze onto the center of the cake. Nudge it toward the edges with the back of a spoon and let it run down the sides in drips. Some will pool on the platter, which is part of the look.
3. Add the berries. Toss the topping strawberries with the remaining glaze and pile them in a high mound on top of the cake.
4. Set. Refrigerate 30 minutes so the glaze firms slightly before slicing.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Drip Cake

Cool the Cake Completely

Glaze on a warm cake slides off and soaks in. Patience here is what gives you clean, glossy drips.

Test the Glaze Thickness

Drip a spoonful down the side of a cold glass. If it runs to the bottom in seconds, cool it a few more minutes; if it barely moves, warm it gently with a teaspoon of water.

Do Not Overmix the Batter

Once the flour goes in, mix on low and stop as soon as it disappears. Overmixing makes a tall cake tough and tunneled.

Dry the Berries Well

Water on washed strawberries thins the glaze and makes it slide off. Pat them dry before hulling.

Glaze Close to Serving

The glaze looks shiniest in the first few hours. Bake the cake ahead and glaze the day you serve.

Variations

• Two-layer version: bake in two 8-inch pans for 30 to 35 minutes, then stack with a thin layer of glaze and sliced berries between.
• Whipped cream filling: split the cooled cake and fill with lightly sweetened whipped cream before glazing.
• Mixed berry: use half raspberries in the glaze and top with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
• Lemon cake: add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the butter and sugar for a bright citrus crumb.

Storage

Refrigerator: Cover loosely and refrigerate the glazed cake for up to 3 days. The berries soften after the first day.

Unglazed cake: Wrap the cooled plain cake and keep it at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Glaze: Make up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate in a jar. Warm gently until pourable before using.

Freezing: Freeze the plain cake, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze and top with fresh berries. Do not freeze the glazed cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes for the glaze. Thaw them and include the juice, then cook as directed, adding a few extra minutes to reduce it. Use fresh berries for the topping so they keep their shape.

Why is my glaze too runny?

It needs a full minute or two of bubbling after the cornstarch goes in, and it thickens more as it cools. If it is still thin, simmer it again with another teaspoon of cornstarch mixed into water.

Can I make it in a 9×13 pan?

Yes. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, then pour the glaze over the top and cover with berries. You lose the drips but keep the flavor.

How do I get neat slices?

Chill the cake 30 minutes after glazing and use a sharp knife, wiping it between cuts. Cut through the berry mound gently with a sawing motion.