Soft Eggless Strawberry Cake

Here is my favorite eggless strawberry cake recipe, made with fresh strawberries, yogurt for moisture, and simple pantry ingredients that come together in one bowl for an easy, delicious dessert.

This cake is perfect when you need something special but don’t have eggs on hand, or if you’re baking for someone with an egg allergy. The fresh strawberries make it taste like spring, and I love how soft and tender it turns out every single time.

What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?

Fresh strawberries are definitely the way to go for this cake, and you’ll want to pick ones that are bright red and firm to the touch. If strawberries aren’t in season, frozen strawberries can work in a pinch, but make sure to thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before using them in your batter. When you’re at the store, avoid strawberries that have white or green patches, as those won’t be as sweet or flavorful. For the best results, give your strawberries a good rinse and pat them dry before hulling and slicing them up for your cake.

Options for Substitutions

This cake is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Mix 1/4 cup regular milk with 3/4 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit for 5 minutes, and you’re good to go.
• Yogurt: Plain yogurt works best, but you can use Greek yogurt (thin it with a tablespoon or two of milk) or sour cream. In a pinch, applesauce works too, though it’ll make the cake slightly denser.
• Oil: Any neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil will work. You can also use melted coconut oil if you don’t mind a hint of coconut flavor.
• Fresh strawberries: Frozen strawberries are fine – just thaw them first and drain off excess liquid so your batter doesn’t get too watery. You can also try raspberries or blueberries for a different berry cake.
• All-purpose flour: For a whole wheat version, replace half the flour with whole wheat flour. Going fully gluten-free requires a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, but the texture might be slightly different.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when baking eggless cakes is overmixing the batter once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, which can make your cake dense and tough instead of light and fluffy – mix just until the flour disappears and you see no more dry streaks.

Since this cake relies on baking soda and baking powder for rise without eggs, make sure your leavening agents are fresh (less than 6 months old) or your cake won’t rise properly and will turn out flat.

To prevent your strawberries from bleeding too much color into the batter and making it look pink, pat them completely dry with paper towels before folding them in, and don’t skip the toothpick test at 45 minutes – eggless cakes can be tricky to judge by appearance alone, so insert a toothpick in the center and it should come out with just a few moist crumbs.

What to Serve With Eggless Strawberry Cake?

This strawberry cake is perfect on its own, but a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream takes it to the next level. I love serving it with a hot cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon treat, especially when you want something sweet but not too heavy. Fresh strawberries on the side add a nice pop of color and extra fruity flavor, or you can even add a drizzle of chocolate sauce if you’re feeling fancy. This cake also works great as a birthday cake or for any spring or summer gathering where you want something light and fruity.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your strawberry cake covered in the fridge since it has fresh strawberries and yogurt in it. It’ll stay moist and delicious for about 3-4 days. I like to cover it with plastic wrap or keep it in a cake container to prevent it from drying out or absorbing other fridge odors.

Freeze: You can freeze slices of this cake for up to 2 months. Wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. This way you can grab a slice whenever you’re craving something sweet without having to thaw the whole cake.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about an hour. The cake tastes great cold straight from the fridge, or you can bring it to room temperature for a softer texture. Dust with a bit more powdered sugar right before serving if you want it to look fresh.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2150-2300
• Protein: 26-30 g
• Fat: 70-78 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 1/4 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup yogurt (I use Fage plain Greek yogurt for a moist crumb)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lb strawberries (hulled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces)

For the finish:

• powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)

Step 1: Prepare the Pans and Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or similar sized cake pan.

While the oven heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.

This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture, which is crucial for even rise and a tender crumb without eggs to add structure.

Step 2: Prepare the Strawberries and Create the Wet Mixture

• 1 lb strawberries
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Hull and slice the strawberries into 1/4-inch pieces, then set aside on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture—this prevents the cake from becoming soggy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature buttermilk, sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract for 2-3 minutes until well combined and slightly emulsified.

I find that Greek yogurt creates a noticeably moister crumb compared to regular yogurt, so it’s worth the swap.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2

Pour the wet mixture from Step 2 into the dry ingredient bowl from Step 1 and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined.

Don’t overmix—lumpy batter is better than overdeveloped gluten, which would make the cake tough.

Stop folding as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour.

Step 4: Add Strawberries and Bake

• batter from Step 3
• sliced strawberries from Step 2

Reserve about 8-10 of the nicest strawberry slices for topping.

Fold the remaining strawberries into the batter, being gentle to avoid crushing them into the batter and creating wet pockets.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and arrange the reserved strawberry slices on top, pressing them gently into the surface.

This gives you both strawberry flavor distributed throughout the cake and attractive berries on top.

Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—the strawberries will keep some residual moisture, so don’t overbake.

Step 5: Cool and Finish with Powdered Sugar

• powdered sugar

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack or serving plate.

Once completely cooled, dust generously with sifted powdered sugar just before serving.

I always sift the powdered sugar first to remove any lumps that can create an uneven appearance on the final cake.

Soft Eggless Strawberry Cake

Delicious Soft Eggless Strawberry Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Servings 8 slices

Calories 2225 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cake::

• 2 1/4 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup yogurt (I use Fage plain Greek yogurt for a moist crumb)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lb strawberries (hulled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces)

For the finish::

• powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or similar sized cake pan. While the oven heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture, which is crucial for even rise and a tender crumb without eggs to add structure.
• Hull and slice the strawberries into 1/4-inch pieces, then set aside on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture—this prevents the cake from becoming soggy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature buttermilk, sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract for 2-3 minutes until well combined and slightly emulsified. I find that Greek yogurt creates a noticeably moister crumb compared to regular yogurt, so it's worth the swap.
• Pour the wet mixture from Step 2 into the dry ingredient bowl from Step 1 and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Don't overmix—lumpy batter is better than overdeveloped gluten, which would make the cake tough. Stop folding as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour.
• Reserve about 8-10 of the nicest strawberry slices for topping. Fold the remaining strawberries into the batter, being gentle to avoid crushing them into the batter and creating wet pockets. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and arrange the reserved strawberry slices on top, pressing them gently into the surface. This gives you both strawberry flavor distributed throughout the cake and attractive berries on top. Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—the strawberries will keep some residual moisture, so don't overbake.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack or serving plate. Once completely cooled, dust generously with sifted powdered sugar just before serving. I always sift the powdered sugar first to remove any lumps that can create an uneven appearance on the final cake.