This is the best Strawberry Almond Cake recipe! It has a moist almond layer cake, strawberry buttercream, sliced almonds and fresh strawberries for loads of berry flavor.

Topped with our creamy strawberry frosting, this dessert is a showstopper! Give our reader favorite strawberry eclair cake a try next. Easy and delicious!

Slice of double layer almond cake with fresh strawberry frosting and berry filling on white plate.

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Almond Cake

I know when most people think of Easter and spring they think of carrot cake. Or maybe even German Chocolate Cake.

But what about strawberries? Soon here in the midwest our gardens will be overflowing with this juicy, flavorful fruit, which is why I always associate Strawberry Almond Cake with springtime.

Here’s why you’ll love it:

This cake has real strawberry flavor thanks to freeze-dried strawberries. These make the frosting taste like actual fruit, not artificial flavoring, without changing the frosting texture like fresh fruit does.
It also features an unexpectedly delicious combination: strawberries and almonds. The fragrant, almost floral flavor of almond extract pairs so well with fresh strawberries in this strawberry almond cake.
If you want a homemade cake that has the look and flavor of something you bought at a fancy bakery, this is the one! And although it does require a bit of work, nothing about this cake is hard.

Strawberry Almond Cake on a wooden cake stand with a bag of Fisher Nuts Almonds.

Important Ingredient Notes

Egg whites – The egg whites need to be at room temperature, but egg whites separate from the yolks more easily when chilled. I recommend separating the eggs when they’re fresh out the fridge, then letting the whites come to room temperature while you gather the rest of the ingredients.
Buttermilk – Store-bought or make a buttermilk substitute.
Almond extract – Once you’ve got this in your pantry, it will become your go-to little something-something to take everything from Easy French Toast Casserole to Sugar Cookies to the next level.
Cake flour – Cake flour gives baked goods like this strawberry almond cake a lighter, airier texture.
Milk – Use any kind you have on hand, although I always like baking with whole milk.
Fresh strawberries – After washing these, make sure you dry them very well so they don’t make the cake soggy.
Freeze-dried strawberries – Pop them in a food processor or ziploc bag to make fine crumbs.
Sliced almonds – Sliced almonds are perfect for adding a little bit of crunch without distracting from the rest of the strawberry almond cake.

Strawberry Layer cake with big slice removed. On a wooden cake plate.

How to Make Strawberry Almond Cake

Prepare:

Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. (I also like to use Wilton bake even strips to keep cakes level with no waste.)
Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Make the Batter:

In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites with 1/4 cup of the buttermilk.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
Then, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes, or until they’re creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the almond extract.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar, beating until combined. Gradually add in the egg mixture, beating until well blended.
Finally, beat in the remaining buttermilk.

Bake the Strawberry Almond Cake:

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a parchment paper lined wire rack to finish cooling.

Make the Frosting:

Beat the butter with the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract for about 4 minutes, or until fluffy.
Remove about 1 cup of the white frosting and set aside.
To the remaining frosting, incorporate the crushed freeze dried strawberries.

Assemble:

Set one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread the white almond frosting over the top only. Add the diced strawberries and 1/4 cup of the sliced almonds.
Top with the second layer of cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the remaining strawberry frosting over the sides and top. (Or pipe on the frosting for a fancier look.)
Once frosted, use your hands to gently press the remaining sliced almonds into the side of the cake. I only added almonds to the bottom third of the cake. If desired, add one fresh strawberry to the top.
Keep the strawberry almond cake covered until you’re ready to serve it.

This gorgeous, from scratch, Strawberry Almond Cake recipe features a moist almond layer cake with strawberry buttercream. Fresh sliced almonds and strawberries to added flavor and texture!

Tips and Tricks

Don’t discard the egg yolks! You can freeze them for later when you’re making a recipe where you only need yolks, not whites, like Creme Brulee (which uses 6 yolks) or Lemon Curd (which uses 5, the same number you’ll have after making this strawberry almond cake!).
Soften the butter before you get started. It holds more air that way, giving your cake a little extra lift.
If you don’t have bake even strips, you may want to trim the tops of your cake layers if they dome after baking. Use a serrated knife to shave off the excess until they’re even. If you don’t do this, your cake will be a little bit taller in the middle, which isn’t the end of the world, but if you’re making it for a special occasion, you might not want that!
You can make this cake in stages if you don’t have time to do it all in one go. Typically when I make cake, I bake the layers one day, then the next day I whip up the frosting and assemble.
To store, I slice the strawberry almond cake into large pieces, wrap them in plastic wrap, then slide them into a freezer safe ziploc container. These cake slices are best within one month.

More Nutty recipes

The layers on these Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are incredible! One tasty bite and you’ll fall in love.
A delicious, heart healthy meal that not only is beautiful but tastes amazing. Oh, did I mention this Almond Pesto Salmon is also super easy to make?
This Carrot Bundt Cake with a cheesecake filling and cream cheese frosting might be the best dessert ever! Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Sweet and salty, this Maple Brown Sugar Pecans recipe is a great treat to have on hand during the holidays! Make a batch today, for snacking or sprinkling on salads!

More Easy Desserts: