Easy Mini Strawberry Cakes
These adorable mini strawberry cakes look like something you’d pick up from a bakery, but they’re made with a boxed cake mix, canned frosting and fresh strawberries. A few simple tricks make them extra pretty and delicious without requiring any special cake decorating skills.
If you’ve been around Jenny Cookies for a while, you may remember my Mini Flower Cakes. I’ve always loved the idea of making individual layer cakes, but this time I wanted to create a version that was even easier to recreate at home.
I spotted the Dolly Parton Strawberry Cake Mix and Strawberry Frosting and knew exactly what I wanted to make with them. Instead of elaborate piping or homemade buttercream, we’re keeping things simple: strawberry cake, fluffy whipped frosting, fresh strawberries and a few pretty flowers on top.
The result is the sweetest little strawberry cake that looks much more impressive than the effort it takes to make it.
The Secret Is Starting With a Boxed Cake Mix
I am all for a shortcut, especially when you know a few tricks to make it better.
Whenever I use a boxed cake mix, I like to doctor it just a little. Instead of preparing the mix exactly as directed, I:
That’s it.
The extra egg gives the cake a little more richness and structure, while butter adds better flavor. You’re still getting all the convenience of a boxed mix without making a cake completely from scratch.
For these mini cakes, I bake the batter in a jelly roll pan rather than traditional round cake pans. This creates a thinner sheet of cake that can easily be cut into small rounds and stacked.
No mini cake pans necessary!
Easy Mini Strawberry Cakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box Dolly Parton Strawberry Cake Mix
- Eggs called for on package plus 1 additional egg
- Water called for on package (I swap this for milk)
- Melted butter using the same amount as the oil called for on package
- 1 container Dolly Parton Strawberry Frosting
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
- Fresh chamomile or other food-safe edible flowers optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to package directions.
- Prepare the strawberry cake mix according to package directions, adding one additional egg and replacing the oil with an equal amount of melted butter.
- Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with baking spray. Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Because the cake will be much thinner than a traditional layer cake, it will bake more quickly than the time listed on the box. Begin checking the cake around 12 to 15 minutes. It’s finished when the center springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely.
- Spoon the canned strawberry frosting into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whip on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the frosting looks lighter and noticeably fluffier.
- Once completely cooled, carefully remove the cake from the pan.
- Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds as possible from the sheet cake.
- Save those cake scraps! They’re perfect for cake pops, trifles or a little snack while you’re assembling the cakes.
- Thinly slice strawberries for the filling and gently pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Cut additional strawberries in half to decorate the tops of the cakes.
- Place one cake round on your work surface or serving plate.
- Spread a spoonful of whipped strawberry frosting over the cake. Add a few thin slices of fresh strawberry, keeping them slightly away from the outside edge.
- Top with another cake round.
- Repeat if you’d like a three-layer mini cake.
- Finish with a spoonful of frosting on top. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to create a simple swirl.
- There’s no piping bag or decorating tip needed. These are supposed to be easy!
- Finish each mini cake with half of a fresh strawberry.
- For an extra-pretty touch, add a few small chamomile blooms or another food-safe edible flower.
my baking essentials:
My Trick for Making Canned Frosting Better
Here’s another shortcut worth remembering: whip your canned frosting.
Scoop the frosting straight from the container into a stand mixer and whip it for about 3 to 5 minutes.
Whipping incorporates air into the frosting, making it lighter, fluffier and easier to spread. It also gives you more volume to work with.
It’s such an easy trick, but it makes canned frosting feel completely different straight out of the container.
For these cakes, I’m using strawberry frosting to keep the strawberry flavor going throughout each layer.
Add Fresh Strawberries
This is the step that really takes these from boxed cake mix to something special.
Thinly slice fresh strawberries and layer them between the cake and frosting. The fresh berries add flavor and texture and make the inside of the cakes just as pretty as the outside.
Make sure to gently pat your strawberry slices dry before assembling the cakes. Too much moisture can make your layers slide around.
Turn Them Into a Sweet Little Gift
One of my favorite things about these cakes is how easy they are to turn into individual gifts.
Place each finished cake inside a small individual cake box. Add a ribbon, sticker or little gift tag and suddenly a boxed cake mix has become the cutest homemade gift.
They’d be darling for:
And no one needs to know how easy they were to make.
A Few Tips Before You Start
Don’t overbake the cake. Because we’re using a jelly roll pan, the cake layer is thin and will bake quickly. Start checking early.
Cool before cutting. Warm cake will crumble when you try to cut the rounds.
Whip the frosting. Don’t skip this step! It takes just a few minutes and makes canned frosting much lighter and easier to work with.
Dry your strawberries. After slicing, gently blot them with a paper towel before adding them between the layers.
Keep the decorating simple. A swoop of frosting, half a strawberry and a tiny flower are all these cakes need.
Pretty Cakes Don’t Have to Be Complicated
I spent years decorating cakes and cookies professionally, but I still love finding simple ways to make something ordinary feel special.
You don’t need homemade buttercream, a piping bag or hours in the kitchen to make a beautiful cake. Sometimes it’s as simple as starting with a boxed mix, adding fresh fruit and knowing a couple of easy tricks.
These mini strawberry cakes are proof that easy can still be really pretty.
And if you’d like to try the more decorated version that inspired these, check out my original Mini Flower Cakes tutorial!
If you make this, let me know how you like it!
This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I actually use and love!
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