When I freeze strawberries: I add 1/2 c sugar to 1 qt (approx 1 lb) sliced strawberries, stir and let it sit until the sugar is dissolved, then package and freeze. To accomplish the equivalent with frozen/unsweetened strawberries, I'd partially thaw the berries (defrost setting on microwave), then add the appropriate amount of sugar and stir occasionally until sugar is mostly dissolved -- then puree per the instructions and continue from there.

Can you post the recipe? If it already has sugar, it may be fine w/ unsweetened fruit. I find many recipes like that overly sweet anyway. Thinking it should be juicy enough when thawed. If in doubt, thinking you could simply add a tablespoon or 2 of sugar to the fruit when pureeing...

Party, that sounds like a good idea. I've made my own before from fresh but not for a cake.

Carol, here's the ingredients in the cake:

1 box white cake mix

1 box strawberry gelatin

15oz. package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

4 large eggs

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. water

Mix all and bake.

i think you'll have plenty of liquid by just pureeing the strawberries and certainly plenty of sugar... add a tiny bit more water if the batter seems way too thick. (i have never seen frozen strawberries labeled as being 'in syrup')

i have never seen frozen strawberries labeled as being 'in syrup'

Me neither, nor any other fruit, and I don't even see how that's possible. I suspect that's some kind of error in the recipe.

This is a very old recipe. I remember making it back in the 80s, when they did sell frozen berries in syrup. I think syrup brings out the flavor of frozen fruit.

I think you'd be fine just pureeing the fruit, but I'd add a little of the strawberry sauce to intensify the flavor, maybe 1/4 cup. Your recipe has an extra egg than a regular white cake mix, so that will provide some liquid. You might get a lot of juice off the pureed fruit too.

Frozen strawberries used to come in a can (paper sides, I think, metal ends) with syrup. I don't recall seeing them that way in years.

I would defrost lightly and toss with a little sugar. The sugar helps get the juices flowing.

We often have waffles or pancakes with strawberries and I add maybe 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to the berries because I want lots of juice.

They used to come in a little box, like spinach and other frozen veggies.

Frozen strawberries used to come in a can (paper sides, I think, metal ends) with syrup. I don't recall seeing them that way in years.

Ah, like frozen OJ. No, I never saw that, but thanks for the explanation.

Mayflowers, that's right, it did come in a little box. It was handy for strawberry short cake if someone didn't have time to hull strawberries.

I'm going to add a bit of sugar and let them sit, and add more sugar if needed.

We have vanilla ice cream so the sauce should be good on that. Yum!

Frozen strawberries used to come in a can (paper sides, I think, metal ends) with syrup.

I remember those back in the 60s.

I'm going to add a bit of sugar and let them sit, and add more sugar if needed.

That'll work.

I think there's enough sugar in the cake mix and in the gelatin. I'd be more concerned about the liquid.

I don't remember it in a can. Are you sure you aren't thinking of strawberry daiquiri mix in the cans?

Mayflowers, I'm going to get them good and gooey, and drain the excess liquid.

The strawberries I remember were in a short, rectangled, heavy cardboard container.

i wouldn't drain them unless the recipe says to!

add sugar if you want your cake even sweeter than it would be with the cake mix, fruit and jello (already plenty sweet without i would think! esp if served with icecream) but i think the question is how much liquid was included in the syrup and strawberries packages- i wouldn't drain the strawberries when thawed...

Strawberry Cake

Oakley - this sounds like your recipe. I made this cake a few weeks ago and could not find frozen strawberries in syrup. I added some sugar while they were thawing to make a syrup (can't remember how much). The cake turned out awesome.

Tuesday, that recipe must have made the FB rounds as I remember seeing it lately. I have a very similar recipe but have always used fresh strawberries. I don't add sugar to the berries. The best part to me is the strawberry cream cheese icing! YUM! If my brother liked strawberries, I would consider this for Easter.

The cake is garnished with fresh strawberries. Now the best type of strawberry cake has sliced bananas and strawberries sitting on top, & between the layers.

I found the same recipe of Paula's, and the second one calls for 10oz. of pureed strawberries in the batter, while the recipe I have calls for 15 oz.

The frosting is only 1/4 c., which is noted in the directions. Glad I caught that!

I'm going to do the 10oz instead of 15oz.

Tuesday, did you measure your puree before you added it to the cake?

I can tell already the cake will be heavy, which is my favorite. I make a to-die for Red Velvet cake that has chocolate pudding in the recipe and the texture is perfect. The recipe was given to me by an elderly farm wife, so I knew it would be good before I made it. lol

CindyMac, thank you!

Tuesday, it is! I just noticed the recipe was linked to Paula's page. Speaking of Paula, I think her punishment is enough, it's time to put her back on TV, butter and all. :)

We used to make a sheet cake and serve it with whipped cream. It wasn't a heavy cake.

I suspect that there wasn't a lot of added water in strawberries in syrup. As anyone who has added sugar to strawberries knows, adding sugar to plain fruit pulls the water out of the strawberries. The strawberries get squishy and a syrup forms. Pureeing should effectively pull the water out of the strawberries, if you don't want to add any more sugar. Cooking them or freezing them will also break down the cell walls and pull out the water. But I don't actually think you would need to add water beyond what comes out of the berries themselves.

The cake was excellent! I drained some of the syrup before I pureed the strawberries and measured the exact ounces called for in the recipe.

The cake was so heavy, and IMO, that's the best kind there is.