How should you add strawberries to a cake mix?

You could definitely add them in bits or purée but I've found that bits of fruit in cake bring mold much more quickly than puree. That said, purée can change the function of the ingredient you're replacing the purée for. read more

If you puree them, just be aware that you are adding a lot of extra water to the mix, so the bake time may have to be increased. Also that extra water will also increase the gluten that is formed, so do not over mix, or the cake will be tougher. read more

Because the fruit has a greater mass than individual bits of batter, and because the batter is quite moist, pieces of fruit have a tendency to sink to the bottom if you just throw them in. In order to put fresh fruit in your cake batter, you need to prepare the fruit first. Think of it like putting on a bathing suit before you go to a pool. read more