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Strawberry Shortcake Cake

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A tender vanilla cake filled with layers of whipped cream frosting and juicy strawberries. The classic flavors of strawberry shortcake in a layer cake.

Three layer strawberry cake.What tastes like a strawberry shortcake, looks like a beautiful layer cake, and is sure to impress anyone and everyone you serve it to?

Answer: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE!

If you’ve been around these parts for a while you know that I absolutely love baking with strawberries (I kinda like drinking ’em, too). During spring and summer, there are always strawberries in our kitchen. They are my favorite fruit to bake with, and they go well in so many recipes. Try these, too:

Three layer Strawberry Shortcake Cake on a white plate.

I’ve had a Strawberry Shortcake Cake on my summer “to-bake” list for years. My goal was to come up with a cake that had all the flavors of strawberry shortcake stacked high in a gorgeous layer cake.

My main criteria were that the recipe needed to be fairly easy, completely from scratch, and it needed to taste AMAZING (duh). I fully expected to have to play around with this recipe multiple times until I got it right, but, somehow this came out perfect – just the way I wanted it – on the first try.

Bowl of whipped cream with layers of cake and strawberries in the background.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

  • Vanilla Cake: I made three layers of a fluffy vanilla cake. The cake layers are light, yet sturdy enough to hold our filling and topping. If you’d prefer a two layer cake, you can bake the cake in two pans, rather than three. Your layers will be slightly thicker than mine.
  • Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting: Strawberry shortcake has to have whipped cream (and not the kind in a can or that questionable whipped topping in a tub). This is the real deal – freshly whipped cream, lightly sweetened with powdered sugar, and flavored with a touch of vanilla. In order to keep our whipped cream firm, I also add cream cheese to it. This stabilizes the cream and helps it hold its shape. You will have enough frosting to frost the sides of your layer cake, if you desire. I like the rustic look of leaving the sides exposed.
  • Strawberries: Find the best strawberries you can and toss them with some strawberry jam (this makes them glossy and sweet). Strawberries go in between our cake layers, as well as on top of the cake. You can decorate the top of the cake however you like: I used a combination of diced strawberries and whole strawberries. I used thinly sliced strawberries for layering in between the cake (see below).

Sliced strawberries and whipped cream on vanilla cake.

What I love about this cake is its versatility. It’s pretty enough to be served at a dinner party, yet casual enough to be part of a summer BBQ. If you know someone with a summer birthday, this cake would be extra pretty studded with candles and served to your loved ones. However/whenever you choose to make it – just make it! Grab those beautiful summer strawberries before they are gone.

Strawberry Layer Cake topped with strawberries.

Slice of Strawberry Shortcake Cake

**RECIPE UPDATED AUGUST 2020 – After receiving mixed reviews on the cake itself I have changed the cake portion of this recipe. Originally I used a “hot milk sponge cake”, which is a bit fussy. I have updated the recipe with a more traditional (almost foolproof) vanilla cake. If you’d prefer the previous recipe you can access that here.

Recipe

Three layers of cake filled with whipped cream and strawberries on a glass plate.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Vanilla cake filled with layers of whipped cream frosting and juicy strawberries. The classic flavors of strawberry shortcake in a rustic and elegant layer cake. 
4.87 from 369 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Dessert
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 585kcal
Author: Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2½ cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract , optional, but highly recommended
  • ⅔ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup milk , preferably whole or 2%, room temperature

Filling:

  • 3 cups sliced or diced fresh strawberries , divided
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
  • additional whole strawberries , for garnish, optional

Frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese , softened to cool room temp
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups heavy whipping cream , really cold, straight from the fridge

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (preferred) or a hand mixer, beat sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites, and extracts until combined. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. Add half of the flour mixture, beating until just combined. While still beating, slowly add milk, then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Be careful not to overmix it.
  • Line three 8-inch cake pans** with parchment paper and grease the pans. Evenly divide the batter between the three pans. Tap/gently drop the pans on the countertop a couple times to remove any air bubbles.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If necessary, rotate the pans once during bake time to ensure even browning. Place the pans on a rack to cool completely.

Filling:

  • Combine the strawberries and jam and set aside (these will be used for the filling and topping). Note: I slice the strawberries for the filling (about 2½ cups), and I diced the strawberries for the top of the cake (about ½ cup). You can slice or dice, your choice. You'll need about 3 cups total.

Frosting:

  • Place the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (preferred) or hand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth. While the mixer is still whipping, slowly pour the heavy cream down the side of the bowl. Stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl periodically. Increase the speed to high and continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. It is important that the cream stays cold so that it will thicken properly. If you're using a hand mixer hold the bowl near the top and don't hold the bowl against your body.

Assembly:

  • Place one layer of cake on a platter. Top with one-third of the frosting, then top with about 1¼ cups of strawberries. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. For the third/top of layer of cake, top with remaining whipped cream frosting, then place the remaining strawberries in the center. Decorate the outside with whole strawberries, if desired.

Notes

**CAKE PANS: Using three cake pans produces cake layers that are on the thinner side (my preference for filling and stacking). If you'd prefer the cake layers thicker, or you do not have three 8-inch round cake pans, you can divide the batter between two 8-inch cake pans. Increase the bake time to  22-27 minutes.  
EGGS AND MILK: To quickly bring eggs and milk to room temperature place the four eggs in a bowl of really warm tap water for about 5 minutes. Microwave the milk to take the chill off, about 15 seconds. 
FROSTING: This frosting is stabilized with cream cheese, so it tastes like a cheesecake whipped cream. If you don’t want the flavor of cream cheese you can use 8-oz of mascarpone cheese instead. Just be aware that the frosting will be softer than if you use cream cheese. Alternatively, you can use vanilla buttercream frosting or freshly whipped cream. Note: the homemade whipped cream will not be as stable, so you’ll want to assemble it right before serving.
STORING: This cake is best served the day it is made. After assembly, refrigerate the cake, then bring to cool room temperature before serving. 
MAKE AHEAD: This cake is best the day it is made. If you have to make it ahead, you can prepare the following one day in advance. Note: do not assemble until the day you are serving. Bake and cool the cake layers and wrap in wax paper and plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Prepare the whipped cream frosting and store it in the refrigerator. The frosting may deflate as it sits for an extended time so you might need to re-whip it before assembling. Hold off on tossing the strawberries with jam until you are assembling the cake. Store assembled cake in the refrigerator and bring to cool room temperature before serving. 
RECIPE UPDATED AUGUST 2020 - After receiving mixed reviews on the cake itself I have changed the cake portion of this recipe. Originally I used a "hot milk sponge cake", which is a bit fussy. I have updated the recipe with a more traditional (almost foolproof) vanilla cake. If you'd prefer the previous recipe you can access that here.

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1043IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

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4.87 from 369 votes (188 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Meera

    5 stars
    This strawberry shortcake was just what I was looking and it turned out AMAZING!! Thank you for this recipe. My son wanted it for his 8th birthday and it was just what he had in mind!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply

  2. Julia

    Hi there! Would you recommend adding buttermilk? If so, how much?

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      I’ve only made the recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure. I don’t think the buttermilk is necessary. Enjoy!

      Reply

  3. Marie

    Can I make the cake in 1 cake tin and slice it horizontally into 3 pieces?

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      I would not recommend it. I think the cake will be too thick and it will take too long to bake through.

      Reply

  4. Leah

    1 star
    There was something off about this cake (the sponge itself was not light and fluffy). I agree with the review that said the cream cheese doesn’t quit go with the whipped frosting. I also thought the almond extract was overpowering.

    I am an experienced baker and this cake did not turn out well.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Sorry to hear that. Were you sure to beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until doubled in volume? This steps is key in helping the cake to be fluffy.

      Reply

  5. Christine

    5 stars
    I made this cake for my daughters birthday and received so many compliments. Actually, I need to revise that. I used an Angel Food cake and the filling of this recipe and had so many compliments. I am going to make this recipe using the cake part as well. Thank you for an easy and delicious recipe.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply

  6. Anna

    2 stars
    I whipped the heck out of the eggs and sugar and the texture of the sponge was completely off. Literally like foam rubber. The whipped topping was great but the sponge was inedible.

    I tried this recipe twice and was disappointed.

    I think using four whole eggs is a mistake. Should have tried the recipe using egg whites only.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Anna. I’m sorry to hear that. Did you use cake flour? That helps to create a light texture.

      Reply

      • Anna Kate Hadley

        I did. I love to bake from scratch so I always have it on hand.

        Perhaps the climate was a factor. It’s been pretty hot and humid.

  7. Meghan ONeill

    Hi! Can you use regular flour? I just checked three stores and can’t find cake flour ??

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Meghan. If you can’t find cake flour I would recommend using this cake recipe instead. Divide it between three 8-inch cake pans and bake for around 20 minutes (until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Proceed with the frosting and strawberries from the shortcake recipe. Enjoy!

      Reply

      • Meghan

        Came out great, thanks!!!

      • Celebrating Sweets

        I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  8. Risa

    I made this recently and it turned out amazing. Thinking about making this recipe again but cupcakes instead. Then put some whipped cream and strawberry filling in the center as well as on top. Do you think it would work?

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’m not sure how this cake recipe would do as cupcakes. I would recommend using this cake recipe and the frosting and strawberries from the shortcake cake. Enjoy!

      Reply

  9. Amineh Younes

    The cream cheese + cream would not whip after 45mins on the high setting. Next time, it might be more efficient to whip the cream separately from the cream cheese mixture and combine them after.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Sorry to hear that you had trouble. I have not heard that complaint before. I avoid whipping the cream separately because there is a chance that the cream can get overwhipped if it is whipped on its own first, then whipped/beaten again to add to the cream cheese. Thanks for sharing your experience.

      Reply

  10. Anna Palazola

    5 stars
    My son wanted a strawberry shortcake for his birthday, let me tell you this one delivered! I made 1 and 1/2 recipe, so instead of 2 cups of flour I used 3 so on and so forth. Made in three pans, used only two but half them, it worked out beautifully. Since one of my kids is allergic to strawberries on cake number 3 I used Nutella in the middle and vanilla frosting on top, oh my gosh, devine! This is my go to cake from now on, so good. I did not use almond extract, because I forgot, it was just fine. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply