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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. Barbara

    Allison,
    Am I able to make the frosting ahead of time? Doesn’t look like the cake should be made ahead.

    Reply

    • Allison

      You can make the frosting several hours ahead of time. I wouldn’t recommend much more than that, because it is a whipped cream frosting it will deflate over time.

      Reply

  2. Caroline

    5 stars
    Made this for Easter for boyfriends family! Such a hit! They were all super impressed!! 5 stars for for style and tase! Little tip: don’t be too stingy with the whipped cream! I was nervous I was putting too much and I definitely should’ve done more! Follow the directions EXACTLY and it will be amazing! Will 100000% make again

    Reply

    • Allison

      Thanks for the kind review. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

      • Suzy

        Im making this right now but I only have 3 9 inch cake pans, no 8 inch pans. Can I use the same instructions?

      • Allison

        If you’re using 9-inch pans just make two layers instead of three.

  3. Marcia

    Do you need a total of 1/2 cup of whipping cream or 2 1/4 cups total to make the whipped cream icing? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Allison

      2 and 1/4 cups cream.

      Reply

    • Desiree

      I used three 9 inch pans. Are the cakes supposed to feel heavy/dense or light and fluffy?? 😫

      Reply

      • Allison

        Hi, Desiree. The cakes are light and spongy but sturdy enough to hold the strawberries and frosting. I would not have recommended three 9-inch pans. As mentioned in the notes, three 8-inch pans produce thin cake layers, so I would imagine that three 9-inch pans would have the batter spread very thin.

  4. Luke

    Can the stabilized version of the whipped cream frosting be done with anything other than cream cheese? I can’t stand any kind of frosting with cream cheese in it. I’m always told I can’t taste it but I always end up able to. Even when not told before hand. Thank you.

    Reply

  5. Nancy C

    3 stars
    The whipping cream never whipped for some reason and my frosting was a gloppy soup. I had to substitute canned whipped cream which deflated. But still, everyone loved it! It went fast and I got lots of compliments on it!

    Reply

    • Allison

      Was your whipping cream chilled? Did you use an electric mixer?

      Reply

      • Katie

        can I put sugar on my strawberries instead of jam?

      • Allison

        Sure!

  6. Jessica

    Hello! I will make this dessert for a family dinner tomorrow.
    1. Can I make the cake in advance and do everything else tomorrow?
    2. What is best substitute for sour cream? I have Greek Yogurt and Buttermilk.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Allison

      Hi, Jessica. Sorry I didn’t get to your comment sooner. Yes, you can make the cake in advance. I would use yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

      Reply

      • Karen

        The presentation was awesome. I made 3 layers. The taste incredible! Everyone raved! Personally, I wished I hadn’t chopped the strawberries for the top. Whole strawberries nicely arranged is prettier, I think. I’m making it again for my adult daughter’s birthday today?

      • Allison

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

  7. Bekah

    Hi! I want to make this for a birthday. Do you think I could make the cake layers ahead of time and freeze them? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Allison

      That should be ok. I find the cake layers to be a little sticky so my only concern would be that they might stick to whatever you wrap them in. Maybe freeze them to firm them up, then wrap tightly. Unwrap them before thawing. Enjoy!

      Reply

      • Bekah

        Thank you!!

  8. Flaviana

    5 stars
    This is the absolute best strawberry shortcake recipe I’ve ever tried! I’ve made it multiple times since past year and it’s a definite crowd pleaser!! I have a question… if I wanted to make this into a half sheet cake? Will I double this recipe and use three 9×13? I’m unsure how it would work and wanted to make sure it would work out.

    Reply

    • Allison

      Hi! So, the cake portion as written can be baked in a 9×13 and it will be the thickness pictured in this recipe. If you double it and make it in THREE pans it will thinner, which will probably be better for stacking. I can’t guarantee that it will work because I’ve never tried it, but my guess is that it should. Enjoy!

      Reply

  9. Shelia Lund

    yummy.

    Reply

  10. Eliza Baxter

    Hi! Do you think it would be possible to make this into a sheet cake?

    Reply