Celebrating Sweets
menu icon
subscribe
search icon
×

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Published: · Modified: by · 770 Comments

Jump to Recipe

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
Print Pin Save
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.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
«
»

Reader Interactions

4.87 from 369 votes (188 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Claire Hovis

    The cake is much denser than I anticipated. My baking soda is old, (out of date from 2014 – eek, but it still bubbles when put in hot water) could that have impacted it?

    Such a fantastic flavor though!!!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Claire. This recipe calls for baking powder, not soda, so maybe that was part of the problem? Yes, using an expired leavener could have resulted in a cake that wasn’t as light and tender. If it doesn’t get the proper chemical reaction, it won’t be as fluffy.

      Also, step #4 (beating the eggs and sugar), has to be done for a long enough time to incorporate air into the cake. If you didn’t beat until doubled in volume, that could have been a reason that the cake wasn’t as fluffy, too.

      Lastly, you did use CAKE flour, right? All purpose flour will definitely result in a more dense cake.

      I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  2. Kate

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it yesterday for my son’s first birthday party as he is a huge strawberry fan! I did four layers and didn’t use strawberry jam as the local strawberries are plenty juicy with loads of sweet flavor. It came out so delicious. Everyone loved it so I needed to give thanks for this amazing recipe!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Fantastic, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Happy belated b-day to your little one. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂 -Allison

      Reply

  3. diana

    i plan on making this cake this week! i am wondering though does the whip cream have a noticable cream cheesey taste ?

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Diana. I don’t think it does. It is nothing like a traditional cream cheese frosting which has a noticeable tang. You are welcome to leave it out and have a regular whipped cream topping, but I really like the stability that the bit of cream cheese adds. Enjoy!

      Reply

  4. Lisa Hopkins

    5 stars
    We made this cake last weekend for a work birthday function, and it just may be the best cake I’ve ever eaten. My daughter loved it so much that she may make a slightly modified version as her wedding cake! (Modifications: lemon instead of almond extract, more layers, less cream cheese?) I did think the icing had a cream cheese flavor–we doubled the amount of almond extract, and that helped. I loved it. The cake was light. The strawberries lightly flavored and moistened the cake layers. The icing was light and heavenly. The cream cheese did add stability, and the slight tang was a nice contrast to the sweet strawberries. Truly, a remarkable cake.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

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

      Reply

  5. Mallory

    Hi I wanted to make the cake but I have 9 in cake pans what all would change with a inch wider pan?

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi! I would suggest just using two 9-inch pans. The layers will be a bit thicker than those in the photo, but I think they’ll be way too thin if you try to stretch the batter between three pans. Enjoy!

      Reply

  6. Hannah

    5 stars
    This cake turned out phenomenal! Me and a friend are EXTREMELY amateur bakers, but this recipe was almost impossible to mess up. It was easy to follow, tastes amazing, and looked absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing such an awesome recipe!!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

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

      Reply

  7. Julia

    If I wanted to make this a tiered cake with a 10 inch on the bottom and 6 inch on the top, with all layers even heights what would you change if anything? 🙂 Thank you xx

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Julia. Are you just doing one 10-inch and one 6-inch? I would guess that you might have enough batter for one-10 and two-6’s. The bake time might be a little less on the 6-inch pans, just keep a close eye on them. I have only ever made this recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure. Enjoy!

      Reply

  8. Cheryl

    I made this today and the ‘frosting’ was not suitable for he sides of the cake. It was ok for the middle (although did want to squish out the sides) and the top, but was far too soupy for the sides and dripped off. Cake tastes great though.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Cheryl. Thanks for sharing your experience. The frosting might have needed a to go into the fridge a bit to firm up, and then get whipped again. Since it has so much whipped cream in it, it will lose volume fairly quickly, especially if your kitchen is slightly warm. I’m glad you still enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  9. Cheryl

    1 star
    This was a big disappointment and I can’t recommend it. I made this twice, for 2 graduation parties on the same day. I didn’t double the recipe, I made it twice and followed the recipe to the letter. The whipped cream cheese frosting was very good, but the cake was really poor. It was a little embarrassing, actually. I would substitute the white chocolate cake recipe from The Cake Bible and bake it in 3 pans or a basic sponge cake recipe from a reliable cookbook if I ever made this again.

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Hi, Cheryl. I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve never had any trouble with this cake. Was it dry? Too thin? Any ingredient substitutions (all purpose flour for cake flour or jumbo eggs for large eggs) could definitely affect the outcome. Also, the step of beating the sugar and eggs until doubled in volume is critical for light and fluffy texture. If that step is shortened it will affect the outcome. Sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  10. Ashley

    5 stars
    This is absolutely the best cake recipe I Have tried and I am only 17 years old and every one really enjoyed it!! Thank you soo soo much for sharing this recipe!!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂 -Allison

      Reply