My Strawberry Cake recipe starts with a rich, moist vanilla pound cake is divided into three layers, and slathered with the most light and fluffy whipped cream and cream cheese frosting, overflowing with fresh strawberries. It’s a light yet filling treat that’s perfect for summer. It’s the best Strawberry Cake you’ve ever had!
Out of the blue the other day, my son said to me from the backseat of our truck, “Mom, I want us to bake a cake.” Never one to shy away from baked goods, I replied, “Sure, what kind of cake do you want to make?” “A fancy one. You, know the one with lots of levels that looks like a triangle?” If you’re as confused as I was, let me clarify. It took me until the next day to figure out that he was talking about a tiered cake – like a wedding cake – with eight layers (at least that’s how many he thought it should have).
MY LATEST VIDEOSObviously I wasn’t about to run to the store and pick up a bunch of cake tiers, so I started showing him photos of cakes on Pinterest. As I scrolled, he hemmed and hawed, but was so excited when he saw a strawberry cake from the blog, Spiced. It looked gorgeous, so I was almost as excited as he was to test out the recipe.
How I Made My Strawberry Cake:
The cake is dense, almost like a shortcake or pound cake, which is of course perfect for this Strawberry Shortcake type dessert. In his recipe, the author gives instructions for making a two layer cake, but if this cake was going to be fancy enough to satisfy my boy, it had to have three layers. I increased the recipe by 1.5, and made a couple of minor adjustments, which I’ll share in the recipe below.
The frosting, oh Lordy the fresh strawberry frosting was positively glorious! With fresh, homemade whipped cream, a little sugar and tons of fresh strawberries, it’s light and fresh and creamy, and the perfect way to balance out the heaviness of the cake.
Topped with fresh strawberry slices, this Strawberry Cake is the perfect springtime dessert.
For more delicious cake recipes, try these:
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut Whipped Cream
- Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling
And for more strawberry recipes, try these:
Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this Strawberry Cake!
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 1/2 cups cake flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs + 1 egg white
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange extract (optional)
- 3/4 cup + 6 tablespoons milk
Strawberry Frosting
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 pints strawberries, finely chopped (= about 2 cups chopped strawberries)
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 3 round cake pans by spraying liberally with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and mix well until combined.
- Stir in sour cream, vanilla and optional orange extract, and mix well until combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add half of the flour mixture. Stir until fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl again and stir in the milk.
- Add the remaining flour, and stir until the flour is fully incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it one last stir.
- Divide the batter into 3 prepared, round baking pans.
- Bake in 325 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Cakes are done when tops spring back with a light touch, or a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before turning over onto a plate or baking rack.
Frosting
- In your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand held mixer) beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside, preferably in the fridge. (If you have two bowls for your stand mixer, leave it in the bowl, if not, transfer to another bowl before placing in the fridge).
- Fit the paddle attachment on your mixer and beat cream cheese on high until light and fluffy, scraping the sides a couple of times. Add the vanilla and sugar and beat on medium until fully incorporated.
- Stir in chopped strawberries on low speed. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula until well combined.
Assembly
- Place the first cake layer on your serving platter and frost just the top with the strawberry frosting (about 1/2" or so thick). Repeat with the next two layers, then frost the sides with an offset spatula (the long and skinny kind). Smooth top and sides until even, then top with sliced strawberries for garnish, if desired.
This cake is amazing!!!
Can you tell me if you used 2% milk or whole milk?
I almost always use nonfat milk because that’s what we drink. Any milk will work though.
When do you put the milk the battle
It’s in step 5. 🙂
2%
Do the round cake pans need to be lined in the bottom? If so, what do you use? First time bake!
That’s a personal preference. Grease them or line them in whatever way works best for you.
This is so good
How could one use this for gluten free, without using cake flour? Or, to make own cake flour with G/Fflour?
Could I make it in a 13×9 pan instead?
I 13×9 would typically be the same as a 2-layer cake, so no I don’t think that would work.
I hare strawberry but this looks bomb
I ment by hate
can you use AP flour instead of cake flour
No, cake flour has different properties.
Where can i find cake flour and does it cost the same as all purpose flour
As I was baking this strawberry cake today,I noticed it calls for milk but never tells when to put it in.I was just curious if anyone else noticed it.
It’s in step 5. 🙂
Another creations, love Strawberries perhaps not bad put slice strawberries in between the layers. I sure do try it.
Hey, Just made this cake for my Fiance for her birthday. The only trouble I had was figuring out what size cake pans. Found it in the comments, but might be useful in the instructions. I made it a 2 tier cake using an 8 and 9″ spring form pans. It looks awesome, and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for posting! I’ll post a review after she gets to try it. 🙂
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
You can beat by hand, but get your muscles ready! If you have a hand mixer that would work fine.
What size cake pans? I didn’t see that.
You can use 8″ or 9″. Mine were 9″.
Thank you for sharing this cake, i made it for my oldest son for his birthday today.
Can you use boxed cake mix?
Sure, it would only make two layers, though, and a boxed mix isn’t nearly as dense as this cake recipe. It just won’t hold up as well.
Will this vanilla cake w strawberry whipped cream icing freeze well?
I haven’t tried freezing it, but we do keep it refrigerated and it is great.
I cut entire recipe in half; Used combination of half Sour Cream/half Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt; Substituted Banana Extract for the Orange Extract and Used 1/3 Vanilla, 2/3s Banana;Substituted Unsweetened Coconut Milk for Cow’s Milk. Preparing as Oversized Cupcakes (#6) and cutting into 2 layers for the icing. Will post pic when cooled & iced…
Would love to see how these came out!
Looks awesome. am going to make this
Looks absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to make it
There is gluten free flour
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it.
Hi can I make it a day earlier and refrigerate… will it taste fresh
One day would be fine. Just keep it refrigerated.
I’m going to try this hope it turns out like yours.l’ll let you know.It looks so good
The recipe for the cake batter…is that enough for all 3 round cakes
Yes, it’s just the right amount
Can you use regular four or does it have to be cake flour?
Cake flour has different properties than all-purpose flour. However you can probably find a quick and easy method online to make your own.
Does this frosting get runny ?
If it sits out for too long it will soften quite a bit.
This looks delish!
Can this be made as a sheet cake? If so, will it take as many strawberry in the icing as the layered cake?
I haven’t made this as a sheet cake, so I can’t say how much the ingredients would vary. Sorry.
Is the texture like a sponge cake? Is it dry at all? I have the worst luck with home made cakes being dry and I want a nice moist cake for my daughters birthday next week. This looks perfect.. thanks in advance. 😊
It’s not dry, but it is dense.
Can”t wait to make this cake. It looks so good.
I have problems with strawberries running even in refrigerator. How do you keep from doing this in your recipe?
This cake is meant to be enjoyed with a couple of days. It’s fine for a few hours if left out, but yes, because of the juices the strawberries do run a bit, especially the garnish. In the frosting however you really can’t tell until the second day. And it doesn’t ruin the cake at all.
Can you cut the sugar in the cake portion to 1 cup without compromising consistency? This cake looks outstanding!
I think you probably could, but the cake as it is isn’t super sweet.
Can baking sugar be used instead of regular sugar?
what size pan did you use- 8” or 9”? i didn’t see it anywhere in the recipe
9-inch pans
I’m making this for Easter Sunday dessert..my sister is an awesome Baker if cookies as a side job. I’m a good Baker too haven’t made a cake from scratch in many years. I’m sure it will taste awesome. Thanks fir the recipe.
Just curious the recipe calls for 3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons of milk. This is equal to 1 cup and 2 tablespoons. I was wondering if I missed in the recipe that it was written that way because it is added in different steps. Thanks
Just made strawberry cake for Easter. We’ll see Toni
What is the recipe for a 2 layer cake?
I have no clue how you did it. You cake looks amazing. I love to bake and the two times I have tried this the cake comes out more like a shortcake rather than a fluffy cake that is pictured. Did I do something wrong? Also, it collapses on me….this cake is not travel friendly haha maybe I am not meant to make this cake
It’s not very travel friendly, unless maybe you freeze it. The cake is definitely very dense and not like a traditional cake. More like a shortcake like I talked about in the post.
Do you have refrigerator the cake if not frost yet?
I made this and I was very disappointed 😞 too dense but the frosting was the bomb!
I am a baker too. Love & enjoy it. I have a few regulars I bake for. My life dream was to own my own bakery. This year for my birthday I am going to make this strawberry cake for myself. Glass plater presentation