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Fresh Strawberry Cake has layer of rich vanilla cake with strawberries and cream frosting in between. Perfect for birthdays and parties or just a fancy summer dessert treat.
Strawberries are the epitome of spring and summer desserts. Just take a look at our Berry Parfait with Lemon Whipped Cream and Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Both are loaded with berries just like this cake.
Table of Contents
Fancy Strawberry Cake
This Fresh Strawberry Cake recipe starts with a rich, moist vanilla cake that is divided into three layers, and slathered with the most light and fluffy whipped cream and cream cheese frosting, and it’s 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!
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cake
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
The vanilla cake is dense, almost like a pound cake but fluffier, which is of course perfect for this Strawberry Shortcake type dessert. In the original recipe I found, there were instructions for making a two layer cake, but if this homemade strawberry cake was going to be fancy enough to satisfy my boy, it had to have three layers. I increased the recipe and made a couple of adjustments, which I’ll share in the recipe below.
- Prep. Always, always preheat your oven for even cooking. Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 3, 9-inch round baking pans.
- Mix. Combine all of the ingredients as described in the recipe, dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. I use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Make sure to carefully follow the measurements.
- Pour. Divide the batter into the three pans. Having a kitchen scale would come in handy here, but you can also just eyeball it. Tap the pans on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. This will result in a flatter top for your cake layers.
- Bake. Slide the pans into the oven and bake for about 35 minutes. The tops should be golden and should spring back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake layers in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How to Frost a Fresh Strawberry Cake
The fresh strawberry frosting was positively glorious! With fresh, homemade whipped cream, a little sugar (I use granulated but you can also use powdered 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. Whipping in some cream cheese helps to stabilize the frosting and keep it from melting too quickly.
Topped with fresh strawberry slices, this Fresh Strawberry Cake is the perfect springtime dessert. It’s got fresh strawberries for real strawberry flavor and a creamy smooth texture.
- Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat whipped cream until stiff peaks form. This will take several misnutes at high speed, but is crucial to stabilizing the frosting. *TIP – chill the metal bowl and whisk in the freezer for 20 minutes to help keep the whipped cream cold. Set the whipped cream in the refrigerator while you whip the cream cheese.
- Beat the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla for several minutes. It should be super creamy and fluffy.
- Add chopped strawberries to the cream cheese, then fold in the chilled whipped cream.
- Make sure your cake is completely cooled before adding the frosting.
FAQs
Yes, you can, keeping in mine that the recipe is for a 3 layer cake so it will make a lot of cupcakes. You can use the slider in the recipe card to change the serving from 12 to 8 to easily cut the recipe by a third if you like. As is, it will make around 36 cupcakes.
As with the cupcakes, you’d have batter left over using the recipe as is. If you use the slider to go from 12 to 8 servings, this will reduce the recipe and make it doable for a baking dish instead of 3 layers.
I recommend using cake flour for this fresh strawberry cake. It will give a lighter, fluffier texture.
No, frozen berries have a lot of liquid and won’t hold up well in the frosting. I recommend using fresh.
You can make just the vanilla cake up to 2 days in advance. Cool, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to frost. I suggest preparing the frosting no more than a couple of hours in advance. If you must make the frosting in advance, you can do so but don’t add the strawberries until just before icing the cake.
This Strawberry Cake should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The whipped cream strawberry frosting will melt if left out for too long. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, then right back in the fridge after slicing and serving. You can lightly cover it with plastic wrap to keep it moist.
Before you add your chopped berries to the frosting or to garnish the cake, wash them in a water and vinegar solution and dry them really well.
Also, I recommend making the frosting no more than 1-2 hours in advance of serving or the berries will begin to weep and melt the icing. Keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve, and don’t garnish until just before serving.
If you are short on time and just want the frosting, you can use a cake mix instead. Keep in mind that mixes tend to be softer and may not hold up as well against the frosting.
Pro Tips
- For best results, keep refrigerated until ready to serve, then place back in the fridge immediately after slicing.
- To give your cake a pink hue to match the frosting, add a few drops of red food coloring.
- To frost the cake, use an offset spatula to smooth it around out.
- Make sure to very gently fold in the whipped cream, or use Cool Whip instead. If your frosting is runny, it’s most often because the whipped cream was not stiff enough to begin with, or was overstirred. You can try to save it by adding some Cool Whip
More Delicious Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut Whipped Cream
- Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling
- Strawberry Lemonade Ice Box Cake
- Mississippi Mud Cake
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 1/2 cups cake flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon 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
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened brick style, full fat
- 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, 9-inch 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). *NOTE – use a chilled bowl and paddle to help keep the cream cool.
- 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.
Notes
- This cake should be refrigerated until ready to serve. The frosting should be prepared no more than 2 hours in advance. and then refrigerated.
- Make sure to very gently fold in the whipped cream, or use Cool Whip instead. If your frosting is runny, it’s most often because the whipped cream was not stiff enough to begin with, or was overstirred. You can try to save it by adding some Cool Whip.
- You can make this recipe into cupcakes. It will make 36-40 as is. If you only need 24 cupcakes, slide the servings slider to 8 servings and use those measurements. Bake time will vary, but should take approx. 20 minutes.
- For a 9×13-inch baking dish, slide the servings slider to 8 servings and use those measurements. Bake for approx. 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated in 2021 to include tips, notes and answers to frequently asked questions.
I am preparing to make this but only have 2 – 9 inch pans. How can I adjust for just tow layers?
Reduce the amounts by 1/3. Use the sliding scale where it says serving size and change that to 8. That should give you the right measurements. Keep in mind that this was created as a 3-layer cake so it may not turn out how you want if you alter the amounts.
This cake is one of my all time favourites. Easy to make and delicious. My kids love it!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Kess.
This is the best cake ever – especially for a special occ asion! However, if I wanted a larger cake – how would I measure the ingredients ? For instance – if I use 2 – 11 inch cake pans, would I make 1 1/2 x the recipe, and how long do I bake this 11″ cake? Also, if I made 3 – 11″ pans, what would be the proportions and bake time? Thank you so very much! S. Vasilev
Can this cake be Frozen with frosting
The whipped cream frosting doesn’t always thaw well. I’d freeze the cake but make the frosting fresh.
I love the recipe that I see on pinterest and to follow others people recipes
Where do I find the serving size 8 for Fresh Strawberry Cake?
The only reason this recipe gets two stars is for the icing, which was delicious. The cake itself was so dry that you could hardly swallow it. If I ever decide to make it again, I will just buy a box mix and use the icing recipe.
Used your frosting recipe on a strawberry cake and it is very good. My husband does not like overly sweet frostings and this works perfectly. Can leftover frosting be frozen?
Whipped cream doesn’t freeze well – the texture changes drastically and is not very good.
I made this cake last year for my daughters 12th Birthday, it was SOOOOO good it was gone in no time. It’s Birthday time again and true to her words she has requested it again, with instructions to DOUBLE the recipe, lol. I plan on baking the cake AND cupcakes the night before and I would like to know if the frosting will hold up if I made the night before and kept in the fridge.
Nice! Awesome feedback Marla, thanks for stopping by.
I am a baker and couldn’t wait to give this beautiful cake a try. Extremely disappointed is the best term I can use to describe this cake. I followed the recipe to a tee and I found it to be extremely dense. It was not light and fluffy as described. I didn’t even want to share this cake with anyone.
The frosting is described as fluffy. The cake is described as dense like a pound cake but a little fluffier.
An absolutely beautiful cake, today I’m making it for the second time (Valentine’s Day). Lovely texture and colour. Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome Natasha! Love the feedback! Thanks for stopping by
Hi what is 1 8 ounces I’m from Australia could u tell me in grams plz
It’s just 8 ounces of cream cheese. Unfortunately I’m not able to convert entire recipes.
Hello,
If you google it, you’ll be able to find them.
This cake is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!! My family ripped into this for the 4th! Lol! The frosting is particularly INCREDIBLE. Can this be done as a lemon flavored to whipped cream? I’m new to baking so I’m not sure how to calculate the lemon juice or extract measurement properly. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and I’d love to know if you think I could make this whipped topping using lemon flavoring.
Hi – I love hearing this! Yes you could make a lemon whipped cream to combine with the cream cheese. I made some in this post.
Love this cake! I’m not a professional, but everyone thinks I am when I bring/serve this. I always struggle with the whipped frostings like this. I have much work to do! The one thing I do different is add LorAnn Strawberry Bakery Emulsion to the cake batter to color and add strawberry to the cake. I don’t use but a little bit of the orange extract.
Love the feedback Nick! Thank you so much for stopping by.
Can you use all purpose flour instead of cake flour?
You can. The cake flour is just a softer, finer texture but the all-purpose flour will work.
This was a hit! Ten 17 year olds devoured it in a manner of minutes…. not too sweet but just sweet enough… thanks for a great recipe! The cake was a little denser than expected…., more like a short cake… what’s the difference with this and a sponge cake?
this was amazing…10 17 year olds, 6 adults….gone in 60 seconds @
Nice! Thank you so much for stopping by Tracy.
Can stevia sugar be used instead?
I don’t personally use Stevia, but I’ve heard you can use it as a substitution for sugar in just about anything.
I am new to baking with a little experience. This recipe was easy to follow. I so appreciate it. The cake turned out wonderful. It wasn’t dry and had a light butter taste. The icing turned out perfect. I would make this again.
Awesome feedback LaToya! Thanks for stopping by.
The cake looks perfect and fabulous to bake for a special day. Yes, its definitely the best strawberry Cake. Lovely!!
Delicious. Not too sweet. A nice sense cake and fluffy icing!
Awesome feedback Lisa! Thanks for stopping by.
I loved the frosting but the cake wasn’t so good (I did something wrong). It was too hard, not spongy like a pound cake. Not sure why? I let it cool, frosted and put it in fridge right away. I don’t think I over cooked it. I will definitely try to make it again but with two layers.
Can frozen strawberries be used instead of fresh?
Frozen strawberries should not be used – they would have too much liquid and would melt the icing.
Terrific cake. Family loves it and requests it all the time. Can this cake be made the night before.
In trying to save time I use 2 vanilla boxed mix and add 3/4 tsp vanilla to each mix. This works very well. Note: This cake does not travel well!
Hi Valerie, you can make the cake the night before but I recommend making the frosting the day of so the strawberries won’t bleed into the frosting. Frost, then chill in the fridge.
This recipe is delicious! Thank you so much! Do have a question, I made the cake portion and was going to frost it tomorrow, how would you recommend storing the cake over night?
I recommend making the frosting the day of.
I tried your cake ! It tried out fantastic! Great cake
That’s awesome Gale! Thanks for stopping by.
Do you think this wold work with gluten free flour? It sounds delicious and it’s strawberry season!
I haven’t tried it with gluten free flour.
The cake was absolutely amazinggggg omggggg I’m so glad that I found this recipe! However the icing is way too wet/liquidy which caused me to waste a lot of ingredients & I followed the recipe to a T. I made my own icing which came out awesome but please revamp the icing recipe. Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’m sorry you had trouble with the frosting, but it has worked for me several times and for others as well. It’s a whipped cream based frosting which needs to be refrigerated.
Can I use greek yogurt or mascarpone instead of sour cream?
For the cake, greek yogurt would be a sutible substitution for the sour cream.
My sister found tis recipe and made it for my birthday 3 years ago. We have made it many times since then because we love it so much. It turns out perfect every time, even when baked at high altitude.
Awesome feedback Susan! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi , I made this cake yesterday, it is delicious, only thing I noticed it was a little dry, any suggestions?
It is a dense cake, so sometimes that can make it seem dry. Usually the culprit though is overcooking which can happen really easily with cakes because oven temperatures can vary.
Loved your fresh strawberry frosting.
Everyone at my husband and my friends birthday loved it so many compliments.
Nice! Thank you so much for stopping by Christy.
Can this be made in a 9×13 pan??
This is a recipe for 3 9-inch rounds. A 9×13 would only use up 2/3 of the recipe.
Kristin, Thank you for your recipe. You give excellent details not found in the normal recipe. For example in the beginning listing which attachment to use for making the frosting to the last step in what kind of spatula for frosting sides of the cake. For someone like me who has learned everything I know about baking by trail and error, these things are very important.
Thanks and many blessings for you and your family.
Thank you Judy for the kind words. I’m so glad it was helpful to you!
If by chance your frosting turns out to be too liquid to frost the cake, as mine did, I have a suggestion: increase the number of cut up strawberries (we had extra so were able to do that,), cut your cake into chunks, and layer it, the strawberries, and the frosting in a bowl. Chill for a few hours and you will have a delicious trifle. The cake is dense enough to stand up to the frosting without getting soggy.
Great suggestion Nancy!
Hi there,
We just made this cake for my sons 10th birthday. He loves a strawberry cake and so do we! I think we made a mistake somewhere along the recipe though. The cake itself tasted delicious but it was also super heavy and dense. Idk, maybe it’s suppose to be?
The cake is dense, ore like a pound cake. I talked about that in the post. 🙂
This cake is so delicious. I can not figure out what I’m doing wrong with the frosting. I’ve made it three or four times but my frosting is always runny… HELP!!
The strawberries have a lot of moisture. Try laying them out on a paper towel first. Also make sure your bowl and all of the ingredients are nicely chilled. On a warm day this can also be a problem.
Kristin, I don’t usually keep regular milk is far free okay or should I purchase
whole milk? Also, fresh strawberries are hard to find especially good ones, I guess frozen are to waterey?
Hi Pat, You can use any fat milk you have on hand. However I would agree that frozen strawberries would probably be too watery.
I do look forward to trying this although my stand mixer is Me standing and mixing with beaters.
LOL Sharon! I’m sure it will just as tasty. Thanks for stopping by.
HI! I’m excited to try out this recipe – just wondering if it’s possible to change out the cream cheese on the frosting? Just not a big fan of cream cheese frosting!
Hi Serena, you can use any frosting you like. However keep in mind that the strawberries have a lot of juice and can melt the frosting if it’s not stable enough.
I just made this cake, my top layer cracked. My icing seemed to thin which made the layers slide.. I beat my whipping cream till stiff and put in Fridge until I was ready to fold in.. any suggestions.. Now that I had to take the top layer off because of sliding. It taste delicious..
I’m sorry that it didn’t work out for you. Being sumer it’s possible that it was too warm in your kitchen. Buit also if the top layer cracked that could cause the cake to angle a bit which could also cause the sliding.
was wondering, is it 3 cups of heavy cream, then you whip it… Or is it 3 cups of whipped cream
Three cups of heavy whipping cream; you beat that until thick and creamy.
Hi.
This looks amazing and I hate to ask u and ruin your recipe but I’m making so very much so I need to dumb this down, can u tell me how I would do this with a box? For my daughters baptism! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.
Hi Jamie, you can totally use a boxed cake mix! Keep in mind that it won’t be as dense and can fall apart more easily. It will also only make 2 layers, but I don’t think you would want more because it may not hold up to the frosting. Just make the frosting as directed and frost the cake you bake. Even easier would be to make the cake in a 9×13 inch pan and then make half of the frosting recipe. Good luck!
Can I substitute the orange extract for lemon extract? I seriously despise orange. Also can you help me convert this to a 9×13 inch pan recipe?
Absolutely! It’s just a personal preference. You could also just use vanilla.
The cake came out beautiful and was delicious. I wonder if anyone has tried with a different fruit. I love peaches and the are coming in season. Would like to try this recipe with peaches.
I have actually made this with peaches! It’s so yummy and you can get the recipe here: https://www.yellowblissroad.com/vanilla-peach-layer-cake/
Hi, just one question. What size round cake pans did you use for the “Fresh Strawberry Cake”? Thanks much, Annette
I used 9-inch cake pans.
That looks really good .and i love 2 bake alot n find more New things 2 bake tku .n send me more good ones ????
I was wondering if you can substitute blueberries?
I haven’t used blueberries for this recipe. They are pretty watery, so I’d be concerned that they wouldn’t work with the frosting.
Does this cake need refrigeration to keep it good?
Yes due to the whipped cream in the frosting this cake should be refrigerated.
Looks yummy!! Can’t wait to try it!_
what size cake pans 8″ 9″ or 10″
I used 9-inch cake pans.
Been looking for a good strawberry cake recipe , thanks !!!!!!
Can’t wait to make this cake.
What are the measurements for a 2 layer one?
This recipe makes a 3 layer cake. If you want to make a 2 layre you’dd need to adjust the entire recipe.
I need calories pop er slice as nd fats and sugars
MyFitnessPal.com is a great resource for this.
I made this for my mom for Mother’s Day. It was delicious! We all loved it. I was conservative putting the topping in between the layers because I was afraid that I would not have enough for the outside . Next time I’ll put more in between the layers.
Never skimp on the frosting! That’s my rule! 😉
Love! Love! Love! This is a great recipe and easy to make! Super delicious and beautiful!! Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you Tara! you are so welcome.
This was a hit yesterday for some of the May Birthdays in our family. My wife praised it as her favorite cake I have every made!!! I was skeptical about the Orange extracted and no butter or powdered sugar in an icing made with cream cheese. I said to myself I am going to make it exactly as it is written, thinking the icing probably would not stay put wrong it was prefect with great taste. Perfect Perfect Perfect I loved it and learned a new trick.
That is so awesome Joey! Thank you for sharing your positive experience!
Looks delish.I will make this for sure,Ty for sharing.
LOOKS ABSOLUTELY DELISH WILL TRY TO MAKE THIS WEEKEND.
Looks good I planning on making it next week. Thanks!
Love this cake! Only I used a lemon supreme cake mix and used cool whip instead of the homemade whipping cream. I also blotted the finely chopped strawberries to get the moisture out . It came out soooo good. Thank you!
Awesome! Thank you Pamela!
Hello! I made this as a cake and it was yummy! I was wondering if you think I could make this into cupcakes?!
As long as you kept them refrigerated, sure!
I have made this cake several times and it is always a hit, however for me the cake is too dense. I think I am going to try a different cake recipe, one that is moist. The icing is to die for.
Thank you Doug for sharing your honest positive feedback>
Can you substitute powder sugar for the granulated sugar in the frosting???
Yes, but the amounts would be different. I prefer the recipe as written.
I made this cake today and it came out nice I use the box cake mix. I think the frosting will last longer if you use a little can white frosting mix with the homemade frosting cause the can frosting are thick and it hold longer. Will make again in the summertime.
Fresh strawberry cake recipe. are the changes you made in this recipe for the increase in product. I would like to make it with the three layers. will make it for a company dinner. Thank you
You say to use a stand mixer but the illustrations are all using a hand mixer. Will a hand mixer do all the mixing well enough
I think you’re referring to the video in which we do use a hand mixer. My personal preference is a stand mixer because it’s just easier to use. You could use either.
i would be making tor my daughter- in- law Birthday but she dont like cream cheese but Loves Strawberrys and whip cream what would i use instead of cream cheese
You could make an all whipped cream frosting. I would search Google for a whipped cream frosting that it stable – the cream cheese stabilizing the frosting in my recipe – so it doesn’t just melt right off. The strawberries give off so much juice though, I’d worry that it would just slip right off the cake.
First time using cake flour.I might opt to use strawberry extract instead of vanilla extract in the cake batter the next time.the frosting was delicious but I used 2 packs of sour cream instead of 1. I cut the strawberries as fine as I could, looked more like course cut. Dried them on paper towels 3 times to cut excessive moisture. Thanks Kristin for the recipe.
The frosting was an epic fail. It wasn’t thick enough even after chilling to hold its shape. Next time I’ll use powdered sugar instead of regular and more of it.
Sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you, but thanks for sharing your feedback.
Love this cake, I have made it a million times. It’s the only cake my brother wants for his birthday now. I sometimes leave a layer of cake out or cut then so they are thinner.
MMMMMM
I made this cake for a family party, and it was a big hit. I thought it was delicious as well! Adding that touch of orange extract made it sooo good! I almost died when I tasted the batter, ha. I did not have cake flour, so made it with regular. I think it was a little denser then that it’s supposed to be, but no one knew the difference. The overall time it took to make ended up being more than I initially thought, but still I would make it again. It was the best tasting this I’ve ever baked.
I am trying out this cake, and I do not have any heavy cream for the frosting. (I live in a place that has limited items at the store) Is there something that you would recommend I use for a substitute?
ok just saw 35 mins, guess did not read down far enough, tks
you said to bake at 325 but it doesn’t say for how long?? I have one in the oven now, don’t know how soon you can get bac k to me.
Making this cake soon
Will this cake work as a sheet cake? Have you tried this?
I wasn’t thinking it would be tho dense, it’s actually a really good cake. I just wish I read the comments first to see it was dense. I will definitely make a different cake next time but use this frosting. The frosting is amazing!!
It’s a pound cake so it’s supposed to be somewhat dense.
Thanks so much for adding the recipe. I bought the cake mix instead of making it so it didn’t cost as much. It was a great dessert and 35th birthday treat.
I was really looking forward to making and tasting this cake. looks super delicious but unfortunately the cake recipe with epic fail , Superdry nowhere close to edible. The frosting was good but it wasn’t the best I did enjoy the fact it wasn’t super sweet but like the author said it has to be consumed in a timely matter, I would say under 2 days. I did make the mistake of refrigerating the cake day so that didn’t help the dryness ( it made it more dry) . I won’t be trying this recipe again but i do thank the author for sharing with us?
What did I do wrong? Each component tastes delicious… but it is a sloppy mess. The icing is runny and it melts like crazy!
This is the worse cake that I have ever made. I used very expensive eggs and butter. It is too dense. The icing was delicious. Boxed caked mix with added sour cream would have been much better. Sorry for the negative comment, but my family hated it except for the frosting.
Try poking holes in each layer of cake as assembling and drizzle with strawberries slices soaked in sugar (like used for shortcake) or strawberry freezer jam. This will moisten the cake. Don’t get carried away however or cake will fall apart like a sand castle with too much water
That’s a great suggestion!
Sorry what size cake pans?
And does it rise much?
Thinking of turning it into cupcakes…any concerns that it wouldn’t work?
Thanks!
I used this frosting recipe on boxed white cake mix- it’s awesome and everyone loved it. For whatever reason I accidentally put 2 boxes of cream cheese in – my brain just kept thinking 2 – tired mom – but it made it really hold together well. I also spread strawberry jam between the layers so it wouldn’t mush up the cake. Thank you so much for posting this – it’s going to be a summer get together staple!
I think 9” pans would be best. I used 8” and this cake is extremely high. I can’t wait to taste it. Also I feel the whipped topping is kind of wet is that the case?
Oops. I just read that this IS a pound cake lol. I never look at anything except a couple of photos and then the recipe. Sorry about that.
For me, the whole cake from batter to frosting/topping was a bit too heavy. The cake was almost like a pound cake, so for those of you who prefer light chiffon cakes with strawberry, best make a different cake than this one. It is a beautiful cake, though, and tasty, just very heavy.
I am making this cake for our Mothers Day gathering and this will be the 6th one I have made. All of them turned out fantastic. My daughter’s favorite cake is Strawberry and I always made strawberry cake for her birthday she turned me on to this cake and it is the best ever. I could throw away all my other recipes because this is the ultimate strawberry cake.
this is an update to a comment I made earlier. I decided make this recipe once again trying to achieve a lighter version of the cake. Your recipe is similar to the 1-2-3-4 cakes with a few variations so the only thing I changed was to use 3 and one half cups of unsifted flower which after sifting was close to the 4 1/2 cups as in your recipe and the cake was absolutely amazing. Everyone at this party raved and said it was like something you would buy from a high end bakery. Thanks so much for this recipe. It is a keeper!!!
Thanks Missy, for your feedback! We do love the dense cake, but I love that you took it on to create something that you would love as well. Kudos!
I found this recipe a while back and asked my mother in-law to make for my husbands retirement party. She made it following the recipe exactly. While both my husband and I enjoyed the density of the cake, most of the other at the party thought the cake was too dense. The icing is amazing. I would make this recipe once again trying to achieve a lighter version of the cake. Your recipe is similar to the 1-2-3-4 cakes with a few variations so the only thing I changed was to use 3 and one half cups of unsifted flower which after sifting was close to the 4 1/2 cups as in your recipe and the cake was absolutely amazing. Everyone at this party raved and said it was like something you would buy from a high end bakery. Thanks so much for this recipe. It is a keeper!!!
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
I made this and I was very disappointed ? too dense but the frosting was the bomb!
Do you have refrigerator the cake if not frost yet?
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.
What is the recipe for a 2 layer cake?
Just made strawberry cake for Easter. We’ll see Toni
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
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.
what size pan did you use- 8” or 9”? i didn’t see it anywhere in the recipe
9-inch pans
Can baking sugar be used instead of regular sugar?
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.
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”t wait to make this cake. It looks so good.
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 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.
This looks delish!
Does this frosting get runny ?
If it sits out for too long it will soften quite a bit.
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.
The recipe for the cake batter…is that enough for all 3 round cakes
Yes, it’s just the right amount
I’m going to try this hope it turns out like yours.l’ll let you know.It looks so good
Hi can I make it a day earlier and refrigerate… will it taste fresh
One day would be fine. Just keep it refrigerated.
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it.
There is gluten free flour
Looks absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to make it
Looks awesome. am going to make this
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!
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.
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.
Thank you for sharing this cake, i made it for my oldest son for his birthday today.
What size cake pans? I didn’t see that.
You can use 8″ or 9″. Mine were 9″.
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.
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. 🙂
Another creations, love Strawberries perhaps not bad put slice strawberries in between the layers. I sure do try it.
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. 🙂
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
I hare strawberry but this looks bomb
I ment by hate
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.
How could one use this for gluten free, without using cake flour? Or, to make own cake flour with G/Fflour?
This is so good
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.
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%
This cake is amazing!!!
Would this recipe be enough for a 2 layer 10 inch cake?
I found this recipe online and my mother in law made it for my husbands retirement party. My husband and I both loved everything about it but the rest of the folks found the cake to be too dense. My husband and I fell like the density of the cake is what makes it more like a shortcake and is appropriate for this recipe. I’m making this for the hubby’s bday this week and am sure it will not go to waste. Thanks for sharing.
Made the cake and followed the instructions word by word and cake came out extremely dense. Next time I’ll use. Less flour and a buttercream frosting because; Cake was so dense that it crushed soft fluffy whip cream frosting.
Hmm, it IS a dense cake as I talked about in the post. But it’s possible it was stirred too much causing it to become more dense than normal.
The recipe calls for milk but no where in the recipe or video do I see you adding the milk. Getting ready to make this now. Please help.
You can see where to add the milk in step 5. It was unfortunately left out of the video footage, but was still added to the recipe.
Tried to print it but it won’t print the recipe .Could you send it to my E-mail
Considering the ingredients, it’s a shame that the cake came out so dense and dry. The frosting was good though.
Hey there, I am baking this cake two days in advance of a birthday. Do you recommend leaving the cake in the fridge, or freezing it and letting it thaw a couple hours before it is eaten? Thank you!
Definitely leave it in the fridge. I would suggest making the frosting and storing it separately, then frosting the day of serving.
I made this for my MIL”s birthday on Friday. Everyone said, it was the best cake they had ever had. I am not a cake person. My goodness they weren’t lying it is so yummy! I even substituted all vegan substitutes for the dairy parts. It was amazing. My son who is allergic to all dairy was able to enjoy it too.
So glad you all enjoyed it!
beautiful cake 🙂 if possible could you convert these into grams for me ? 🙂
You can easily find that information with a Google search. 🙂
I have a question. Is there a special way to stack the layers of the cake so it is even?
You can cut across the top of the cake layers if they are domed to make them flatter. Is that what you mean?
I was actually curious about placing the middle layer with top facing down and top layer with top facing up?
I’ve seen it done, I’m sure it would be fine.
Your fresh strawberry cake looks amazing and I plan on making it this weekend! Do you use 2% milk in the batter? I also wanted to verify the amount — 3/4 c. plus 6 Tablespoons, as the recipe reads? I’d watched your video and it doesn’t show the addition of milk.
Thank you so much!!
Yes it is, I think that step was cut out of the video for time. You always want to read the full recipe, especially when baking. Good luck!
Hello,
I’ve just seen the video on facebook & came here to print it off. What purpose does the 1 egg white serve?…just wondering
Can this recipe be adapted to a 5 inch cake? I would like to make it for my daughter’s 3yr birthday party with just a few little ones. I don’t need lots of cake!! What would the temp and timing be? Thanks!!
Hi Michelle, This would involve a complete re-working of the recipe, so I’m recommend sticking with the recipe as is.
Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes as well?
It’s difficult to say the exact measurements and how many it would make with cupcakes.
I made this today for my sister’s birthday. My family loved it, even my oldest daughter who doesn’t like strawberries. I agree 100% that the frosting is amazing!! I really liked the pound cake texture of the layers. I was a little short on baking powder so I’m going to HAVE to try it again and see if that makes any difference 😉 Thanks for sharing.
Whipped cream can be stabilized by incorporating about 10% (w/w of your whipping cream) Mascarpone cheese into the mix by gradually adding enough of the whipping cream to the cheese in a small bowl and stirring until it is the consistency of, say, Eagle Brand SCM. Pour that mixture back into the remaining whipping cream, sweeten and whip as usual. The whipped cream will last a few days covered and refrigerated. Mascarpone cheese is a VERY mild white cheese a little softer than cream cheese so the taste is not impacted at all. This is from my pastry chef son-in-law. Hope this helps…
I could not believe how creamy the cake was when putting into the pans. Frosting it today for Mothers Day Thank You for this Delicious recipe
My cake came out dense, is it supposed to be a pound cake consistency?
Yes, it’s a little more on the dense side, like a pound cake.
Just wondering, have you or anyone else tried this with lemon extract instead of orange?
I think that would be great -it’s so subtle that you can hardly tell it’s there, but it definitely adds that little something to the cake!
What other kind of cake pans can be used. I would like to make a sheet cake, or may in a bunt cake pan. Any directions for that?
the recipe would need to be adjusted according for a small pan.
I just make this cake
The cake is thin, I pinched a piece off it taste good. It just doesn’t look right. I used 9 in round pans. Any tips???
Could this be made using a 13×9 inch pan
I made this cake today for my birthday but I am really unhappy with the frosting. I made it ahead yesterday and waited to frost the cake until today because I was afraid of the frosting melting. It didn’t matter either way- the frosting melted in the fridge overnight and my cake is now a wet, soggy mess. I assume the same thing would happen with the strawberries and that if you were to leave the strawberries on the cake they would get mushy and seep through. Even when I first made the frosting yesterday it looked nothing like the video. You should really put a disclaimer on this recipe that the cake has to be made and eaten within an hour or two. I looked for one when I first decided to make it and since there was none I assumed I was safe. Whipped cream is not a good choice for frosting. I am so disappointed and now will have no cake for my birthday. I am very unhappy with this recipe.
Hi Caitie, The frosting just left in a bowl over night will certainly not turn out the same. Had you frosted the cake, it would have be spread out and not left in a big blob in a bowl. The cake is amazing, if made as directed, and will stay fresh and delicious for several days. The strawberries do weep a little, but not enough to ruin the cake. The recipe is great, unfortunately if you don’t follow the directions it’s not going to turn out the way it should.
I made the frosting the next day and everything is just like the video. Love the hint of orange ?
That’s great to hear – I love the hint of orange too!
There is nowhere on this recipe it says you can’t make the frosting ahead of time… nowhere. It was in the fridge not in a bowl on the counter. I did follow your directions and it still didn’t work out.
It also doesn’t say that you can. So it’s best to go with what the recipe says, not what it doesn’t say. But, it did say that exact tip within the FAQs in the post. I’ve since added more information to make sure that it is very clear.
Can this cake be made as a sheet cake?
Looks delicious. I’m wondering if you could half the recipe and use a 13×9 pan. Then just frost the top?
I haven’t tried that, but several people have asked so I’m thinking I may need to give it a try!
If I make this whipped cream icing without the strawberries, is it thick enough to pipe on to cupcakes? What would you recommend to do differently to make it thicker? Thanks
Hi Karen, I make a similar icing without fruit and it works great.
Looks yuum, if I want to do it on a sheet pan how can i double the recipe without it fails?
Hi Kristin,
I’d like to make this for my partner’s birthday. I don’t have any cake pans, just one glass pie dish, or a square casserole dish. How would you recommend I proceed? I was thinking about halving the cake and frosting recipe to make just a single layer in the pie dish. I’m curious to hear your thoughts…
Thanks!
Jamie
Hi Jamie, I wold recommend picking up some cake pans, You can find them at Target or Walmart, even at the grocery store. They are relatively inexpensive. While you could use a square casserole dish, you’d have to divide the cake into thirds since it’s made in 3 pans. A pie plate definitely wouldn’t work though.
I am going to make this cake – saw photo of same last year but could never find the right recipe. I make this whipped cream frosting all the time, and have never had a problem with it being runny. I do, however, add a dash of cream of tartar to the cream as it is being whipped into really stiff peaks. The frosting remains stable for several hours without being refrigerated.
I want to make this cake but don’t have a stand mixer. Will the hand mixer alone work?
Yes! You can definitely use the hand mixer. Just be prepared to put a little elbow grease into it.
I really want to make this for my husbands birthday, but it is very hot and we don’t have AC, am I setting myself up for failure with the icing? Also the recipe says 4 eggs + 1 egg white do you add in the egg white at the same time as the other eggs?
Yes you add the egg white at the same time. With those conditions, it would be difficult. However you could try Cool Whip as it tends to set up better. And if you have room in the freezer, freeze it for a bit to help it set quickly.
That was my question Can you use cool whip
Yes you can substitute 1-2 containers of Cool Whip or another non-dairy whipped topping.
So just substitute the 3 cups of heavy whipping cream for 1-2 containers of cool whip? Do you still add the sugar?
Seems delicious! I’m planning to making this cake this weekend for my sons birthday, do you think its a good idea to cover it with fondant for decoration? any tips on that?
I don’t work with fondant so I couldn’t give any tips on that. Sorry!
Hi! Does it have to be cake flour. I read that cake flour is made out of bleached flour. Is it ok to use all purpose unbleached flour? Thank you!
Cake flour is much lighter than regular all-purpose flour so I prefer in this cake. However, here is a guideline for swapping: http://bakingbites.com/2010/11/what-is-cake-flour/
Sorry lol sent in the fridge.not drive lol that’s predictive text
I made this cake and only disappointment I had was doing the frosting .I whipped the cream thick put it in drive did the cream cheese and sugar exc.put cream in and folded it and it went runny..it was a disaster…now cud it be cos I used cheap cream cheese that’s all I can think.all that time I spent doing it feel disappointed now.
I’m so sorry that happened! I actually just made a cake the other day with this same frosting recipe and it turned out great. There are so many factors that could be a part of it and it’s hard to say since I wasn’t there. Could it have been too hot? I know we are having a heat wave in California.
I am making this today in between all my errands. Should I make the icing right before I serve the cake? Or can it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours?
As long as it’s in the fridge it should be fine.
I just made this cake. Next time will eliminate the cream cheese (don’t feel it’s needed).
Can u use unsalted butter for this recipe or is regular butter prefferred?
It’s up to you, but generally in baking especially,unsalted butter is preferred. But I use whatever I have on hand.
How many people would this cake serve?
At least 8-12, depending on the size of the slices.
Drool! this sounds so good! wondering how far in advance I can make this cake – how long will the filling last? I need to make something about 2 days ahead. Will it last without getting too soggy or the strawberries going bad? thank you!!
The best thing is to make it shortly before you want to serve it. However, it will last a couple of days in the fridge. It just won’t be as fresh and it’s possible the whipped cream could melt a little.
I am currently making this cake now so I will update you when it’s finished…but I was concerned about one thing. I didn’t have 3 of one size cake pans so I used 2 – 8 inch pans. I noticed how thick/dense the batter was so I hope it comes out okay. What would you suggest for future notice? The pans weren’t filled too high or anything but I am concerned about them baking all the way through
It might take longer, so you’ll just want to bake them until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. The cake itself is dense, like a poundcake.
Hi Kristin,
This cake was amazing! I actually wish I took it out a few minutes earlier but my family loved this cake. I made it for my dad’s birthday and he is such a plain guy but he adored every bite and said it tasted just like a strawberry shortcake (his favorite dessert). The best part in my opinion is the beautiful and tasty frosting. It really makes the cake. I had not trouble with any parts of the cake and the directions were easy to follow. Wasn’t too sweet for my older dad but still so, so tasty. I have to try some of your other recipes. Would love to send you a photo of it as well.
How butter for the frosting?
There is no butter in the frosting.
We made this today (my five year old wanted strawberry cake after our strawberry picking day and she’s my baker!) It was delicious but I must have done something a big wrong, the icing was not near as pretty as yours, but it did all taste delicious and that’s what matters, right? 🙂
Absolutely! The whipped cream can be difficult to get just right; it can depend on so many variables, like temperature or humidity. But it sounds like you had fun!
Just to reconfirm, the sugar for the icing is also granulated?
Yes, it is.
Loved It! 1 think I will advise is pay attention to the frosting recipe ! It’s vital to it staying erect! For a visual watch Sleeping Beauty ,when the fairy god mothers made the cake. Yep that’s what happened but everyone had seconds? . Thanks for sharing this!
I just read another comment about this cake. The reader says this cake is worth the work and time. How time consuming is it, and how can my 8 year old help?
Hi Kristine, There are a lot of steps, from making the cake and baking it, to making the frosting, which is probably the more difficult. I would let my 8 year old help by cutting the strawberries and making mixing them into the frosting. He could probably handle frosting the cake, although it might not look as pretty. 😉 Love that you’re including your kids in your baking!
Do you have to keep it refrigerated?
Because of the whipped cream, yes, it should remain in the fridge.
Can you stabilize the whipped cream somehow?
Sometimes you can add plain gelatin to help stabilize it, but I haven’t tried that.
I often stabilize whipping cream with instant vanilla pudding mix.
My daughter and I just finished making this delightful cake! It’s delicious and so worth the work and time!!! I would bake this again for a family gathering. Thank you for sharing!
Just made this for a cookout today, turned out well. Only two issues, in the recipe, it states preheat to 325 but then says bake in 300 degree oven. Did you lower the oven down for some reason? In the frosting recipe, there is no vanilla listed in the ingredients list, but in the directions it says to add vanilla. How much did you use? I used almost a full tablespoon (I LOVE vanilla 🙂 and it turned out great. Thanks!!!
Oh, thanks for pointing that out! I’ve updated the recipe. So glad you enjoyed it!!
Hi, what size cake pans did you use ? Thank you !
They were regular 9″ round pans.
Looks soooo good! I keep seeing strawberries at the store and I was looking for something to make with them. I don’t see directions for the frosting though, am I just too distracted by the great pictures? 😀
Ack! You’re right, Jennifer! I forgot the frosting instructions. I must have been the one distracted by the picture!! 😉 They are updated now.
I love that cake on Spiced- I make it all the time. Did you actually adapt the recipe at all?
The ingredients are pretty much the same, I did add orange extract to mine to give the hint orange flavor that I love. I also updated the amounts for a three layer cake.
Can i ask what size round baking pans are best to use?
Mine are 9″, but 8″ will also work.
Hi! How would I adapt this recipe for a half-sheet 2 layer?