Strawberry Cream Cake

This Strawberry Cream Cake is what dreams are made of. Light, fluffy layers of vanilla cake get stacked with clouds of homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries for a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert. And if you’ve already decided on strawberry cream cake, this is the one to make. It’s one of the most-loved recipes on my site, tested to perfection and made by thousands of readers who keep coming back for it. Reliable, impressive, and downright delicious.

What others are saying about this Recipe

“I made this today for my friends bridal shower! It turned out AMAZING. I got some many compliments and the entire cake was gone in an hour. It was so moist and not too sweet. Perfect for a summer event. Thank you so much!” ~ Taylor

“I made this cake yesterday and it is so delicious!” ~ Candi

“I made this cake and my dad said it was the best cake he’s ever had. That’s a big compliment! It was so summery and fresh! Who doesn’t love strawberries and cream?? Thanks for the recipe!” ~ Maya

“Made this for the second time a few weeks ago, this time for my daughter’s birthday. It was delicious, as always!” ~ Lindsay

“I made this for my mom who loves anything reminiscent of strawberry short cake. This Strawberry Cake recipe is FLAWLESS. One of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted.” ~ Calix

Ingredients Needed For Strawberry Cream Cake

Here’s what you’ll need for this strawberry cream cake recipe.

All-purpose flour – Use all purpose flour here unless you’re swapping in cake flour for a slightly more tender crumb.
Baking powder + baking soda – These help the cake rise properly.
Salt – A little salt balances the sweetness.
Whole milk – Use room temperature milk so it blends better with the wet ingredients.
Pure vanilla extract – Don’t skimp. This adds real flavor. You’ll need some for the cake AND the homemade whipped cream.
Butter – Softened, not melted. You want it to cream well with the sugar.
Vegetable oil – Helps keep the cake moist.
Granulated sugar – For sweetness and structure.
Whole eggs + egg whites – The combo keeps the cake rich but light.
Heavy cream – For that fluffy whipped cream filling.
Powdered sugar – To lightly sweeten the whipped cream.
Fresh strawberries – Diced for the filling, sliced for the top layer and garnish. Bonus points if strawberries are in season!

Variations

Make it your own by trying these simple tweaks:

Try adding cream cheese to the whipped cream for a tangy filling.
Swap fresh strawberries with raspberries or sliced peaches.
Bake as cupcakes or in a springform pan if preferred. See notes in the recipe card.
Add crushed whole almonds between layers for texture.

Tips for Success with Homemade Strawberry Cream Cake

Plan ahead! This cake is best when refrigerated for at least 4 hours, but best when chilled overnight.
Use fresh strawberries! Frozen strawberries won’t work as well or taste as good in this recipe. You can also sub out strawberries for any kind of berry that is in season and still have a delicious cake!
Feel free to add a few drops of red food coloring to the frosting to make it a lovely pink color. (Totally optional!)
Wait until the vanilla cake layers have cooled completely before adding the frosting.
Make homemade whipped cream! It tastes 1000% better than store bought and super simple. Read through my whipped cream recipe post for the ultimate whipped cream guide.

Love cake? Me too! Try these other cake recipes out: Southern Coconut Cake, Black Forest Cake Recipe, Classic Chocolate Cake Recipe, and Sour Cream Vanilla Cupcakes.

How to Make Strawberry Cream Cake

This strawberry cake is fairly simple to make! Bake the cake then cool, whip up the strawberries and cream frosting then layer and frost. Refrigerate then voila! For the full recipe check out the recipe card down below.

1. Prep Pans

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two 8-9″ round baking pans with parchment paper and spray well with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Pro Tip: Regardless of how you bake this cake recipe, be sure to use lighter colored baking pans (or glass). Using a darker teflon will give you darker, crispier edges which doesn’t really have a place in vanilla cake, in my humble opinion.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine. Set aside.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients

In a liquid measuring cup, stir milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside.

4. Cream Butter + Sugar Together

In a separate large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, mix butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together until combined.

Mix in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, until mixture becomes very light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.

5. Combine

Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with the dry. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter. Be careful not to over mix.

Pro Tip: This alternating flour/liquid method helps keep the batter smooth and the cake tender. If you dump all the milk in at once, it can cause the batter to separate. And if you add all the flour at once, it can get overmixed, which can make the cake tough. Alternating lets everything blend more evenly and gently.

6. Bake

Divide batter evenly between baking pans and smooth the top. Bake 30-40 minutes in the lower part of the oven. Cake will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Recipe will make: (1)- 9×13 thick cake (bake for 40-55 minutes) or (2)- 8 or 9-inch round cakes (40-50 minutes) or (24) cupcakes (bake for 18-20 minutes)

Cool 15-20 minutes in cake pans before trying to invert on cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

7. Make the Whipped Cream Frosting

Ok, now comes the fun part! Whip heavy whipping cream with vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

Divide the cream in half and set aside to use for frosting the outside of the cake. Take the other half of the whipped cream and mix with diced fresh strawberries.

8. Assemble the Cake

Take a sharp serrated knife and cut each cake horizontally in half, creating 2 thinner cakes.

Place one layer of cake onto a serving platter. Spread 1/3 of the strawberries and cream filling overtop.

Add another layer of cake and continue layering until all 4 layers are in tact. If filling looks like it’s being pushed out from the sides of the cake, simply scrape the edges to even everything out.

9. Frost the Cake

Frost the whole cake using the plain whipped cream that you set aside earlier. Then take a few extra strawberries and decorate the top of the strawberry cake.

10. Chill

Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight to set completely (so it will cut nicely). Slice with a serrated knife and serve.

Storage + Make Ahead Directions for Strawberry Cream Cake

Any leftover strawberry cream cake can be kept in the fridge, covered for up to 3 days. I would finish it sooner rather than later though.

Can you freeze this strawberry cream cake?
Yes and no. You can freeze the cake layers (unfrosted) in an airtight container. The whipped cream and strawberries won’t freeze well once assembled.

Can you make it ahead?
Yes! Assemble the cake and refrigerate overnight. It actually slices better the next day. plus the whipped cream has a chance to melt into the cake layers, making it super moist.

More Strawberry Recipes to Love!

Strawberry Jello Pie
Strawberry Limeade
Deviled Strawberries
Strawberry Shortcake from Scratch
Strawberry Cheesecake (no water bath)
Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I love love loved this strawberry cream cake. It was fresh, creamy, cold, sweet, light and refreshing. So amazing and overall pretty impressive looking for minimal work. Try it out soon! I’m pretty positive you’ll fall in love with this cake too! Printable recipe card is below! Have a wonderful week, friends! xo

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe

This Strawberry Cream Cake recipe is the perfect creamy dessert! Light, refreshing, and sweet enough to satisfy any craving!

Ingredients

for the cake-

▢ 3 cups all purpose flour
▢ 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
▢ 1/2 tsp baking soda
▢ 1/2 tsp salt
▢ 1 1/3 cup whole milk
▢ 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
▢ 1/2 cup butter softened
▢ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 2 large egg whites

for the cream filling + frosting-

▢ 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
▢ 1/2 cup powdered sugar
▢ 1 cup strawberries fresh, hulled and diced + more for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two 8-9" round baking pans* with parchment paper and spray well with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together to combine. Set aside.
In a liquid measuring cup, stir milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, mix butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together until combined.
Mix in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, until mixture becomes very light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.
Alternate adding in flour mixture with milk mixture, being sure to start and end with the dry. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter. Be careful not to over mix.
Divide evenly between baking pans and smooth the top. Bake 30-40 minutes in the lower ⅔ of the oven. Cake will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Cool 15-20 minutes in cake pans before trying to invert on cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.
Whip heavy cream with vanilla extract and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Remove half of the cream and set aside. Stir diced strawberries into the remaining cream.
Take a sharp serrated knife and cut each cake horizontally in half, creating 2 thinner cakes
Place one layer of cake onto a serving platter. Spread 1/3 of the strawberries and cream filling overtop.
Add another layer of cake and continue layering until all 4 layers are in tact. If filling looks like it's being pushed out from the sides of the cake, simply scrape the edges to even everything out.
Frost the entire cake with remaining plain whipped cream. Top with sliced strawberries as a garnish.
Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight to set completely (so it will cut nicely). Slice and serve.

Video

Notes

Recipe will make:

1- 9×13 thick cake (bake for 40-55 minutes)
2- 8 or 9-inch round cakes (40-50 minutes)
24 cupcakes (bake for 18-20 minutes)

Regardless of how you bake this cake recipe, be sure to use lighter colored baking pans (or glass). Using a darker teflon will give you darker, crispier edges which doesn’t really have a place in vanilla cake, in my humble opinion.

Nutrition