This Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake is so delicious! Delicious, and a nostalgic nod to how I was raised, eating strawberry shortcake with those little yellow cakes from the grocery store every Father's Day.
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This Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake is two layers of tender yellow cake with strawberry whipped cream and fresh strawberries! This cake turns a comfort food favorite into a total showstopper!
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the recipes for my Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake, Lemon Lavender Cake, and Strawberry Filled Cupcakes!
Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this gorgeous cake! You can find measurements for each of the ingredients in the recipe card, below.
Cake Ingredients
- Cake Flour - Provides structure for the cake. Cake flour lends a lighter texture and more tender crumb to the cake. You can substitute with all-purpose flour, the cake just won't be quite as tender.
- Baking Powder - Provides leavening for the cake.
- Salt - Balances and enhances the flavors of the cake.
- Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be softened before you begin.
- Granulated Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the cake soft and moist. (I'm sorry, there's no other word for not-dry cake!)
- Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor, and it leaves lovely flecks of vanilla bean in your cakes. If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
- Eggs - To provide structure, additional leavening, and a little richness. I used large eggs that were at room temperature.
- Buttermilk - For flavor, richness, and moisture. Cakes made with buttermilk are sooo soft and fluffy! No buttermilk on hand? Check out the "hint" below for a quick substitution.
Hint: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitution with milk (I find that 2% milkfat or greater works best) and vinegar or lemon juice. For this recipe, pour 2 teaspoons lemon juice OR white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk to come up to the ⅔ cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes, then it's ready for use!
Strawberry Whipped Cream & Topping Ingredients
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries - For flavor and gorgeous color! Make sure to use *freeze-dried* strawberries, as they are free of moisture and will process into a powder.
- Heavy (Whipping) Cream - You can't make whipped cream without it! 😀 You want your cream to be cold so it will whip up fluffy!
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetness.
- Strawberries - The crown jewel of this cake! I used about a pound of strawberries.
Hint: If you'd like just regular whipped cream, just leave out the freeze-dried berries! I add a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to mine for flavor.
Instructions
Here's how to make this cake, step by step! You can find more detailed instructions in the recipe card, below.
Making the Cake
- Combine the dry ingredients and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, allowing the first egg to fully incorporate before adding the second.
- Add half of the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.
- Divide batter among prepared pans and bake. **See recipe card, below, for full instructions.**
Making the Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries until ground as finely as possible. Set aside.
- Combine cream and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the mixture on medium-high until soft peaks form. Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and mix to stiff peaks.
Equipment
Here are a few pieces of kitchen equipment that I used to make this cake:
- Cake Pans - This recipe is written for two 8-inch cake pans, but it can also be made in three 6-inch cake pans if you prefer. Bake times for both sizes are included in the recipe.
- Kitchen Scale - I use a kitchen scale to help ensure the batter is divided evenly between the pans. This helps ensure even baking and that the layers that are equal in size.
- Food Processor - Unfortunately there's no way around it...if you want to process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder, you'll need a food processor. A small/mini food processor will work best. If you have a larger food processor, definitely use the smallest bowl insert that you have.
Storage
The cake is best when served the same day it's assembled, but can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.
Other Recipes You May Like
Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake
This Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake is two layers of tender yellow cake with strawberry whipped cream and fresh strawberries! This cake turns a comfort food favorite into a total showstopper!
Equipment
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
- 1 ½ cups cake flour (see note)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup buttermilk, at room temperature (see note)
Strawberry Whipped Cream
- 1 ¼ cups freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 ounce; see note)
- 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Topping
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced as desired
Instructions
Yellow Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease two 8-inch cake pans (or three 6-inch pans; see note) and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.1 ½ cups cake flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla bean paste (see note). Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Add eggs one at a time, allowing the first egg to fully incorporate before adding the second.2 eggs, at room temperature
- With the mixer running on low, add half of the dry ingredients. Mix until just nearly incorporated, then add the buttermilk (see note). Once nearly combined, add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.⅔ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- Divide batter among prepared pans (see note). Bake 16-18 minutes (15-17 minutes for 6-inch cakes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Strawberry Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries (see note) until ground as finely as possible. Set aside.1 ¼ cups freeze-dried strawberries
- Combine cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on medium-high until soft peaks form. Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder, and mix to combine.2 cups heavy (whipping) cream, cold, ¼ cup powdered sugar
Assembly
- Place one cake on plate or cake stand, and top with whipped cream. Slice berries and arrange on top. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Note that if all the whipped cream is topped with berries, the layers won't hold together well. Better to cut the berries smaller and/or push them into the whipped cream a bit.
- Cake is best when served the same day it's assembled, but can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on cake flour: Cake flour lends a lighter texture and more tender crumb to the cake. If you don't have cake flour, you can substitute with all-purpose flour, the cake just won't be quite as tender.
Note on vanilla bean paste: So tasty, and leaves lovely flecks of vanilla bean in your cakes! If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.
Note on buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitution with milk (2% milkfat or greater) and vinegar or lemon juice. For this recipe, put 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk to come up to the ⅔ cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes, then it's ready for use!
Note on cake pans: I used two 8-inch cake pans for the cake in the photos, but this recipe can also be made in three 6-inch cake pans if you'd like. For 6-inch cakes, bake for about 15-17 minutes.
Note on dividing batter/use of kitchen scale: I use a kitchen scale to ensure I'm dividing the batter evenly between the pans. This helps ensure even baking and layers that are equal in size.
Note on freeze-dried strawberries: Make sure to use *freeze-dried* strawberries, as they are free of moisture and will process into a powder. If you prefer regular whipped cream, you can just leave them out! I add one teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to my plain whipped cream for flavor.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 173mgPotassium: 470mgFiber: 4gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 795IUVitamin C: 324mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 6mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a review below, then snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
Monika
Hi! I just wanted to write and thank you for this recipe. The cakes are in my oven now. I don't have strawberries or freeze-dried ones on hand, so I will use strawberry jam as part of the filling and whipped cream. I hope my family/friends like it. Thanks again and God bless you.
Laura
I LOVE the way this recipe was written. It was super clear and I didn’t have to keep going back forth between the ingredient list and the instructions. The final product was perfect and received many compliments. Thank you!