Vanilla Strawberry Cake
This recipe is an OLDIE! The first time I made it was back in 2013, and I’ve definitely tweaked it over the years to truly make it the best vanilla strawberry cake recipe.
The updated recipe below is actually based on my white chocolate raspberry cake.
It has the same tender white cake layers but is frosted with my strawberry buttercream and filled with strawberry jam.
I love this frosting recipe because it uses both strawberry powder and strawberry jam to give this buttercream an amazing, real strawberry flavor without throwing off its consistency.
This strawberry vanilla cake is also filled with my favorite strawberry jam, which really packs this cake with strawberry flavor.
*Please note that the flowers used on this cake are solely decorative and not intended to be eaten!!*
Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Cake Layers
This strawberry vanilla cake recipe use quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt! You can also use vegan butter in its place.
- Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
- Egg Whites – If you can’t find egg whites in a carton or want to use whole eggs, use 4 whole eggs in place of the cup of egg whites this recipe calls for. Or if you have an egg allergy, you can use 4 flaxseed eggs or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce + 1 extra Tbsp baking powder
- Self-Rising Cake Flour – To make your own self-rising cake flour, measure out 3 cups of cake flour, then add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 Tbsp baking powder. You can also use all-purpose flour in this formula if that’s what you have in your pantry.
- Sour Cream – You can use full-fat yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy-free.
- Vegetable Oil – Any flavorless oil would work great in this recipe, like canola or sunflower.
Substitutions and Swaps – Strawberry Frosting
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the additional salt this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter.
- Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder – If you can’t get a hold of freeze-dried strawberry powder (I order mine online), you can make your own by grinding up freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor.
- Lemon Juice – I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice if possible! However, you can use bottled lemon juice if you can’t find real lemons.
Making a Different-Sized Vanilla Strawberry Cake
One batch of batter can also be used to make one 9×13-inch strawberry vanilla sheet cake. Bake it at 325°F for 40-50 minutes, and make a quarter batch of the strawberry frosting recipe.
This recipe can also be used to make four 6-inch cake layers! They will need to bake slightly longer, and I recommend baking them at 325°F for 34-37 minutes.
Tips for Making the Best Vanilla Strawberry Cake:
- Take a few minutes to properly cream together your butter and sugar with a whisk attachment or hand mixer. It will allow you to incorporate a bunch of air into the mixture, which gives these cake layers their fluffy texture
- Properly measure your flour! Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
- Don’t level your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
- Use strawberry powder to really pack your strawberry buttercream with flavor!
- Spread a layer of strawberry jam on top of each cake layer before adding the frosting. It makes the cake layers even more moist!
- Make this strawberry vanilla cake vegan or dairy-free! Use your favorite type of dairy-free milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream, vegan butter sticks in place of the butter, and flaxseed eggs.
Making This Vanilla Strawberry Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
I highly recommend making your cake layers in advance and freezing them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
You can also make your frosting ahead of time, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
Let Me Know What You Think
If you try this vanilla strawberry cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating below and a comment to let me know your thoughts.
Vanilla and Strawberry Cake
This vanilla strawberry cake is packed with real strawberry flavor! It's made with tender vanilla cake layers & frosted with delicious strawberry buttercream.
Servings: 24
Calories: 616kcal
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake Recipe
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
- 3 cups granulated sugar 600g
- 1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature 235g
- 3 cups self-rising cake flour 360g
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature 360g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 56g
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 452g; 1 lb box
- 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberry powder 55g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice; about 1/2 small lemon 12g
- 7 cups powdered sugar 907g; 2 lb bag
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 160g
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam 80g
Optional Cake Filling
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam 160g
Instructions
Fluffy Vanilla Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line and grease three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds.
- Add 1 cup of unsalted butter and 3 cups of granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a high speed with a whisk attachment for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula. The mixture will become lighter in color as air is whipped into it.
- Add 1 cup egg whites and mix at a medium-high speed until the mixture looks fluffy and increases in volume.
- Slowly mix in 1 1/2 cups of self-rising cake flour on a low speed until just incorporated.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Mix at a medium speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of self-rising cake flour on a low speed.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height.
- Bake for 34-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through to help them bake evenly.
- Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
- Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
- Use a serrated knife to level the tops and trim the sides to remove any caramelization.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:
- While the cake layers bake and cool, make the strawberry buttercream frosting.
- Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes with a paddle attachment until the butter becomes lighter in color.
- Mix in 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberry powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 Tbsp lemon juice on a low speed.
- Slowly add in 7 cups of powdered sugar. Halfway through add in 2/3 cup of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Add 1/4 cup strawberry jam, then beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
Assembling This Vanilla Strawberry Cake:
- If possible, chill your cake layers in the freezer for 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes them cold to the touch, which minimizes crumbing and makes them so much easier to frost and stack them.
- Spread about 1 Tbsp of strawberry frosting onto a greaseproof cake board or plate, then place your first cake layer on top of frosting smear. This helps the layer stay in place as you assemble the cake.
- Spread 1/4 cup of strawberry jam directly onto the cake layer, leaving 1 inch around the edge of the cake layer uncovered.
- Pipe a ring of strawberry buttercream in a ring around the jam circle and then pipe additional frosting on top of the jam to fully cover it.
- Repeat with the remaining cake layers, being sure to flip the top cake layer upside down (cut side down). This makes it easier to frost your cake!
- Chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (15 minutes) until the frosting between the cake layers is firm to the touch and the cake layers aren't able to slide around.
- Add a thick layer of strawberry frosting around the cake, then use a large offset spatula to give the frosting a textured look.
- Decorate as desired with fresh strawberries and buttercream dollops and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe Alternatives:
To make these vanilla cake layers strawberry cake layers, substitute 1/2 cup of granulated sugar for 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberry powder.Tips for Making the Best Vanilla and Strawberry Cake:
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Mix the cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
- Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
- Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any big air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
- Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!
Making This Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
- Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
- Make your frosting ahead of time too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
- A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
- If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 65g
Other Recipes You Might Like:
If you want to take a trip down memory lane, here are some photos from my first strawberry cake in 2013.
I made this recipe, the cake was wobbly like jello. Also my mixer didn’t blend the strawberry halves well.
Did I do something wrong here?
you put the strawberries into the batter? I think that’s definitely the problem! They’re supposed to be placed between the cake layers, on top of the frosting :/ I’m so sorry my instructions weren’t more clear!!
How long will the cake last with fresh fruit in between the layers?
I haven’t really pushed the limits on this, and it can vary based on the type of fruit! I would say maybe a couple days? But with fresh fruit I try to make cakes as close to when they’ll be eaten as possible! <3
when am i supposed to add the jam to my cake batter ?
I added in the 6 Tbsp of jam into the batter at the end, with the vanilla 🙂 just updated the recipe to reflect that, so sorry!!
Hi! Can this be used to make cupcakes also?
My cake recipes are designed to bake pretty flat, so it isn’t ideal for cupcakes! It still works, but they’ll make super flat cupcakes! I recommend using my vanilla cupcake recipe instead! It’s also delicious, and I highly recommend it! 🙂 Here’ the link: https://chelsweets.com/2017/07/03/classic-vanilla-cupcake-recipe/
It tastes great filled with strawberry jam <3
Can this be done without the strawberries in the middle and used for making a child’s cake that will be carved some? Or do you have another recipe that is better for carving that is strawberry?
Hi April,
If you want to carve this cake, I definitely recommend taking out the strawberries between the layers! You should be able to carve these cake layers just fine with a serrated knife. I find they cut best when they’re slightly chilled, so I usually pop them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before I assemble a cake. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi I made this cake but cut it in half. I baked them in 3 6inch pans. The cakes turned out beautifully. But the frosting was so runny. Did I do something wrong? Or is that how the consistency is suppose to be? I kept popping in freezer to firm it up.
Hi Vivian,
Happy to hear you loves the cake, but so sorry to hear that about the frosting!
The frosting on this cake is a bit soft :/ I’m actually working on a new strawberry frosting recipe right now that fixes that! It’s so hard to get that great real strawberry flavor and not ruin the consistency. My new recipe uses strawberry powder, which adds awesome flavor without ruining the consistency. The new frosting recipe will be up in a couple weeks, stay tuned!! <3
Hi Chelsey 🙂
Can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Hi Mary Ann,
It will change the texture a bit, but you can use All-Purpose flour instead of cake flour. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi!! I’m planning on making a strawberry cake as one of the tiers in a wedding cake. The rest of the tiers I’m using your vanilla cake recipe. Do you think this strawberry cake will go well with just the vanilla buttercream instead of making this frosting?
Hi Melea,
A lot of the strawberry flavor comes from the fresh strawberries between the cake layers, and the strawberry frosting! I’m not sure the flavor would really be there without some type of strawberry frosting. I really love this recipe for strawberry frosting, which maybe you could fill the cake with to give it that fruity flavor?? Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2020/02/13/strawberry-buttercream/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hello! I’m making this cake for my mother’s birthday, she LOVES strawberry shortcake! She is not fond of cream cheese or buttercream frosting because of how sweet they are. She prefers whipped cream icing. Would you say this icing is overly sweet? Also how well does the icing hold up? I know whipped cream icing usually melts or becomes “watery” at room temperature. I have used several of your recipes and they are always delicious! Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
So sorry for the delayed response! That’s awesome!I would definitely say this icing is on the sweet side. I’d recommend making a stabilized whipped cream for the cake, which should taste great to her and should keep its shape / hold up well. I haven’t shared a recipe for it, but here’s the recipe to a great recipe you can try: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/how-to-make-stabilized-whipped-cream/
Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Didn’t work out for me. Flat and suck in on the inside. What is missing? I don’t see where in the recipe you add the 1/3 cup jam. redo sadly! I love all the other recipe’s I tried so far. And why at 325 degrees?
Hi Angela,
So sorry to hear that! If your cake layers sunk in the middle it usually means they needed to be baked from slightly longer! The remaining jam is swirled on top of the cake batter before that layers are baked <3
This recipe is super old, and I’m planning to completely revamp this post with a proper recipe card and much clearer instructions as soon as I remake it next week. It’s been a long time coming, stay tuned!
When I ordered my groceries, they got strawberry preserves instead of jam. Do you think it will make a difference?
Hi, I was just wondering when you put the strawberry jam and then the frosting on top in between the cake layers, do you spread the two together or just put the other cake layer right on top?
Hi! I wanted to make this cake for my 18th birthday, but I can’t find any self rising cake flour. Would it be okay to just add baking power/soda?
This cake is incredible!! I’m absolutely obsessed with it!
If I don’t have enough cake pans to use all the batter, what should I don with the remaining batter while I wait for the the other layers to come out of the oven?
I made this cake for my niece. I made the layers on thurs, 7/22 and put them
in the freezer until sun, 7/25. I pulled them out right before I started making the frosting. I made the frosting raspberry instead of strawberry using freeze dried raspberries & seedless raspberry fruit spread. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. The cake was moist, flavorful, and delicious!
Tried this recipe but my layers came out almost damp and dense. What could I have done wrong?
Beautiful cake! Just to let you know babies breath is extremely toxic and having it touching any part of a cake can make you / who ever is eating it very sick.
Would the amounts change for 9in cake pans?
I saw this cake you made recently for your moms birthday and I saw the green frosting on the outside. Did you just put plain vanilla buttercream over the strawberry buttercream crumb coat or did you dye the outer layer of strawberry frosting to make it green somehow?
Hi Amanda,
I actually used this recipe for my Mom’s cake: https://chelsweets.com/golden-strawberry-cake/
It’s very similar but uses strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream rather than American buttercream! The frosting turns out a lighter shade of pink, which is easier much easier to color.
I crumb coated the cake with strawberry buttercream, then colored the remaining strawberry buttercream green and shades of pink and purple with gel food coloring to make the design for my Mom’s cake 🙂
You could totally achieve the same look using this vanilla strawberry cake recipe and color vanilla buttercream for the outside though. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I never leave comments, but I have to say this is the most delicious, most consistent frosting recipe I have ever had. It’s not too sweet- brilliant on all kinds of cupcakes. The texture is so creamy- well done!
Hi Kathleen,
I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I plan on using Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream to frost this vanilla cake. Should I follow the directions from this cake for frosting or are there any changes I should make?
Hi DeeDee,
A strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream would work great with this cake! I actually have a delicious recipe for that here: https://chelsweets.com/strawberry-swiss-meringue-buttercream/
I don’t think any other changes would need to be made to the recipe 🙂 Happy baking!
Hi
Can i use self rising flour ? I cant find self rising cake flour !
Hi Rabia,
No worries! You can self-rising flour in place of the self-rising cake flour if needed. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Do you have any recipes for a strawberry cake ?
Hi Monica,
Sadly I don’t yet!! I’m planning to recipe test it this summer though and have one up soon. Stay tuned!!
However I do have a delicious strawberry mousse cake that I love!! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/strawberry-mousse-cake/
Hope that helps, happy baking
@Chelsweets,
I made this cake and added a bit of strawberry/raspberry jam in the cake batter and it cake out fabulous! I will be making this again but for a friend who is gluten intolerant. Any recommendations? Can I substitute the cake flour for a gluten free version?
Hi Becky,
That sounds absolutely delicious — I bet the swirl of jam added tasted amazing! For a gluten-free version, you can definitely swap the cake flour with a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s blend). Just make sure it contains xanthan gum, or add about ¼ tsp per cup of flour if it doesn’t. The texture might be slightly different, but it should still turn out beautifully. Can’t wait to hear how it goes for your friend!
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