This Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe is among our all-time favorite strawberry desserts. It is moist with layers of fresh strawberries, and whipped cream cheese frosting.
With the easy video tutorial you can master this fresh strawberry sponge cake in no time.
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I hope you’re inspired by the topping on this strawberry sponge cake. I couldn’t resist making the Ukrainian-esque strawberry decorations. Looking forward to seeing all of my nieces faces when they see it at Mom’s. They always get excited about my cakes. It’s adorable :).
I want you to experience this cake and succeed every time so I made a video recipe for you all (WATCH VIDEO TUTORIAL BELOW) This is also one of my personal favorites because:
- It is CUTE as can be with old world chocolate and strawberry decor
- NOT OVERLY SWEET as is hallmark of my desserts (we love to experience all the flavors of the cake).
- It tastes BAKERY QUALITY (I would argue better because it’s homemade!)
Ingredients for Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe:
It’s almost hard to believe the sponge cakes have only 4 ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs and baking powder). If you have never made a sponge cake, be sure to watch our video tutorial on how to make a sponge cake before you get started. The Whipped Cream Cheese frosting has just 3 ingredients and pairs so well with strawberries
What you’ll need: Two 9″ cake pans, parchment paper, and flour sifter
How to Make Strawberry Sponge Cake Layers:
IMPORTANT: Watch our video tutorial on how to make a sponge cake before you get started:
Preheat Oven to 350˚F and line bottoms of cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease sides).
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (this is the one I have), beat 6 large eggs with the whisk attachment for 1 min on high speed. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed 8 min. It will be thick and fluffy.
2. Whisk together flour (measured correctly) and baking powder. Sift flour in thirds into the batter, folding gently with a spatula between each addition. Fold just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure you don’t have pockets of flour hiding at the bottom; do not over-mix or you may deflate the batter.
3. Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and bake at 350˚F fr 23-28 minutes (my oven took 25 min), or until top is golden brown and springs back when poked slightly. Remove from pan by sliding a knife around the edges. Let cool to room temp then peel back parchment paper. Slice cake layers equally in half (I use this bread knife to slice cake layers).
Strawberry Cake Filling:
Cut strawberries into quarters if large and place them in the bowl of a food processor; pulsing until consistency of chunky applesauce; set aside.
Frosting:
1. Beat cold heavy whipping cream on high speed with whisk attachment for 1-2 min until stiff and spreadable then remove to a separate dish.
2. In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), beat together cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar about 2 min until smooth and lump-free, scraping down a bowl a couple times. Using a spatula, fold in whipped cream.
How to Assemble Strawberry Sponge Cake:
(Tip: to keep the cake plate clean, place strips of parchment or wax paper under the edges of the bottom cake layer. After frosting the cake, pull the strips out and you have a clean cake stand).
1. Place the first layer cut-side-up on your serving dish and spread with 1/3 of the strawberry puree.
2. Spread about 1/2 cup frosting on the second cake layer and place it over the first layer so the strawberries and cream are hugging. Repeat with the remaining layers.
3. Frost the top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate the top with melted chocolate (click here for chocolate decorating tutorial).
How to Decorate a Cake with Chocolate and Fruit:
These are the designs I made because I wasn’t sure how I would decorate this cake going into it. Remember the Russian nesting doll from Instagram? 😉
I cut the little strawberries in half and placed them on each of the chocolate “vines.” Then I put strawberries halves around the base of the strawberry sponge cake. If you can’t find small strawberries; raspberries would work well for the decor also as they are tiny and look cute cut in half.
Watch How To Make this Strawberry Cake Recipe:
Watch Natasha make this Strawberry Cake Recipe! You will be surprised by how easy it is. If you haven’t already, to our and click the bell icon so you will be the first to know when we post a new video recipe.
Must-Try Strawberry Desserts:
- Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes – cute and delicious, these fly off the plate
- Berry Tiramisu – strikingly beautiful and loaded with fresh strawberries
- Strawberries Romanoff – elegant and easy strawberry dessert
- Mixed Berry and Angel Food Trifle – one of the easiest cakes ever
Print-Friendly Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe:
Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake Layers:
- 6 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- What you'll need: Two 9" cake pans, parchment paper, and flour sifter
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 packages, 8 oz each cream cheese, softened at room temp
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Filling/Decor:
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, 1 lb to blend and 1/2 lb for decor
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips to melt and decorate the top, optional
Instructions
How to Make Cake Layers: Preheat Oven to 350˚F and line bottoms of cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease the sides).
- Beat 6 large eggs with the whisk attachment for 1 min on high speed. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed 8 min until thick and fluffy.
- Whisk together flour and baking powder. Sift flour in thirds into the batter, folding gently with a spatula between each addition. Fold just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure you don't have pockets of flour hiding at the bottom; do not over-mix or you may deflate the batter.
- Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and bake at 350˚F fr 23-28 minutes (my oven took 25 min), or until top is golden brown and springs back when poked slightly. Remove from pan by sliding a knife around the edges. Let cool to room temp then peel back the parchment paper. Slice Cake Layers equally in half.
Strawberry Filling:
- Cut strawberries into quarters if large and place them in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until consistency of chunky applesauce; set aside.
Frosting:
- Beat cold heavy whipping cream on high speed with whisk attachment for 1-2 min until stiff and spreadable then remove to a separate dish.
- In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), beat together cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar about 2 min until smooth and lump-free, scraping down a bowl a couple times. Using a spatula, fold in whipped cream.
Assembly:
- Place the first layer cut-side-up on your serving dish
- and spread with 1/3 of the strawberry puree.
- Spread about 1/2 cup frosting on the second cake layer and place it over the first layer so the strawberries and cream are hugging. Repeat with the next layers.
- Frost the top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate the top with melted chocolate. I cut the little strawberries in half and placed them on each of the chocolate "vines." Then I put strawberries halves around the base of the cake. If you can't find small strawberries; raspberries would work well for the decor also as they are tiny and look cute cut in half.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Now go forth and make this strawberry cake! 🙂
Thanks for your great recepies, Natasha. Love your blog.
We made this cake last weekend. It was really good. Kids love it.They even insisted to decorated it the same. Cake is very moist and not so sweet, which is great.
Tanya, thank you for such a sweet comment, I’m so happy that everyone loved it :).
Such a beautiful cake, and the design is so creative! I made this cake and it was so delicious, unfortunately I’m not as artistic/talented as you are but I gave it my best shot LOL. Love your blog and your truly inspired creations!! You are really gifted!
I’m sure your cake was lovely. If you posted it somewhere, I’d love to see it! 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
What a pretty cake! I especially love those little chocolate designs you added to the top. It’s so fun looking!
Thanks Shelby! I had no idea what I was going to do going into it, but it was fun to decorate this one 🙂
This cake just makes me smile! Cuteness overload…not sure if it’s the right word to describe a cake but there you have it! I love the super thin layers laced with luscious frosting and the strawberry vine design is ADORABLE!
Btw, my site has been under major attacks for the last two weeks as well. 🙁
Julia, we had to sign up for cloudflare and the attacks stopped. They work to speed up sites and at the same time protect them from various attacks. We signed up for the $200/month plan but they also have free and $20/month plans. You might look into it. The attack we were having was called a syn flood attack and we had to sign up for the $200/month plan so we wouldn’t miss out on all that beautiful traffic from our viral salad post :). It’s spendy, but I think it’s worth it so it doesn’t happen again.
Wow, it is expensive! I don’t know what type of attack mine was but I was told it was set up so the site gets attacked multiple times per second. Just horrible!
There are alot of people filled with evil out there. Look into the cloud flare thing and see if the free one or the $20/month one would help mitigate a future attack. I noticed quite a few bloggers use it like: simply recipes, pioneer woman, steamy kitchen, etc.
Will do! Thank you, friend. 🙂
This is so pretty! And strawberries are my favourite fruit, so this is bound to be a winner here!
Thank you Annie, I love fresh fruit in desserts, especially strawberries :).
Love love this cake so perfect and fluffy yet moist. I love that the cream is not overly sweet. I made it with the kiwis and berries from your older post! Thanks for sharing
oooh the kiwis and berries one is my husbands favorite! We love fruit in cakes 🙂
That does look like an incredible cake! Terrific use for fresh strawberries 🙂
Thank you June, I love incorporating fresh fruit in desserts :).
Hello. Is it ok if I use frozen strawberries? Or do they have to be fresh? Thank you in advance(:
Thawed frozen strawberries would work fine for this recipe. I probably would not use frozen strawberry for the decoration though.
Ok. Thanks(:
This cake is awesome, you have this recipe already but its a bigger portion:) I usually divide it and comes out like this:) looove it, sooo easy, light and moist!! Best cake for beginners:)
Alena, thank you for the great feedback on the cake, I’m so happy you love it :).
Hi Natasha.
Is there no baking powder in this recipe? I just finished making this cake but the cakes didn’t rise as much as yours in the picture. Did I do something wrong?
Thanks
There is no baking powder in this recipe. The cake relies on the volume of the eggs to rise. The most likely reasons why your cake did not rise are either or you did not beat eggs long enough, the batter was over mixed after adding the flour, or sometimes if you leave the finished batter out too long before baking it, it can deflate. I hope that helps. Did you do anything differently from what I showed in the recipe. Did your batter look like mine in the photos?
Hello again Natasha,I mentioned yesterday about making the cake & I did it! This cake is out of this world delicious, like literally the best cake that I have had in the past year. It added a little extra strawberry sauce that called for so it turned out extra extra moist, if you don’t want a super wet cake then add a little less then I did lol but overall this cake deserves 100 stars.
Janetta, thank you for such a great review on this cake and for the tips. I’m so glad you enjoyed it :).
Hi Natasha thanks for the recipe 🙂 any frosting without cream cheese please?
Are you not a fan of cream cheese? You can used just a sweetened whipped cream. I think that would work well also.
Thanks Natasha:) I love cream cheese but my family members not a too fan
I love how simple this is! Right up my alley 🙂 And this cake looks so Russian, not what it is (in a completely cute sweet way of course – I think it’s the way you decorated it 🙂
Thank you Katya, I had fun decorating it :D.
This cake looks really good! Lite and fluffy!
Thanks :), it sure is.
Wow! This cake screams summer!!!
I totally agree :D.
can u do a video on the cake please cause i want to see how u do it.
Thanks for this great cake recipe
We will definitely keep this one in mind for a future video. Thanks Mary! 🙂
You are welcome,your so sweet.:)
This cake is so sweet it actually has a face on it…the berries and chocolate twists look like a sweet child’s face. Oh my, I just think how much my Ukrainian grandparents would have loved me to make this cake for them if I were blessed enough to have them with me. Sponge cake goes down perfect with a cup of tea =). And how about adding a few edible flowers on top? How pretty would that be?
I didn’t see that until you mentioned it! That’s awesome! I agree it does go down well with tea 🙂 I love the idea of adding edible flowers on top. That would be one gorgeous summer cake.
So cute! Your so creative!
I at least will give a shot at This hopefully I can beat you lol
I can’t wait to see your creation!! 🙂
I started to worry after seeing that you haven’t posted anything for 3 days…so I kept on checking your site every hour lol and then just now stumbled upon this! Russian/ Ukrainian cakes are good but not always my super favorite but this one…wow, looks amazing. Most definitely will try this one tomorrow! Thank you Natasha. (:
You’re so sweet Janetta :). Last week we had the inlaws over and on Monday we had some kind of hacker try to attack our website so we got a little behind. :). Everything is good now. Thanks Janetta!
I know you said your nieces are excited about this cake. But personally, I am WAY more excited about this cake. Fresh strawberries here are CRAZY expensive. I mean a cantaloupe here costs $25. I know canned doesn’t taste nearly as delicious. But if were to use say a raspberry preserve instead, would that work alright too? Or would it become to runny? Thoughts?
Trisha, I think raspberry preserve would work great for this cake. The cake is a sponge cake so it absorbs moisture very well. Hope this helps :).
I love love love ur blog. I became a pro because of ur detailed and beautiful recipes. I made this today for my sons birthday.
Thank you for such a a sweet comment and Happy Birthday to your son :).
thanx, and btw i made the cherry forest cake too, not as pretty as yours, but i hope it will be awsome. since i found out about your website im a much happier persen. love everything u post
You are so welcome, your comment is music to my ears :D.