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.

Fresh Strawberry Sponge cake recipe that is loaded with fresh strawberries and covered with whipped cream cheese frosting then decorated with strawberries and melted chocolate.

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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 :).

Loaded strawberry cake recipe with layers of fresh strawberries and whipped cream cheese frosting

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:

  1. It is CUTE as can be with old world chocolate and strawberry decor
  2. NOT OVERLY SWEET as is hallmark of my desserts (we love to experience all the flavors of the cake).
  3. 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

strawberry-cake-4

This is THE Strawberry Cake!! It calls for 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries & the whipped cream cheese frosting is simple & delicious. | natashaskitchen.com

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.

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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.

Strawberry Layer Cake-12

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 Layer Cake-13Strawberry Layer Cake-14

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.

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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.

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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.

Strawberry Layer Cake-17

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.

This is THE Strawberry Cake!! It calls for 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries & the whipped cream cheese frosting is simple & delicious. | natashaskitchen.com

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.

This is THE Strawberry Cake!! It calls for 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries & the whipped cream cheese frosting is simple & delicious. | natashaskitchen.com

3. Frost the top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate the top with melted chocolate (click here for chocolate decorating tutorial).

This is THE Strawberry Cake!! It calls for 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries & the whipped cream cheese frosting is simple & delicious. | natashaskitchen.com

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? 😉

Strawberry Layer Cake-4

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.

Cake decorated with fresh strawberries and chocolate designs for how to decorate a cake with chocolate and fruit

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:

Print-Friendly Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe:

Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe

4.91 from 211 votes
This is THE Strawberry Cake!! It calls for 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries & the whipped cream cheese frosting is simple & delicious. | natashaskitchen.com
This cake is layer after delicious layer of fresh strawberries, a lightly sweet cream cheese frosting, and moist European sponge cake. It's fantastic and very simple to make.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 -12 slices

Cake Layers:

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.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: strawberry cake
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

This is THE Strawberry Cake!! It calls for 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries & the whipped cream cheese frosting is simple & delicious. | natashaskitchen.com

Now go forth and make this strawberry cake! 🙂

4.91 from 211 votes (50 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Sue
    April 30, 2019

    Hey Natasha,
    The cake tasted very light and fabulous, thanks for the great recipe.

    One difficulty I faced was in cutting the layers. There were way too many crumbs than I liked and it affected the overall shape of the cake after assembly.

    Wonder if I can do away with slicing. Do you think I can bake 4 thin layers instead of 2 (and slicing them)? I am considering making it for 100 guests for a birthday party and I’m concerned about slicing a fairly large layer evenly, and without breaking

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 30, 2019

      Hi Sue, I haven’t tested that but it may work! If you experiment please let me know how you like it.

      Reply

  • Nancy Evanek
    April 27, 2019

    This cake is easy, beautiful and tastes wonderful. My family loved it!
    Will definitely be making again for some summer get togethers. I used frozen strawberries that I thawed and blitzed briefly in the processor. Was afraid they make too much liquid but it absorbed into the cake and was perfect.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 27, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Tetiana Yizhak
    April 26, 2019

    Thanks for this recipe. It’s my favorite easy cake. I made mix strawberry and mango together and I and my friends love it.
    Thank you very much.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 26, 2019

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Tetiana!

      Reply

  • Reyan
    April 26, 2019

    Natasha, I made this cake yesterday and came out perfect. It was a huge hit. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 26, 2019

      That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • Jessica Fernandez
    April 19, 2019

    I made this cake today for a birthday party and it was a for sure crowd pleaser!! I received so many complimebts. It even won over a few non cake lovers. I will keep this recipe in my recipe book! Thank you so much for a simple and tasty cake!

    *I followed your directions exactly AND used all organic ingredients.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 19, 2019

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite Jessica!

      Reply

    • Dammy
      August 14, 2019

      Hi Natasha,I have tried ur mango cake it was amazing!!!…I want to try this cake can I use 3, 8″ inch Pans instead of 9?

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        August 14, 2019

        Hi Dammy, I think that should work. Note, the cakes will be much shorter and bake time may need to be adjusted if using 3 pans.

        Reply

    • Roux Gabriela
      September 5, 2019

      Hi Natasha. Can I use mascarpone cheese? Thank you

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        September 5, 2019

        Hi Roux, I haven’t tried that substitution to be honest but it may work well also on this cake. Our berry tiramisu might be a good guide for you. I do love the cream cheese frosting here and the depth of flavor it has but mascarpone would be a thicker frosting.

        Reply

  • natalie
    April 12, 2019

    I only have 8in cake pans, can you estimate the cooking time for these instead? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 12, 2019

      Hi Natalie, I haven’t tested that in a 8″ but it shouldn’t be much longer, I recommend watching it closely.

      Reply

  • Ryna
    April 6, 2019

    Hi there,

    This looks amazing. Do you think it’ll work as a two layer wedding cake? I’d cover it with the foundant but i am afraid it may run. Really stressed with the wedding cake I promised to bake as I want it to be not just pretty but also yummy.

    Thanks

    Ryna

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 6, 2019

      Hi Ryna, I honestly do not have any experience with fondant, but this cake is pretty soft so I’m not sure it would work well. I hope this also helps but here is what one of our readers wrote ” I make these sponge cakes covered with fondant once in awhile .. but– I only use the recommended frosting inside the cake. I’ll let the cake stand “naked” in the fridge with a book on top for a few hours, then use buttercream frosting on the outside, cool it a bit and finally cover the cake with fondant. so it’s possible .. and still tastes great!” Maybe someone else has experimented? Thanks in advance!.

      Reply

      • Ryna
        April 7, 2019

        Thank you so much for the quick honest reply! ❤️

        Ryna

        Reply

      • farty
        April 25, 2020

        hi people

        Reply

  • Pankita
    April 2, 2019

    Thank You Natasha for the yummiest recepi. I had made the strawberry cake and my family loved it .

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 2, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that!

      Reply

  • Natalya E
    March 30, 2019

    Hi Natasha,
    I made this cake before. It was delicious.
    I making this cake again for my son’s birthday tomorrow. I don’t think it will be enough, but I only have blueberries on hand. Do you think I can make the same cake with blueberries? If yes, would recommend to add sugar to blueberries?

    Reply

  • Kristi
    March 20, 2019

    I live in UT – so HIGH altitude. I made the cake as the recipe and tutorial video shows and it caved in. Do you know how to prevent that in the future for high altitude?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      March 20, 2019

      Hi Kristi, I wish I could help answer that but I don’t have experience with high altitude baking. I would recommend following the recommendations listed on the King Arthur flour company regarding high altitude baking.

      Reply

  • ANA
    March 16, 2019

    Top, it was a success in my spanish birthday party!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 16, 2019

      That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂

      Reply

  • Hope
    February 16, 2019

    This cake is amazingly very delicious! Not too sweet, perfect combination of everything. We enjoy it a lot and keep making it from time to time.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 16, 2019

      Hi Hope, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • Haley
    January 30, 2019

    The filling of that cake looks incredible.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 30, 2019

      Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Analyn
    January 26, 2019

    Hi how long can i keep the cake and if I decorate it with fondant can i keep it at the room tepm rather the in thefridge

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 26, 2019

      Hi Analyn, If the cake already has the strawberry puree on it, it’s best to refrigerate. If it just the cake without the filling, the cake layers alone can stand at room temperature for 24 hours loosely wrapped in plastic. Honestly, I do not have any experience with fondant, but this cake is pretty soft so I’m not sure it would work well. Maybe someone else has experimented? Thanks in advance!

      Reply

  • Geraldine
    January 22, 2019

    Hi Natausha, I was wondering if you could tell me how much sugar to add to frozen strawberries for the filling? Also I notice in some recipies you add the *number to use on mixers when mixing which I love since it takes the guessing out of (low, med, or high) speed! Thank you again for all your wonderful recipies. I love watching your videos!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 23, 2019

      Hi Geraldine! I think frozen strawberries would work fine in this cake. This cake is not overly sweet so there is room to add some sugar in the strawberry puree which is probably a good idea if you’re using frozen strawberries. I hope you love it!! I would add it based on personal preference. 🙂

      Reply

  • Patty
    January 21, 2019

    Hello, I love this cake !Can I freeze it? Thanks a lot!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 21, 2019

      Hi Patty! I have not tried freezing this entire cake so I’m not certain how the frosting and strawberries would hold up, but I have frozen the cake base with great success. Let it come to room temp, then loosely but fully cover and freeze the cake layers. I place a sheet of parchment paper between the layers (the same one I peeled off the bottom of the cake) and place them in the freezer, just make sure you don’t squash them with anything else in the freezer. They freeze well up to 3 months. I hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

    • Yuliya
      January 21, 2019

      Hi Patty,

      I’ve tried to freeze it, and strawberries and frosting don’t hold up well together during the whole freeze/unfreeze process.

      Reply

  • Amrita
    January 12, 2019

    Hi Natasha. I came across your bog and love the recipes I have read and seen. I want to make the strawberry cake for daughters birthday and was wondering what size sheet cake pan to use if I want to double your recipe for cake filling. Should I use a quarter or half size sheet cake pan for doubling the recipe? Thanks.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 14, 2019

      Hi Amrita, here is our version of this cake doubled in 13×9 pans. You will have to mix and bake the layers separately or it will overwhelm your mixer.

      Reply

  • Sita
    January 12, 2019

    This was really terrific!! Everyone absolutely loved it!!! Who would have thought with so few ingredients, i was really skeptical but very happy I trusted the reviews and made it. It’s a keeper for sure. Thank you so much for sharing it!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 14, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that! I love a simple recipe that is delicious!!

      Reply

  • Yuliya
    January 1, 2019

    This was amazing and really easy to make. I am not a baker (manage to screw up frozen cookies) and this came out really good. Everyone loved it.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 1, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Sharan Kaur
    December 23, 2018

    Hi natasha,
    Do we need to moist the cake with some syrup? Wont the cake be too dry without it.
    Thanks in advance

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 24, 2018

      Hi Sharan, yes you can spray with sugar water if you like, but usually, the strawberry syrup gives the cake plenty of moisture.

      Reply

      • Sharan Kaur
        December 24, 2018

        Thankyou sweetheart for such a prompt reply and such wonderful recipes. Much love !!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          December 24, 2018

          You’re so welcome!

          Reply

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