This homemade Strawberry Cake recipe is among our all-time favorite strawberry desserts. The cake is soft and moist with layers of fresh strawberries and whipped cream cheese frosting. Watch my easy video tutorial you can master this fresh strawberry sponge cake in no time.
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Strawberry Cake Video
I want you to experience this cake and succeed every time, so I made a video recipe for you. I hope you’re inspired by the topping on this strawberry sponge cake. I couldn’t resist making the old-world-inspired strawberry decorations.
Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe
This is also one of my personal favorites because:
- Nostalgic – you’ll love the taste and texture of the sponge cake layers, and the decor is charming.
- Not too sweet – as is hallmark of my desserts (we love to experience all the flavors of the cake).
- Tastes bakery-quality – I would argue better because it’s homemade!
Ingredients for Strawberry Cake
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 my sponge cake video tutorial before you get started.
The Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting has just 3 ingredients: heavy whipping cream, cream cheese and sugar and it pairs so well with fresh strawberries
How to Make Strawberry Sponge Cake Layers:
Watch my video tutorial on how to make a sponge cake before you get started:
- Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F and line bottoms of two, 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease sides).
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, 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.
- 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.
- 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).
How to Make Strawberry Cake Filling
Cut strawberries into quarters if large and place them in the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until consistency of chunky applesauce; set aside.
How to Make Cream Cheese 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.
To Assemble Strawberry Sponge Cake
- Place the first layer cut-side-up on your serving dish and spread with 1/3 of the strawberry puree.
Natasha’s Cake Decorating 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.
- 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.
- Frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
How to Decorate a Strawberry Cake
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 strawberry 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.
Storage Tips
Since the cake has fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and cream cheese, it should be refrigerated.
- To Refrigerate – Cover with foil or a cake cover (or a large inverted pot), making sure your cover doesn’t touch the top of your cake, and refrigerate for 2-3 days. You can serve the cake right out of the refrigerator.
- Freezing – You can freeze the sponge cake layers once they are cooled, but avoid freezing the cake once it is assembled with the filling and frosting.
Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake Layers:
- 6 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Strawberry Filling and Decor:
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, 1 lb to blend and 1/2 lb for decor
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips, optional, to melt and decorate the top
Instructions
How to Make Cake Layers:
- Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F and line bottoms of two, 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease the sides).
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a stand mixer, 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.
- Add Dry Ingredients: 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.
- Bake: Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 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. and slice cake layers equally in half with a bread knife.
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.
Assemble the Strawberry Cake:
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
More Strawberry Desserts
Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes Recipe
Strawberries Romanoff Recipe
Perfect Strawberry Scones
Strawberry Sauce Recipe (Strawberry Topping)
