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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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! 🙂
This cake was delicious. It’s like eating upscale strawberry shortcake. Very similar to Portillo’s but much better. I made it for my daughter’s birthday. She says it’s as good as anything her aunt Charity makes which, in our household, is high praise!
I’m glad to hear how much you and your family enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Holly!
I will be making this wonderful cake, but will be using basic box cake. That should work. Correct?
Hi Janice, the problem I have had with boxed cakes is that they will turn mushy if they have fresh strawberry puree on them. What I love about this sponge cake base is that it absorbs liquid very well and never turns mushy even after a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Hi Natasha. Your cream cheese frosting looks very white. What kind of cream cheese are you using?
Thank you.
Hi Kim, It is just basic cream cheese. I have used the Raskas brand from Costco as well as philadelphia cream cheese with the same results.
Hi, amateur baker here, if I use frozen strawberries should I defrost them and strain them or use from frozen? Thanks
Hi Anna, I haven’t tried putting frozen strawberries inside the cake so I’m not sure if they would be too wet or would interfere with the cakes rising. I think it’s worth an experiment if that is all you have but I haven’t tried that myself. You could definitely use frozen for the strawberry sauce, just add sugar to taste if they are too tart after blending.
Hi Natasha,
I tried the cake and it came out much better than I had expected as I am baking a cake for the first time 🙂
I am planning to bake for my daughter’s 2nd birthday and had a couple of questions:
1) I had taken the same measurement and 9″ pan as you had mentioned for the cake but it wasn’t as thick as yours. Any specific reason for that??
2) Do I have to apply one coat of frosting and keep it in the fridge for it to set and then apply the second coating??
3) Can I prepare the cake previous day of the birthday? Will it remain fresh?
Hi Kavya, the best way to get a good rise on this cake is to beat it for enough time at high speed. The volume of the eggs is the primary leavening in this classic European sponge cake so I would recommend beating it longer and see if you get better results. You do not have to refrigerate the cake layers between frosting them and yes it is ok to assemble the day before if your strawberries are not overly ripe :). I would recommend adding fresh strawberries on top for decor the day you are serving it for maximal freshness
Hi , I made the cake today but wanted to take to work on friday.
Can I leave it in the fridge for 2 days or would the filling leak ? Should I freeze?
Please help!! 🙂
Rafael, I’ve had it in the fridge for that long and it was fine. But it depends on the freshness of the strawberries. If they are overly ripe, you might not want to leave the cake in the fridge for that long.
Hey Natasha..
Thank you so much for the recipe…
The cake was a huge hit and as it was my daughter’s birthday it was even bigger hit ..
Though the decoration was not upto the mark, the taste was super..
I would like to show a snap of my cake.. Let me know where and how to post it..
Thanks again!!!
I’m glad to hear the recipe is enjoyed by all! Thanks for sharing your great review Kavya! I would love it if you joined our private Facebook group where you can share your yummy photos!!
Hi Natasha,can I freeze the whole cake with the frosting on it for about a week?
Hi Adeeba, you can freeze the individual cake layers for up to 3 months, just make sure you don’t place anything over the top of them or they can get warped.
Any substitute for strawberry puree? Chocolate ganache or custard.which better for this cake
You can change it up to whatever flavor combination you prefer. That is the beauty of this cake base, however if you pull out the strawberry purée it would no longer really be a strawberry cake.
Hi natasha, I made the gorgeous strawberry cake yesterday for a friends birthday it was Devine!! I cook and bake lots and I have to say it’s a great recipe although I did tweak it a little,
I made the sponge exactly as per the recipe result was fantastic, but I made a strawberry jam ( not too sweet! ) and layered it up with the cream cheese filling and added some lemon juice as I didn’t want it too sweet and only used the cream in the layers and duster the top with icing sugar it was truly beautiful
My question to you is do you think I could use the the cream cheese filling for the black Forrest cake? ( minus the lemon juice)I have to make one in a couple of weeks it has to be transported I thought it’s a bit more solid mixture, thicker than just whipped cream
Hi Carol! I’m so glad you loved the cake :). I think that would work fine for the black forest cake. Here is an example of a cake that I made with cream cheese with a similar flavor profile and it worked well.
This cake didn’t work at all! It seems to be missing ingredients… eggs, flour, sugar and baking powder seems incorrect.
Hi Sarah, it is correct. The traditional European sponge cake is just 3 ingredients; eggs, flour and sugar. I have been adding the baking powder for a little more consistent results. The biggest issue that people have with this cake is under-beating the eggs and sugar. The cake relies on the volume of that mixture as leavening to rise. I would strongly suggest looking at our sponge cake post to help troubleshoot.
Oh my god! It was divine! Best strawberry cake I have ever tasted! I made this yesterday and it was surprisingly easy. Added vanilla extract to frosting and vanilla powder(I didn’t know if vanilla extract could work cause it’s liquid) to batter. We have a family of two, so I just baked one layer with 3 eggs, cut it in half and made a half cake ) I left it in a fridge for a night and it was amazing in the morning. The frosting is so fluffy and velvety and the layers are moist and soft, and it holds so much strawberries. I’m gonna make this again this weekend for my friend’s birthday)
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Natia! Thanks for sharing your excellent review! 😀
Can I substitute cream cheese with mascarapone? Do you think that would work?
Hi Olya, 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.
Hi Natasha, This cake looks lovely and I can’t wait to try it. I’d love to make it for a friend’s birthday party, which is about a 3-hour drive from our house. I’m thinking that I’ll need to the sponge, the strawberry puree, and the frosting all separately, and then transport them in a cooler to the party location, and assemble it there. Is that what you’d recommend? Will the frosting still be spreadable if I make it ahead and transport it in a cooler for a few hours?
Hi Lisa, I’m thinking that would work the way you are describing and to assemble it at your destination. I hope you all love it!
This cake looks fantastic. I have a question. Do you usually refrigerate it right way or wait a couple hours until cake layers absorb filling? I need to make it a day ahead. Thank you Natasha for wonderful recipes! 🙂
Elina, 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.
I made the cake and taste was great but it was a bit crumbly in texture and not sure why. Do you think I over cooked it? Or do you think there was another issue.
Hi Catie, it can get a little crumbly if too dry or overbaked.
Love the sponge cake. Just wondering about making a 10 inch using 2 pans. How can I change the ratio ingredients? Also how can it be changed to a chocolate cake. Love your website.
Hi Bridget, for a 10″ cake, I think you could make it work using 8 eggs and increasing everything proportionally. The bake time should still be the same. You will need a mixer that is fairly large – I would recommend a 6 Qt mixer if possible. If using a hand mixer, you will need to beat a few minutes longer for the eggs and sugar since a stand mixer is more effective in whipping in air. I’m so glad you enjoy our blog 🙂
I’ll be baking my third cake in a month…yes…third!! This cake is so simple, delicious and above all, my daughter loves it! She recently made 4 and has never really liked cake…this is the first birthday cake she’s tasted. I made the first to try out the recipe, then made it for her birthday party and now, the grand parents are visiting and I am baking it again. My husband loves it too. Thank you for this wonderful and easy recipe.
Wow, that’s great! I’m happy to hear your family loves this recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Would this cake be strong enough to use with fondant décor?
Thank you
I honestly 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!
The cake is way too light to be covered in fondant. I’ve made this cake several times and even as a tiered cake each tier needs to be supported with clear acetate around it so they don’t slide
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!
Great tip Tanya! Thanks for sharing with other readers!
I meant light frosting, haha! Sorry about the mistake, I was writing with my 4 year old son. He helped me beat the eggs with a hand mixer for exactly 8 minutes. Very easy to make the cake and a lot of fun decorating it with kids.
That’s great! Thanks for sharing your great review Vanya! 🙂
Natasha, thank you for this great recipe! I made it yesterday for my daughter’s first birthday and everyone loved it, including her 😊. Even my husband who is not a big cake lover asked for a second piece! Very tender layers and light fluffing with just the right amount of sweetness.
YES! Your review put a smile on my face! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review 😀