Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling

slice of white cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream frosting

4.54 from 413 votes

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling

For an impressive dessert centerpiece, try this Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling! This cake features a delectable strawberry filling sandwiched between layers of vanilla cake and is crowned with a luscious whipped cream frosting.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Stand Mixer
2-3 8-inch Round Cake Pan
Fine Mesh Sieve

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Filling (Make 2 hours to 5 days ahead)

2½ pounds fresh strawberries 1,134 grams, washed, stemmed, and divided
1 cup water 227 grams
3 tablespoons cornstarch 21 grams
½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice 28 grams(from 1 lemon)
Red food coloring if needed and/or desired

For the Whipped Cream Frosting (Make up to 6 hours ahead)

4 cups heavy whipping cream 908 grams (1 quart)
¾ cup powdered sugar 85 grams, divided
16 ounces cream cheese 454 grams, room temperature (2 bricks)
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 6 grams
¾ teaspoon almond extract 3 grams
½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the White Layer Cake (Make up to 24 hours ahead)

4 cups bleached cake flour 454 grams (16 ounces), such as Swan's Down
8 ounces unsalted butter 226 grams (2 sticks), pliable but cool (about 65°F)
⅔ cup virgin coconut oil 113 grams (4 ounces), solid but room temperature
2¼ cups granulated sugar 454 grams (16 ounces)
2½ teaspoons baking powder 10 grams
1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (half as much if using table salt)
1 cup egg whites 241 grams, room temperature (8½ ounces, from about 8 large eggs)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
1 teaspoon almond extract 4 grams
2 cups cultured low-fat buttermilk 454 grams (16 ounces), room temperature

Instructions

For the Strawberry Filling

Rough-chop 1½ pounds (about 3 cups) strawberries.
2½ pounds fresh strawberries
Halve the remaining 1 pound of strawberries and reserve for the topping.
In a large saucepan, whisk together the water and cornstarch until smooth.
1 cup water, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Add strawberries, sugar, and salt; stir well.
½ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring often. After the strawberries cook about 3 minutes, mash about half of them.
Continue cooking and stirring the mixture until thickened, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add lemon juice and stir well.
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
If desired, add red food coloring; stir well.
Red food coloring
Pour the mixture into a heat-resistant, airtight refrigerator container. Cool to room temperature, stir, cover and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 2 hours and up to 5 days).

For the Whipped Cream Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed until thickened. Add ½ cup powdered sugar and whisk until very stiff peaks form. Set aside.
4 cups heavy whipping cream, ¾ cup powdered sugar
Place cream cheese, ¼ cup powdered sugar, vanilla, almond, and salt in another mixing bowl. Whisk on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until creamy and fluffy.
16 ounces cream cheese, 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon almond extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Add the whipped cream and whisk, on low speed, until fully incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until light and fluffy and the mixture has firm peaks.
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to 24 hours

For the White Layer Cake

Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
Line 2 (if making a 4-layer cake) and 3 (if making a 3-layer cake) 8x3-inch aluminum cake pans with parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl; set aside.
4 cups bleached cake flour
Add butter, coconut oil, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. Set the mixer to low to moisten, then switch to medium speed and cream until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping as needed.
8 ounces unsalted butter, ⅔ cup virgin coconut oil, 2¼ cups granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
With the mixer running, add egg whites, one at a time.
1 cup egg whites
Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix 30 seconds.
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
Scrape down the bowl and paddle.
Set mixer to low speed and slowly add one-third of the flour, followed by one-third of the buttermilk. Mix just until each addition is roughly incorporated. Add the remaining flour and milk, alternately, one-third of each at a time. Mix just until smooth.
2 cups cultured low-fat buttermilk
Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape all dry ingredients from the bottom. Mix on low speed just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake about 40 minutes or until the cakes internal temperature registers 210°F. The cakes should be pale, brown around the edges and firm. A toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake should come out almost clean – with just a few crumbs attached.
Transfer cakes to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes. Remove cakes from the pans and remove the parchment. Return them to the wire racks to cool completely.
If not serving the cake within a couple of hours, wrap the cake layers tightly with plastic wrap up to 24 hours ahead. Keep the frosting and filling refrigerated until ready to frost.

Assembly

If the Whipped Cream Frosting is too stiff to spread, leave it on the counter for about 15 minutes, stir or beat it for a few seconds and it should be good as new.
Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand and spread about 1½ cups Whipped Cream Frosting on top. Spread it evenly while building a ½-inch “barricade” of frosting around the edge to keep the filling from leaking out.
Add about ½ cup Fresh Strawberry Filling in the middle of the frosting and spread it out evenly to the frosting “barricade”.
Add the next layer of cake and add the filling and frosting as before.
After adding all the layers, frost the sides of the cake with Whipped Cream Frosting.
For the top of the cake, arrange halved strawberries as desired.
Refrigerate until ready to serve and serve within 6 hours.

Video

Notes

Recipe adapted by Susie Gall (hi, mom!) from Stella Parks.

Don't over mix the cake batter, the dry ingredients should be just combined.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the tins so that the layers cook all the way through at the same time.
Serve the cake within 6 hours of making it.

Storage: Store white layer cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberry filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition