Description
Strawberry Shortcake Cake is the ultimate summer dessert, featuring layers of fluffy vanilla cake, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream with a touch of cream cheese and balsamic glaze for extra flavor. It’s light, fruity, and perfect for gatherings or celebrations.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup oil (vegetable, canola or light olive oil)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (regular, full fat)
- 1 cup whole milk or 2%, but avoid lower fat
Strawberries
- 2 pints fresh ripe strawberries
- 1 tablespoon Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze (optional)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (divided)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese (regular, full fat)
- 1/4 cup diced strawberries with glaze from the recipe above
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8″ cake pans by greasing, flouring, and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a mixer bowl, beat butter until smooth. Slowly add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, blending 10-20 seconds between each. Mix well to incorporate air.
5. Add vanilla and oil, and blend to combine. Add sour cream and mix until incorporated.
6. Reduce mixer speed and alternate adding milk and flour mixture in two batches. Blend until just combined. Scrape bowl and stir by hand to ensure even mixing.
7. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 22–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool cakes in pans for 5–10 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks. Once cool, wrap in plastic and freeze for easier handling during assembly.
9. Dice strawberries and add to a bowl. Drizzle balsamic glaze (if using), sprinkle sugar, and stir. Cover and refrigerate.
10. Chill mixing bowl and beaters in freezer for 5 minutes. Add heavy cream and beat until it begins to thicken.
11. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
12. In the same mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and blend until combined.
13. Add 1/4 cup of glazed strawberries and mix into cream cheese. Fold in reserved whipped cream in batches until combined. Do not over mix.
14. Remove cake layers from freezer and discard parchment. Place first cake layer on serving plate.
15. Spread 1/3 of whipped cream over cake, followed by 1/3 of strawberries. Repeat with remaining layers.
16. Garnish with whole strawberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1–2 hours before serving.
Notes
You can bake and freeze the cake layers a day or two in advance for convenience.
Use fresh, ripe strawberries for best flavor and sweetness.
Chilling the mixing bowl and beaters helps the whipped cream thicken faster.
Avoid over-mixing the cream cheese and whipped cream to maintain a light texture.
Best enjoyed within a few hours of assembly to preserve the freshness and structure of the whipped cream.