Strawberry Vanilla Cake

This strawberry vanilla layer cake is an absolutely delicious dessert that's perfect for any occasion. This layered cake takes vanilla cake and covered it with a rich strawberry buttercream and is filled with homemade strawberry jam. Every year for my birthday, I make my own birthday cake and i tested this recipe 5 times before perfecting the perfect strawberries and cream cake.

Why people will love this vanilla strawberry cake

People will love this strawberry vanilla cake because it offers the perfect balance of flavors and textures:

• Light and fluffy cake that pairs beautifully with the rich, creamy strawberry buttercream.
• Strawberry jam filling adds a sweet and tangy burst of flavor in every bite.
• Perfect for any occasion with its vibrant color and delightful taste, making it a showstopper at celebrations.
• No artificial colors or flavors: The beautiful color of this cake is used with dehydrated strawberries and homemade strawberry jam.

Ingredients needed for this strawberry and vanilla cake

• Cake flour
• Buttermilk
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Unsalted butter
• Dehydrated strawberries
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla bean paste
• Fresh Strawberries

Instructions to make this strawberry cake

Make the cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper.
• Whisk the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Beat in the 3 eggs, 2 egg whites, oil and vanilla extract on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda until combined. With the mixer still running on low, pour in the buttermilk and mix just until combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 24-26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire cooling rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.

Make the strawberry jam

• Wash and mince the strawberries.
• In a medium saucepan and the sugar, salt and strawberries. Simmer over medium heat and allow to reduce for about 15 minutes. 
• Add the lemon juice and cornstarch. Lower the heat to low and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and pour the fam into a heat safe container and refrigerate to cool until ready to use.

Make the strawberry buttercream

• Using a food processor or blender, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, salt, heavy cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Taste. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Assemble the cake

• Place one cooled cake layer down. Spread a thin layer of the strawberry frosting, then pipe a ring of frosting around the outer edge. Spread a half cup of homemade strawberry filling. Repeat this once more with the second cake layer.

• Place the third layer of cake on top and frost the cake with the remaining frosting.

Expert Tips & Tricks

• Room temperature ingredients – Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking the cake. Especially the butter for the strawberry buttercream, you don't want it to be too cold or too warm.
• Frosting dam - it's important to frost a dam around the edge of the cake so the strawberry filling doesn't leak out. Just place some of the frosting in a piping bag and use a round tip to pipe the frosting.
• Prep ahead - I really recommend making the strawberry filling at least a day ahead of time, this will make your life so much easier! You can make the strawberry jam up to a week in advance and the cake layers two days in advance.

Storage for this vanilla cake with strawberry frosting

Refrigerator Storage: Store the vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream and jam filling in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freezer Storage: To freeze, wrap individual slices or the entire cake (without any garnishes) in plastic wrap, then foil, or store in a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Buttercream & Jam: Store leftover buttercream and jam in the fridge separately for 1 week.

Variations and substitutions for vanilla cake with strawberry filling

Here are some variations and substitutions for a vanilla cake made with strawberry buttercream and strawberry jam filling:

• Cake Flavor Variations: Swap vanilla cake for lemon or almond-flavored cake for a fresh twist.
• Buttercream Variations: Replace strawberry buttercream with raspberry or blueberry buttercream for different fruit flavors.
• Jam Substitutions: Instead of strawberry jam, use apricot, raspberry, or mixed berry jam for the filling.
• Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free buttercream by replacing butter with vegan butter and milk with almond or coconut milk.
• Buttermilk substitution: Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
• Cake flour substitutions: For each cup of cake flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, and replace those 2 tablespoons with cornstarch. Sift them together to combine.
• Frozen strawberries: Don't want have fresh strawberries? Use frozen strawberries instead.
• Vegetable oil substitution: Don't have vegetable oil, you can use canola oil or your flavorless oil of choice.

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