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Strawberry Vanilla Cake

Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 1663kcal
Author: Cari

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 ⅔ cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cups unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs + 2 additional egg whites at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk at room temperature

Strawberry Jam filling

  • 1 lb of fresh strawberries
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon of cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Jam filling

  • 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 6 cups confectioner sugar
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 64 oz dehydrated strawberries

Instructions

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. Use immediately.

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.
  • Place the completed cake in the refrigerator and allow it to cool and set for atleast an hour.

Notes

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.