Strawberry Shortcake

This strawberry shortcake layer cake is the ultimate take on a classic dessert. A thick layer of whipped cream and chunky strawberry slices is sandwiched between two thick, airy, moist cake layers and topped with more whipped cream and strawberries. It’s the ultimate strawberry shortcake experience!

Strawberry shortcake is a classic dessert that so many of us love. When we think of decadent desserts strawberry shortcake is always on the shortlist of all-time favorites. There’s a reason for that. It’s absolutely delicious. It’s a dessert that is a marvel of absolute deliciousness and total simplicity all at once. There are no fancy procedures. No gimmicks. It’s just delicious cake, whipped cream, and strawberries all combined together to create a flavor that everyone always adores.

I’m a life-long fan of strawberry shortcakes. Its delicious flavors are so versatile that the recipe has been made in all sorts of variations by people over the years. From full-sized layer cakes like my recipe to miniature versions. There are even strawberry shortcake variations out there that use a cake base with more of a biscuit texture. There’s almost no end to the variations on this dessert that you can find, and they’re all delicious.

For my money, though, nothing really beats this strawberry shortcake layer cake. Those thick pieces of cake combined with a luxuriously thick filling of whipped cream and chunky strawberries make for a towering slice of absolute deliciousness. It’s a recipe that’s so good and so easy you’ll find yourself making it again and again once you try it.

Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

I’ve been making strawberry shortcakes in one form or another for decades. The first recipe I ever made was one that had cake layers with a biscuit-like texture. I loved it, but it wasn’t the perfect recipe for me. From there, I moved on to recipes that had cake layers that were more puff pastry in their texture. In fact, one recipe I tried actually used puff pastry! I loved them all to varying degrees, but I still kept searching for the perfect recipe. Finally, I decided to just make my own.

My strawberry shortcake layer cake uses two thick layers of delicious vanilla pound cake and a center layer of homemade whipped cream and chunky chopped strawberries. It’s a completely homemade recipe that is absolutely divine but doesn’t take a lot of time to make. It’s a recipe that is definitely greater than the sum of its parts, and I know you’re going to love it.

Tips

This strawberry shortcake layer cake might look fancy, but it’s a super simple recipe. You might expect it to be difficult because it’s completely homemade, but in reality, it all comes together quickly and easily. Like any recipe, though, there are things you can do to make sure you get the absolute best outcome. That’s what I’m sharing with you here.

Room Temperature Eggs

With any baking recipe, it’s important to allow your eggs to come to room temperature. It allows for easier incorporation and makes everything so much smoother. For this recipe, it’s especially important because you’ll be mixing the eggs until light and fluffy and then mixing in the sugar and until it’s all smooth and creamy.

Don’t Substitute the Cream

If you’re looking for a healthy recipe, this isn’t it. This strawberry shortcake layer cake is all about rich, delicious flavors. Don’t switch out the heavy cream for a lighter option. The heavy cream in the cake batter adds so much richness to the cake, and the heavy cream for the whipped cream is absolutely required to be able to make proper whipped cream.

Fold, Don’t Mix

When adding the strawberry puree to your homemade whipped cream be absolutely certain that you fold it in. Don’t mix it. Folding allows you to incorporate the puree without ruining the whipped cream. If you do a mixing motion, you’ll deflate the whipped cream and it will get flat and/or runny.

Use Thick Strawberry Slice

The best size for your strawberry slices is ¼ to ½ inch thick. One of the things about this cake that makes it so amazing is getting a nice, thick chunk of strawberry along with the whipped cream when you take a bite. Heavenly.

Variations

This cake is absolutely perfect just as it is, but you can do a few things to it to switch things up a bit. These variations will keep the flavor and spirit of the cake intact but leave you with a slightly different feel to it.

Make a Sheet Cake

While I absolutely love making this cake in layered form, you can make a sheet cake version if you prefer. Simply pour the batter into a prepared 9×13 baking dish and bake. Then simply pile it high with the whipped cream and strawberries.

Use Cool Whip

In my opinion, the homemade whipped cream is one of the best parts of this strawberry shortcake layer cake, but if you’re pressed for time, you can use Cool Whip instead. It will still be delicious!

Serving Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

Just cut out a big slice and put it on a plate. That’s all you need to do! So now what about where to serve it? Well, everywhere, honestly. This cake is so easy to make, it’s perfect for a weeknight dessert. It’s also fancy enough to serve at any sort of potluck or get-together you might be attending. It’s especially great for Easter because of that light, spring flavor. With its delicious flavor and red and white colors, it’s also perfect as a Christmas dessert.

Storing Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

This strawberry shortcake will keep in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to three days. You can’t freeze this cake, so be sure to make it only when you know it will all be eaten within three days. There’s an absolutely key reason that you can’t freeze this cake. The whipped cream will break when you defrost it, so don’t try to freeze it. It will just ruin the cake.

Give This Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake a Try

This strawberry shortcake layer cake is so much easier than it tastes. It looks and tastes like it must have taken forever to make, but in reality, you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time. It’s quite simple. It’s also absolutely one of the best desserts you’ll ever make. Give it a try, and I know you’ll agree!

Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients

• Fresh strawberries
• All purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Milk
• Heavy cream
• Butter
• Vanilla extract

How To Make Strawberry Shortcake

• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy then add sugar and beat for about 3 minutes until nice and creamy.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until combined.
• Using a small saucepan, heat milk, heavy cream and butter over low heat until butter has melted and then slowly add to batter, followed by vanilla. Mix until combined.
• Pour batter into two prepared cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from oven, run a knife around the edge and let cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
• To make the whipped cream, add heavy cream, sugar, vanilla to a medium bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in pureed strawberries.
• Add half of the whipped cream to the top of one cake.
• Place strawberries on top of the layer of homemade whipped cream, then place the second cake layer on top, add the whipped cream.
• Garnish with whole strawberries and place in the fridge until ready to serve, then enjoy.

Try This Delicious Strawberry Shortcake Recipe Today

Here are a few more delicious strawberry dessert recipes that can be found on the blog:

• Strawberry Cobbler
• Strawberry Lemonade Cream Cheese Poke Cake
• Mini Strawberry Strudel Bites
• Homemade Strawberry Crisp

And here is a delicious Cherry Cream Cheese Danish from Deliciously Seasoned that you are sure to enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake

Great Grub, Delicious Treats

A delicious two layered strawberry shortcake cake recipe the whole family will enjoy.

4.50 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 489 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• fresh strawberries

For The Homemade Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup strawberry puree
• fresh strawberries, sliced

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

For The Cake

• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy then add sugar and beat for about 3 minutes until nice and creamy.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until combined.
• Using a small saucepan, heat milk, heavy cream and butter over low heat until butter has melted and then slowly add to batter, followed by vanilla. Mix until combined.
• Pour batter into two prepared cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from oven, run a knife around the edge and let cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For The Homemade Whipped Cream

• To make the whipped cream, add heavy cream, sugar, vanilla to a medium bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in pureed strawberries.
• Add half of the whipped cream to the top of one cake.
• Place strawberries on top of the layer of homemade whipped cream, then place the second cake layer on top, add the whipped cream.
• Garnish with whole strawberries and place in the fridge until ready to serve, then enjoy.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate.

 

Please note that these values can change with different brands and any modifications made to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements.

 

Cake recipe adapted from Island Bakes

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 7gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 999IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Shorcake, Strawberry Dessert, Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Shortcake Cake

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Enjoy, Terri

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