This strawberries and cream cake features a light and fluffy vanilla cake, a thick layer of vanilla pudding, homemade strawberry jam, and strawberries, and is topped with a whole lot of whipped cream.
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strawberries and cream cake
Hello hello! I’m super excited to share this recipe with you all today because it’s truly equal parts pretty & delicious. The look of this cake is very much inspired by Fraisier Cake, but it’s not a technical fraisier cake so we’re calling it a strawberries and cream cake. It’s made with a thick, super light and fluffy vanilla cake. We’re splitting the cake into two layers and filling it with a thick layer of vanilla pudding along with some homemade strawberry jam and strawberries, and then piling a *thick* layer of whipped cream on top along with more strawberries. The only thing special you’ll need is a 7″ springform pan (or 6″ for a taller cake) – you can find the one I used here. But other than that, this cake is super easy to make. So let’s get into it! 🙂
why you’ll love this strawberries and cream cake:
- It’s super light and fluffy: we’re adding whipped egg whites into the vanilla cake to make it extra light and fluffy.
- The thick layer of vanilla pudding: no frosting here – a thick layer of (instant) vanilla pudding takes the place of frosting and adds a delicious creaminess that pairs so well with the strawberries.
- Strawberries: this cake is loaded with strawberries, from the pudding to being piled on top.
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Be careful when mixing the cake batter:
When you over-mix your batter, you create more gluten in the batter which will make your cake go from light and moist to dense and chewy. When you mix in the wet ingredients, be sure to only mix just until that last streak of flour disappears.
Use room temperature ingredients:
This is super important for allowing the batter to come together smoothly. You’ll want to take your ingredients out of the fridge about an hour before baking to allow them enough time to come to room temperature.
Keep a close eye on the cake while it bakes:
Cakes and cupcakes like to go from under-baked to over-baked super quickly so it is important to keep a close eye on them. I’d recommend that you start checking on the cake around 35 minutes.
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients for strawberries and cream cake:
vanilla cake:
- All purpose flour: gives the cake structure.
- Baking powder: for helping the cake rise.
- Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the batter.
- Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cake and for flavor. You can substitute in salted butter, just be sure to omit the extra salt in the batter.
- Vegetable oil: for tenderizing the cake. If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, you can use another neutral oil such as canola.
- Granulated sugar: for adding sweetness and for locking in moisture.
- Egg whites: for binding the batter together, adding moisture, and for making the cake super light and fluffy.
- Vanilla: for flavor.
- Sour cream & whole milk: for moisture and for tenderizing the cake. I recommend full-fat for both of these for the best texture, but low-fat or non-dairy alternatives should work well here.
homemade strawberry jam:
- Strawberries: you could use fresh or frozen here – I typically prefer frozen since it’s often cheaper and you don’t have to worry about the fruit going bad before you want to use it!
- Granulated sugar: for sweetening up the jam.
- Lemon: you’ll need a fresh lemon for the zest and juice. This helps to brighten up the flavor of the jam.
- Corn starch: for thickening up the jam
vanilla pudding:
- Instant vanilla pudding: I used Jell-o brand. This is a super simple (but super delicious) alternative to pastry cream for this cake.
- Heavy cream: thickens up the pudding and makes it more creamy.
- Whole milk: used to dissolve the pudding mix. 1% or 2% will work great here as well.
- Strawberries: you’ll want some fresh strawberries here.
Whipped cream:
- Heavy whipping cream: the base of the whipped cream.
- Granulated sugar: just a bit of sugar to sweeten up the cream a little.
- Vanilla bean paste: or vanilla extract, for flavor
- Salt: to balance the sweetness of the whipped cream.
- Strawberries: for piling on top of the cake!
how to make strawberries and cream cake
Below are some images of what the cake looks like at various points of the process. You can find the full recipe at the end of the blog post!
- Beat together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and butter.
- Then mix in your wet ingredients, followed by whipped egg whites.
- Bake the cake.
- While the cake is baking, make the strawberry jam.
- Make the pudding layer by whisking together the instant pudding, heavy cream, and milk.
- Once the cake has cooled, slice it in half horizontally.
- Line the outer ring of the cake with strawberry halves.
- Then add in the pudding & strawberry jam and top it with the top cake layer. Pile high with whipped cream and strawberries, and enjoy!
strawberries and cream cake recipe q&a
Help! My cake is dry / over-baked
If your cake turned out a tad dry, you can brush some milk on to the layers to help make it a bit more moist again. The pudding filling will also help and make it more moist over time.
can I turn this into cupcakes?
If you’d like to turn these into cupcakes, you definitely could! Bake them off as cupcakes (of course.) You will get around 10, depending how much you fill the liners. Once they’ve cooled, make a divot in the centers and fill them with strawberry jam. Place a big ol’ scoop of the pudding on top of the cupcakes to frost them and top them with some strawberries for garnish.
Can I bake this cake in a different sized pan?
You could bake this in a 8″ springform. Just note that the cake and cream layer will be a tad thinner.
can I make this cake ahead of time?
Definitely! You can bake the cake up to two days in advance and keep it stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I would recommend waiting to fill the cake with the pudding until the day you want to serve it, so you don’t have to keep it stored in the fridge where it will dry out faster.
how to store strawberries and cream cake
Once you fill the cake, you’ll want to keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep well for about 3 days.
tools and ingredients:
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see and know your thoughts! please leave a comment and review below, and tag me on instagram @freshbeanbakery. #freshbeanbakery
Strawberries and Cream Cake
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 150 g all purpose flour (1 ¼ c.)
- 1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 175 g granulated sugar (¾ c. + 2 tbsp.)
- 85 g unsalted butter cubed, room temperature (6 tbsp.)
- 25 g vegetable oil (2 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 60 g sour cream room temperature (¼ c.)
- 100 g whole milk room temperature (¼ c. + 3 tbsp.)
- 2 egg whites room temperature
Strawberry Jam
- 125 g frozen or fresh strawberries (¾ c.)
- 50 g granulated sugar (¼ c.)
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 12 g corn starch (1 ½ tbsp.)
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
Vanilla Pudding
- 1 packet instant vanilla pudding (96g / 3.4 oz)
- 335 g heavy whipping cream (1 ½ c.)
- 115 g whole milk (½ c.)
- 7-8 fresh strawberries halved (½ lb.)
Whipped Cream
- 225 g heavy whipping cream (1 c.)
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 225 g strawberries, for topping (½ lb.)
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Butter a 7" springform pan, then coat the inside with sugar.
- To a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cubed butter. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the mixture together until the butter has completely combined with the dry ingredients and no lumps remain.
- Add in the oil, vanilla, sour cream and milk. Whisk the ingredients together just until a cohesive batter has formed.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks.
- Add the egg whites to the batter and gently fold them into the batter until the mixture is cohesive.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- While the cake is baking, make the strawberry jam.
Strawberry Jam
- In a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir frequently, mashing the strawberries down as much as you can as they soften.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and lemon juice. Add it to the jam, and stir continuously until the mixture thickens.
- Remove the jam from the heat and set it aside until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Vanilla Pudding
- Add the instant vanilla pudding mix to a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in the heavy cream and whole milk and whisk for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the pudding to the fridge to chill until you're ready to assemble the cake.
- Once the cake has completely cooled to room temperature, slice it in half horizontally to get two even pieces. If the cake seems a little over-baked/dry, brush some milk onto the inside part of both halves.
- Place the bottom half of the cake into the pan. Place the halved strawberries standing up and facing outwards towards the cake pan, along the outer ring (I have pictures of this earlier in the post for visual reference.) You'll want to make sure the strawberries are short enough that they don't peak out of the top of the pan, so that the top cake layer can sit flat on top of the pudding/strawberry mixture.
- Add ½ of the pudding mixture into the center of the cake and carefully spread it into an even layer, making sure it spreads into the crevices between the strawberries. Spread the jam into an even layer over the pudding, then add the remaining pudding on top. Use a knife to swirl the jam into the pudding.
- Place the top half of the cake on to the pudding – pushing down slightly to secure it.
- Cover the cake and place it in the fridge while you make the whipped cream.
Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl (or to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.) Beat the mixture until soft peaks form.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and from the pan. Top it with the whipped cream and extra strawberries. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.