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    Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling

    May 25, 2023 by stylesweet 5 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This moist vanilla cake with strawberry filling and buttercream icing is the perfect celebration cake for birthdays and summer parties. Made with real, fresh strawberries, this cake is full of delicious flavor.

    If you love strawberries, then you must try this cake! It is everything you would ever want out of a vanilla cake with strawberry filling.

    Moist, tender cake? Check. Fresh strawberries for real strawberry flavor? Check. The easiest from-scratch cake recipe? Check.

    The vanilla cake uses my fool-proof one bowl vanilla cake recipe. It is super easy to make, doesn't need a mixer, and comes out moist and fluffy every time.

    The real strawberry butter is sweet and flavorful. I won't be surprised if you want to lick it off the spatula! Making the strawberry sauce for the buttercream means you can sneak a few dollops of strawberry sauce between the layers for added flavor.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Tools and Equipment
    • Steps for Baking a Vanilla Strawberry Cake
    • Assembling the Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling
    • Tessa's Tips
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Strawberry Cream Filling for Cakes
    • Serving and Storage
    • Vanilla Strawberry Cake Recipe FAQs
    • Join the Style Sweet Bake Club!
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

    I was inspired by my strawberry chiffon cake with sliced strawberries as well as my strawberry layer cake. This version is different because of the easy vanilla cake frosted and filled with strawberry buttercream.

    Ingredients

    This vanilla cake starts with basic pantry staples, eggs, milk, and melted butter.

    Ingredients for making a vanilla cake
    • Granulated sugar
    • All-purpose flour
    • Kosher salt
    • Baking powder
    • Milk (whole milk is preferred but any percentage or non-diary milk is fine)
    • Vanilla extract
    • Large eggs
    • Unsalted butter - for flavor and the buttercream
    • Avocado or canola oil - for extra moisture
    • Fresh strawberries
    • Icing or powdered sugar
    • Cornstarch - for thickening the buttercream
    • Fresh lemon juice - balance the sweetness in the buttercream

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Tools and Equipment

    This easy can recipe is stirred together by hand. But for the frosting, you will want an electric mixer and some basic cake decorating tools. Here's a list of everything used to bake it:

    • Electric mixer - for the buttercream
    • Saucepan
    • Small food processer
    • Mesh sieve
    • Various mixing bowls
    • Whisk
    • Rubber spatula
    • Three 6-inch cake pans
    • Offset spatula
    • Rotating cake stand
    • Piping bag and tips
    • Serrated knife
    A slice of vanilla cake with strawberry filling and frosting on a stack of white plates

    Steps for Baking a Vanilla Strawberry Cake

    Make the cake batter - this easy cake batter can be stirred together by hand in a large mixing bowl.

    Bake the cake - as the cake bakes, get started on the strawberry sauce so both have time to cool.

    Cook the strawberry sauce - puree and cook the strawberries until they thicken into a sauce.

    Finished the buttercream - after the strawberry sauce cools, mix it into whipped buttercream frosting

    Finally, Assemble the cake - use the strawberry buttercream for filling and frosting. Decorate as desired.

    Assembling the Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling

    If you are new to cake decorating, read up on how to stack and fill a cake for my best tips tricks. Follow it up with how to ice a cake for full step-by-step photos.

    Piping strawberry buttercream onto a vanilla cake

    Firstly, pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake layers to keep the strawberry filling from leaking.

    Spooning strawberry filling onto a vanilla cake

    Swirl on a couple spoonfuls of strawberry sauce between the layers for extra flavor.

    Stacking a three layer vanilla cake with strawberry filling

    Stack the layer as evenly as possible. Adjust them as needed before you start icing the cake.

    Icing a cake with strawberry buttercream

    Next, ice the cake in a thin layer of buttercream frosting first, chill, then add a smoother out layer to finish.

    Tessa's Tips

    Always make sure to use a buttercream dam to hold in loose fillings like jam. Consequently, if the strawberry sauce begins to leak out as you stack the cakes, scrape it out and start again with a buttercream dam.

    If the buttercream is too soft to pipe, add in a bit more powdered sugar - a ½ cup at a time. If it is too stiff, add a bit more strawberry sauce - a tablespoon at a time.

    A pink strawberry butter cream cake with fresh strawberries on top

    Substitutions

    Non-Dairy - This recipe should be fine to using non-dairy milk and plant-based butter.

    Cornstarch - It is not absolutely necessary to use if you are in a pinch, but the cornstarch will help thicken the strawberry sauce before being added to the buttercream. You can also use arrowroot flour or tapioca starch.

    Variations

    Vanilla Cake with Raspberry Filling - use the raspberry frosting from these raspberry cupcakes instead.

    8-inch Cake - bake the batter in two 8-inch round cakes (make sure not to fill them more than ¾ of the way). Adjust bake time accordingly.

    Strawberry Cream Filling for Cakes

    The strawberry sauce for the strawberry buttercream begins the same way as this strawberry cream cheese frosting.

    Purred strawberries in a food processor

    Firstly, puree fresh strawberries in a mini food processor or small blender.

    Thickened strawberry sauce in a pan

    Cook down the strawberry puree until slightly reduced then add cornstarch to thicken.

    Adding strawberry sauce to cream cheese frosting

    Whip together the butter and sugar for the frosting then add the cooled strawberry sauce.

    A mixing bowl full of strawberry cream cheese frosting

    Mix the strawberry cream filling until smooth and spreadable.

    Serving and Storage

    Serve this strawberry vanilla cake at room temperature. Keep at a cool room temperature over night.

    Store leftovers covered in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    You can freeze unfrosted cake layers by wrapping them well in plastic or foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cakes layers in the refrigerator overnight.

    Likewise, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. Thaw frozen cake sliced in the refrigerator for a few hours.

    Vanilla Strawberry Cake Recipe FAQs

    Does strawberry buttercream need to be refrigerated?

    No, but it should not sit out a room temperature more than 24 hours. The assembled cake can sit in a cool temperature up to over night.

    Why did my strawberry buttercream separate?

    Broken buttercream happens when too much liquid is forced into the butter and sugar mixture.

    A bunch of mini two-layer vanilla cakes with flowers on top

    Join the Style Sweet Bake Club!

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    Related Recipes

    Love this recipe? Here are more strawberry cake recipes to try:

    • A mini chiffon cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream frositng
      Mini Strawberry Chiffon Cake
    • Strawberry layer cake on a white cake stand with fresh berries on top
      Strawberry Layer Cake
    • a slice of no-bake strawberry cheesecake
      No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
    • Slices of cake with strawberries baked on top
      Strawberry Snacking Cake

    Please leave a star review if you loved this recipe! Make sure to share your recipes and tag me on Instagram @stylesweetdaily. 

    Recipe

    A three layer vanilla cake with strawberry filling that's been sliced open
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling and Buttercream

    Fluffy layers of vanilla cake are filled and frosted with fresh strawberry buttercream in the 3-layer cake.
    Prep Time45 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time2 hours hrs
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: strawberry buttercream, strawberry cake, strawberry filling, strawberry frosting, vanilla cake
    Servings: 10

    Ingredients

    For the Vanilla Cake

    • 2 ¼ cup (280g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ cup (300g) granulated sugar
    • 2 ½ tea baking powder
    • ½ tea kosher salt
    • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
    • 3 large eggs
    • 2 tea vanilla extract
    • ½ cup (120ml) avocado or canola oil
    • ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter melted

    For the Strawberry Filling

    • 2 cups sliced strawberries lightly packed
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • pinch salt
    • 2 tea cornstarch
    • ¼ lemon juice squeezed
    • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
    • 4 whole strawberries sliced in half

    Instructions

    To Make the Cake

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 6-inch cake pans and set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. 
    • Add the melted butter and oil. Whisk the batter until the fats begin to emulsify into the batter, then switch to a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Continue to stir until smooth. It is okay if a few lumps remain.
    • Tip the mixture into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Completely cool the cake before frosting.

    To Make the Strawberry Filling and Buttercream

    • Puree the diced strawberries in a mini food processor or blender. Pour into a saucepan along with the granulated sugar and salt. Cook to simmer then reduce the heat to low.
    • Continue to cook to reduce the sauce and make the flavor more concentrated, about 15 minutes. Do not reduce to less than 1 cup of puree.
    • Make a slurry by whisking the cornstarch with a couple teaspoons water until dissolved. Pour the slurry into the strawberry sauce. Add a squeeze of a ½ lemon and stir to combine. Keep stirring the sauce until it thickens then remove from the heat to cool completely.
    • When ready, use an electric mixer to mix the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
    • Add about 4 tablespoons strawberry sauce. Mix to combine.

    To Assemble

    • Place one layer of cake on cake board or serving dish. Fill a piping bag with a plain tip with strawberry buttercream.
    • Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outer edge of the cake, about ½-inch tall. Fill the center with buttercream and spread with the back of a spoon to create a shallow bowl.
    • Dollop 2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry sauce and gently swirl to combine, making sure none of the sauce reaches the edges of the cake. Top with the next layer and repeat.
    • Cover the cake with a thin layer of buttercream all over. Chill the cake for 15 minutes or until firm.
    • Smoothly ice the cake with buttercream frosting. Use any remaining frosting to decorate. Add fresh strawberries, if desired.

    Notes

    Serve this strawberry vanilla cake at room temperature. Keep at a cool room temperature over night.
    Store leftovers covered in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    Always make sure to use a buttercream dam to hold in loose fillings like jam. Consequently, if the strawberry sauce begins to leak out as you stack the cakes, scrape it out and start again with a buttercream dam.
    If the buttercream is too soft to pipe, add in a bit more powdered sugar - a ½ cup at a time. If it is too stiff, add a bit more strawberry sauce - a tablespoon at a time.
    « Stabilized Whipped Cream with Cream Cheese
    Fluffy Blueberry Buttercream »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paula

      May 25, 2023 at 10:29 pm

      I love your books and site! A question: I notice that some (or one) of your vanilla cakes is made with both all purpose flour and cake flour. This particular recipe only uses ap flour. Do you choose the flour(s) based on a particular recipe and advise not to stray from the type of flour(s) named? I ask because I struggle with making a vanilla cake that I truly love and not sure why. I am curious to try this one as it uses melted butter which I have not tried in vanilla cake yet.

      Reply
      • stylesweet

        May 27, 2023 at 2:36 am

        Hi there! Thank you for reaching out with some great questions. Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour and usually results in a softer cake texture. For cakes made with oil (not the creaming method), I generally reach for the all-purpose flour since they tend to be pretty moist. Also, some brands of cake flour make almost too soft cakes, so that is why sometimes I use a mix of both. So it kind of depends on preference. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Sadie

      May 29, 2023 at 5:53 pm

      hello! I was wondering if you could also include the grams along side in the recipes. not trying to say one is better than the other but weighing is definitely more accurate for me lol I don't trust my flour scooping skills haha Thank you! much appreciated 🙂

      Reply
      • stylesweet

        May 29, 2023 at 6:34 pm

        Hi! Thank you for asking. I always include grams in my newsletter recipes and cookbooks, but never sure if readers are concerned here or not. I will try to add both options more - starting with this one!

        Reply
    3. Toni

      May 30, 2023 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Thank you. Will make it again

      Reply

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    Tessa Huff

    Hi, I'm Tessa Huff! I am the cookbook author of Layered and Icing on the Cake. I bake, develop recipes, and photograph food from my home studio in North Vancouver, BC.

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