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A three layer vanilla cake with strawberry filling that's been sliced open
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4.50 from 6 votes

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
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
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.