Strawberry Shortcake Cake

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This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is an easy twist on the classic with layers of moist vanilla cake, juicy strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream. The perfect way to enjoy fresh summer strawberries!

This post is sponsored by Challenge Butter, but all opinions are my own.

The Best Strawberry Shortcake Cake

There’s nothing quite like summer strawberries. They are so juicy and flavorful. I don’t know about you, but for me, biting into a sweet, ripe strawberry never fails to put a smile on my face. Putting this delightful fruit center stage in a delicious dessert just makes sense. This shortcake cake does it right.

This strawberry shortcake cake takes the classic dessert made of biscuits, strawberries, and whipped cream and turns it into a beautiful layered cake that’s perfect for summer gatherings. It’s even better, though, because you don’t have to worry about making individual biscuits. It’s made up of three main elements:

  • Vanilla cake – This vanilla cake is light and moist with a great vanilla flavor. It uses equal amounts of butter and vegetable oil to give you a cake with a great buttery flavor and moisture that lasts for several days.
  • Strawberries – Combined with a little sugar, they make up the “sauce” that is drizzled over the cake layers.
  • Homemade whipped cream – You’re going to want to use a stabilized whipped cream, so that you’re cake doesn’t fall apart. I use powdered sugar to stabilize it and it will stay in place for weeks on end. Your cake won’t last long enough to see that, but with the powdered sugar added to your whipped cream, it will definitely make it stay put.

Looking for ways to enjoy strawberry shortcake? Try this classic strawberry shortcake recipe with biscuits made from scratch! Or, check out this easy strawberry shortcake trifle.

A slice of strawberry shortcake cake on a plate with a fork near fresh strawberries.

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Cake Recipe

I love this simple, elegant cake for many reasons but here come some of my favorite things about it.

  • Beautifully simple. This recipe is made up of 3 delicious, simple components none of which overwhelm each other. The vanilla cake, the whipped cream, and the sweet strawberries all shine in their own right
  • Easier than the original. This layered dessert is just as good as classic strawberry shortcake but much easier to throw together. Instead of baking and filling a multitude of individual biscuits, you only have to bake 3 cake layers and stack them with macerated strawberries and whipped cream.
  • It won’t weigh you down. This cake is anything but heavy. The vanilla cake and the whipped cream are both fluffy and light and the strawberries are so fresh and bright. It’s the perfect dessert for warmer summer months.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need. Have a look at the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Ingredients for strawberry shortcake cake; separated.

Cake Layers

  • All-purpose flour – You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour instead if you’d like.
  • Baking powder – For the perfect rise and texture.
  • Salt – Salt brings out the flavor of the cake. Don’t leave it out.
  • Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room temperature otherwise it will not cream properly with the oil, sugar, and vanilla, giving you a dense cake. Challenge butter is my favorite. It’s so creamy and made from the freshest milk. It goes from farm to fridge in just two days. Plus, there aren’t any growth hormones, artificial preservatives, fillers, or dyes. Give it a try.
  • Vegetable oil – The addition of vegetable oil here makes the cake perfectly moist.
  • Sugar – For moisture and great texture.
  • Vanilla extract – For flavor.
  • Eggs – Eggs have many functions in a cake, including adding structure and moisture.
  • Milk – I like using whole milk or 2%.

Strawberries

  • Fresh strawberries – The strawberries play the starring role in this dessert, so choose wisely. Pick small, bright red berries that smell sweet.
  • Sugar – The sugar will draw moisture out of the berries, creating the “sauce”.

Whipped Cream

  • Heavy whipping cream – The heavy whipping cream should be cold. Otherwise, it will not whip up or hold volume as effectively. No one wants a flat whipped cream.
  • Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar helps not only to sweeten the whipped cream but also to stabilize it, keeping your dessert from collapsing.
  • Vanilla extract – For flavor.

How to Make a Strawberry Shortcake Cake

This cake is simple to put together with just 3 components. Here’s how to do it. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

To make the cakes

  • Prep. Line the bottom of three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Cream. Beat the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract until light in color and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
  • Put it all together. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter. Mix to combine. Slowly add the milk. Mix to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix to combine.
  • Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
  • Cool. Cool the cakes in their pans for 2-3 minutes before turning them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.

For the strawberries

  • Prepare the strawberries. Wash, stem, and slice the strawberries.
  • Toss the strawberries together with the sugar.
  • Chill the sugar-coated strawberries in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.

Whipped cream and assembly

  • Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form.
  • Assemble. Place the first cake layer on a cake plate. Add a layer of whipped cream. Add half of the strawberries on top. Repeat with the second cake layer and top the strawberries with the final cake layer.
  • Decorate the top of the cake with whipped cream swirls and fresh strawberries. Drizzle any leftover juices from the strawberries on top of the cake or over individual slices.
  • Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
Strawberry shortcake cake with a slice taken out of it.

Tips for Success

This cake is simple to make, but there are still a few things to keep in mind. Just follow these tips and tricks and you’ll be on your way.

  • Room temperature butter. Be sure to start with room-temperature butter. It will not cream properly with the oil, sugar, and vanilla if it is too cold or melted.
  • Don’t skimp on the cream time. Be sure to cream the butter, oil, and sugar together for the full amount of time prescribed in the recipe. This will add air to the cake which will help it rise.
  • Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients for the cake batter, it is important not to over-mix. Over-mixing will cause the glutens in the flour to over-develop, leaving you with a dense, tough cake.
  • Pick good strawberries and plenty of them. This is strawberry shortcake after all. You wouldn’t want to use mediocre fruits as the star ingredient, now would you? Aim for small, bright red strawberries that smell sweet. And grab a few more than you think you need. It’s always good to have some extras to garnish.
  • Don’t skip the chill. After coating the strawberries in sugar, let them sit in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours. The sugar will draw the juices out of the strawberries, making a sweet, flavorful syrup that really takes this cake to the next level. The longer they sit, the more juice they release.
  • Use the powdered sugar. The powdered sugar stabilizes the whipped cream, so that it doesn’t wilt. It will stay put for days and days.
  • Enjoy fresh. Feel free to make the cakes ahead of time but I would wait to make the strawberries and whipped cream and assemble the cake until you are ready to slice and serve.
Side view of strawberry shortcake cake.

How to Store Leftovers

While this dessert is by far best served fresh, you can store leftovers to enjoy later. Just note that the strawberries will get mushy over time. The best way to store it is to seal the cake in an airtight cake carrier. If you don’t have a cake carrier, wrap the cake in a double layer of plastic wrap. Use toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the whipped cream. Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How To Make This Cake Ahead

One great way to preserve the freshness of this cake (if you don’t plan on eating it right away) is to make the cake layers beforehand and wait to assemble the cake until you are ready to serve. Store the cooled, baked cakes in an air-tight cake carrier or wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The strawberries need an hour or two in the fridge, but I wouldn’t let them sit much longer than that, as they release more juices as they sit and can start to get mushy. When you are ready to serve, make the whipped cream and assemble the cake. Thaw the cakes in the refrigerator first, if applicable.

More Easy Strawberry Dessert Recipes

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”lDviScPy” upload-date=”2019-05-06T09:00:00.000Z” name=”Strawberry Shortcake Cake” description=”This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is an easy twist on the classic dessert with layers of moist vanilla cake, juicy strawberries and fluffy whipped cream!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

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Strawberry shortcake cake on a serving platter.
Recipe

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 14
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is an easy twist on the classic dessert with layers of moist vanilla cake, juicy strawberries and fluffy whipped cream!


Ingredients

Cake Layers

  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour (measured properly)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted Challenge butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk

Strawberries

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries
  • 3 tbsp (39g) sugar

Whipped Cream

  • 2 1/2 cups (600ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 1/4 cups (144g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the cakes

  1. Prepare three 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
  3. Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to and large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time. You should visibly see a change in color and texture.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
  6. Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined.
  7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
  8. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
  9. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

For the strawberries

  1. Wash the strawberries, cut the stems off, and slice them.
  2. Add the sliced strawberries and sugar to a large bowl and toss together. Set in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours to let the sugar bring out the juices from the berries. The longer it sits, the more juices you’ll have.

Whipped cream and assembly

  1. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form.
  2. Place the first cake layer on a cake plate or other serving platter. Add a layer of whipped cream. I used Ateco tip 808 to pipe dallops around the outer edge of the cake, then filled it in. You could also just spread a layer of whipped cream.
  3. Add about half of the strawberries on top of the whipped cream.
  4. Add the second layer of cake, another layer of whipped cream and another layer of strawberries.
  5. Add the final layer of cake, then finish it off with some whipped cream swirls and fresh strawberries. If you have any leftover juices from the sliced strawberries, you could also drizzle that on top or serve it with the cake slices.
  6. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. The cake layers and strawberries can be made up to a day ahead, but the cake is best if layered together the day it’ll be served.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 529
  • Sugar: 37 g
  • Sodium: 45 mg
  • Fat: 32.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 55.9 g
  • Protein: 6.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 120.8 mg

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219 Comments
  1. Claudia

    Hi
    I was planning on making this for Easter but I only have one 9 inch pan so I was looking in the comments about substitutions and I’m now confused as some replies by you state that this is supposed to be an 8 inch cake. Could you clarify that for me and if so could I make this with just two 8 inch pans or could I do two then wait for them to finish before baking a third layer.
    Thanks

    1. Lindsay

      It uses 9 inch pans. You can use 8 inch pans, but they are thicker layers. I personally prefer the 9 inch layers. But you can do it either way. And yes, if you make two layers, you can bake the third afterwards.

  2. Krist

    The cake was WONDERFUL. But the icing I wanna throw hands at, no matter what I did it would just be liquid. Over all everything turned out delicious (But the icing)






    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you were happy with the cake! The filling/frosting is a standard whipped cream. You want to be sure the cream is nice and cold (straight out of the fridge) and that it’s heavy whipping cream, not something else. The high fat content is important for it to whip properly. You could also try freezing the bowl and whisk attachment before whipping it to be sure everything stays cold, but it really shouldn’t be necessary if you aren’t in a super hot environment. I hope that helps!

  3. Brittany

    Amazing! First cake I’ve made that’s been demolished in a single setting… my family doesn’t like anything overly sweet, and this was just enough! I received raved reviews all night and the day after. Clear instructions and it turned out perfectly, definitely will remake this again.






  4. Megan raper

    Could I use 3 8 inch pans instead? I only have two 9 inch and it’s last min so can’t go get another. Live in small town. Do I still just use 3 if I use 8 inch or 4 Pans?

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say from afar. Be sure you fully creamed the butter and sugar mixture, didn’t over mix after adding the dry ingredients and that your baking powder was still good.

  5. Kam

    This recipe is great but I did have one problem, I separated my batter into two 9in pans and they were pretty flat and not that tall would you know why?






    1. Lindsay

      Because this cake is meant to be an 8 inch, when you divide it into larger pans, they won’t be as tall. I would probably do one and a half recipes worth for a 9 inch cake or possibly double it, depending on how tall you want it to be.

  6. Nikki

    I’m currently baking this recipe. Very easy to make! However, I separated mine into three 6in cake pans and I’m at 35min and still baking with 1 cake out before the other 2 (I just baked a 6in 3 layer cake last wk that baked evenly so unsure what happened). They only seem to need 5min more. Other than that, I think this will be a hit! Using stabilized cool whip to save time but def saving this recipe!






    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you’re happy with it overall. If one layer finished baking before the others, but they all baked properly, it sounds like you just filled one a little less than the others or perhaps your oven has one area that’s hotter than the other.

      1. Nikki

        Yes, I def feel like both of those things are accurate for me. I just had to come back and say this cake tastes AHMAAAAAZING. The cake scraps didn’t stand a chance! Lol






  7. Beth Shephard

    Love this recipe! I’m a new baker (this was my first baked item); although I made a mess it was delicious. I’m hosting a large gathering and see that people have made this into cupcakes and also have made in a 9×13 pan. Questions (apologize…want to learn!). If cupcakes, do you flatten the tops and put the strawberries on and then the whipped cream? 9x 13 pan makes one layer and then add the cream and strawberries? Thank you so much






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! As for cupcakes and 9×13 cakes, I’m not really sure exactly how people h ave gone about it. You really could really do it any way you want to. You could divide the 9×13 cake in half and then fill it. For cupcakes, you could try to layer them, or cut out the cupcake core and fill them. Lots of options depending on how you’d like to serve them.

  8. A Jeff

    This was a crowd fav. I think I put too much whipped cream though. The berries didn’t soak into cake. My first time using a pastry bag. I got better. I will definitely make it again. I took a picture but can’t find where to add it. Thanks for inspiring me to bake






  9. Elaine

    Good morning! Do you know if I could sub buttermilk instead of milk? That’s what I have on hand from another cake I just made. Am excited to try this recipe!!

  10. Lee

    I’m always searching for new recipes, and I found this one. I’ve had issues in the past with my desserts being too dry, but this one was a family favorite!






    1. Lindsay

      I’m sure it would be fine. I just personally prefer all purpose and haven’t ever tested cake flour in this.

  11. Virginia Vincent

    This is a great recipe. I was trying to find a shortcake recipe that wasn’t a biscuit. This one fit the bill. I didn’t use it for a full sized cake though. I have a lot of littles, so it’s easier to do this as muffins. It worked beautifully and they were a big hit.






    1. Keri

      Hi. This looks delicious, but wondering if I need to adjust the temp or baking time if only using two 9 inch pans? Thank you

      1. Lindsay

        You don’t need to adjust the temp. Baking time should be similar, just maybe a few more minutes.

  12. Ramona

    I tried doing half on this recipe in cupcake forms, and they turned out PERFECTLY!! suuppeerr fluffy, subtle taste with the batter and with the strawberries? Delicious!!






  13. Anna

    Hi! I attempted this recipe for my family, but for some reason it came out dense and crepe-like. I have no idea why, since I followed the recipe exactly and made sure not to over-mix the batter. Other than that, it was delicious, and everyone seemed to enjoy it even though it wasn’t very cake-like.






    1. Lindsay

      It sounds like it didn’t rise properly. I’d check and make sure your baking powder is still good. Also be sure you are properly creaming the butter and sugar and not over mixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients.

  14. NA

    I want to make this cake using 4 cake pans (8 inches). Want a nice tall cake. How would you adjust the recipe? I was thinking of making an extra 1/2 batch. Would I also need to adjust the temperature and the bake time?

    1. Lindsay

      It depends on how tall you want it to be, but I’d think an extra 1/2 batch would work. The temperature should be the same, but you may need to adjust the bake time.

  15. Abigail

    I hadn’t made a strawberry shortcake before but we had a bunch of strawberries that were about to go off so I decided to try it and I used your recipe. It came out perfectly and tasted wonderful! I’m looking forward to using more of your recipes.






      1. Lindsay

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Unfortunately there is not a way to submit a photo on the site. But feel free to tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see it!

  16. Ashley

    I wish I had taken a picture of this beauty! Delicious!! I did make easy work on myself and just used two tubs of cool whip mixed with two tbsp of powdered sugar (to stabilize it) and it was faster and EVERYONE loved it! Might have been too much whipped cream though because the cake was sliding around toward the end of cutting pieces! Also used butter flavored crisco to grease the sides of the pans and came out light colored.
    And. . Lastly, I always freeze my cake layers as soon as they cool to lock in moisture for next day assembly. Definitely making again, with fresh whipped cream! Thanks so much for the recipe Lindsay!






  17. Mary Jo

    Hi, do you think almond, coconut or oat milk could be substituted for the regular milk in the cake recipe to make this dairy free? I know how to make coconut cream whipped cream so that would work but not sure about the cake
    Thanks

    1. Kayla Scott

      I love this cake, I’ve made it 3 years in a row for my daughter’s birthday and everyone can’t get enough. It’s easy and delicious!

    1. Lindsay

      I would reduce the oven temperature to 325. I’m not sure of the exact bake time. Probably somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes.

  18. Mary

    Any tips on how to get the cakes so light around the edges? Just made and mine weren’t a light yellow like the picture but a light brown—I watched them closely in the oven and pulled out as soon as a toothpick was clean

    1. Lindsay

      The browning can have a lot to do with an individual oven or even the cake pan itself. A darker pan will give you darker edges. You could try bake even strips. They usually produce lighter colored edges.

    1. Lindsay

      You can, but you may want to increase the amount of batter you make. Depending on how tall you want it, we could do one and a half recipes worth or try doubling it.

  19. Monica

    Hi there,
    I just wanted to ask, should the eggs be room temperature? Or are they okay to mix in right from the fridge?
    Thank you!

    1. Lindsay

      I mean most would say they should be room temperature and that does help them incorporate more easily, but I usually just add them cold.

  20. Ashley Montgomery

    Made this for my husbands January birthday and the whole family loved it! Only did 2 layers bc I only have one cake pan so all the layers were just thicker. Will definitely make again!!!! Thank you!!






  21. Christina M Ribisi

    If you’re considering making this cake don’t think twice! This cake was absolutely amazing and exactly what my daughter wanted for her birthday cake. I finally found an awesome strawberry shortcake cake recipe. The vanilla cake was perfect and so was the frosting! The vanilla cake was so moist and not overly sweet. I’m so grateful for this recipe!






  22. Rebecca

    Made this for a friend’s birthday and it was a HIT! The vanilla cake was super light and fluffy and everyone said it tasted like a sweet cloud. I added a tablespoon of the heavy whipping cream and poured it over 3 jumbo marshmallows and microwaved it in 5 second intervals until it was liquid before adding it to my whipped cream to stabilize it more and it really did the trick. Thank you for the recipe!!






  23. Jocelyn

    I used this recipe for my first time making strawberry shortcake! I’m a new baler and this recipe was easy to understand and an absolute HIT at my family bbq this past weekend!!! Thank you 😊 I’ll be checking out more!

  24. Angie

    I have never made this cake before. I don’t have unsalted butter so I’m wondering if it would be best to omit the 1/2 teaspoon of salt because that made sense to me

  25. Linda Mikelsons

    This is the best strawberry shortcake I have ever eaten. My family just loved it. I did have to substitute maple syrup for the vanilla as a family member has many food sensitivities.

  26. Amanda

    This is hands down the best strawberry short cake I’ve ever made and eaten! It was perfect! Super easy recipe to follow!






  27. PJ

    Wanted to make a dessert using the strawberries we picked this afternoon at a local farm. This is an easy to follow recipe, great tasting cake!🍓🍰🍓

    1. Lindsay

      The only thing about salted butter is that it will taste REALLY salty, which comes across as being a really heavy butter taste. You can do it, it just probably won’t taste like you want it to.

  28. Rachel Helwig-Henseleit

    My family says this is the best thing I have ever baked. The vanilla cake is perfect, not too much vanilla and the texture is amazing. I will definitely be making this again and again!






  29. Merna

    This is the most amazing strawberry shortcake I’ve ever had and would give it 10 stars if I could! The cake in itself is light and so delicious!! I did have to make a couple of adjustments since the only major ingredient I had were the strawberries! I didn’t have 3 9” pans so I used 2 square pans and one round one which I froze for another time. I didn’t make the whipped cream since I didn’t have the cream but I did have an 8 oz container of cool whip which was perfect for 2 layers! The next time I will make the whipped cream which I’m sure will take this over the moon! I will NEVER lose this recipe!






  30. Samantha Renee

    Perfectly amazing! The cake was light and the whipped cream was so good, with the extra sweetness from the powdered sugar. The cake was a good balance though and not overly sweet at all. The only thing I’d say is make sure you let the cakes cool in the pan about 10 mins not 3 like the recipe said because mine was too hot and cracked. 






  31. Samantha Renee

    Im planning on making this cake, but I’m wondering if you have any tips for not getting dark edges. My cakes always come out with dark edges and since this is naked it seems important that is the same color as the cake.

    1. Melissa @ Life, Love and Sugar

      Cake pans naturally brown the sides of the cake. A lighter cake pan is going to brown it less.

  32. Maggie

    This recipe was amazing! I saw where you said it could also be made as a large sheet cake (12×18)…would the baking time be different for that or the same?

  33. Victoria B.

    I made this cake for my Mom’s birthday and it was a hit, Absolutely delicious!!! I’m making it again for the holidays so I have a question. Last time, the sides were slightly brown, nothing too bad, but is there a way to prevent this?






  34. Gozde Alpsoykan

    Hi, It look soo good.. I am planning to bake this for my daughter’s birthday. I only have 10″ pans. How much should I increase the amount of ingredients? Thank you…

  35. Danielle

    Made this tonight for a 60th birthday. At an Airbnb so didn’t have a solid choice of round cake pans,. Instead baked it sheet style – multiplied the recipe by two and baked in deep rectangular pan (maybe 10” by 16”) for 40 ish mins at 370. This turned out very well! Not to mention, I mixed everything by hand! This recipe works lie a charm. I would say if you are adjusting your quantity to be sure to keep an eye on brown-ness and the cake pulling away from edges as indicators of doneness in addition to the toothpick test.






  36. Brian

    Trying this recipe this weekend! I usually layer my tiered strawberry shortcake with the whipped cream and a strawberry preserve. Will these sponges hold up to a three-tiered cake layering that way?

    Thank you!

  37. Erin

    Hey there! I made your cake for a graduation and my family loved it! However, three layers was a lot for me to manage. Could I split the batter into two cake pans for a 2 layer cake instead of 3? Thanks!






    1. Lindsay

      So glad you enjoyed it! Two layers should be fine, you’d just need to increase the baking time. I also think the layers turn out a little more dense that way.

      1. Alana

        Ive made this cake multiple times throughout these few months, and it just tastes so amazing! It turns out well everytime. I was wondering if i would be able to halve this recipe to make a 6 inch cake?






      2. Lindsay

        I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it! I don’t really make 6 inch cakes, so it’s hard to say. But that seems like it’d be fine.

    1. Lindsay

      Not really. Having them at room temperature can help them incorporate more easily, but it doesn’t hurt your cake if they’re cold.

  38. Aike

    Hi Lindsay,

    I use the metric system (I live in Europe) and noticed that in your recipe it says to use 1/2 cup of butter and then behind it it says 168 grams. But 1/2 cup of butter weighs 113 grams. I noticed someone named Marcia asked in a comment on June 21, 2020 @ 11:30 am if it was a typo but she never got a reply.






    1. Lindsay

      I’m not sure that I ever saw the other comment, but the butter measurement in grams has been updated. Thanks!

  39. Yomaira

    How would you recommend transporting the cake. I wanna make it for a family function but I’m unsure how he will hold on a 40 min drive 






    1. Lindsay

      I’ve been known to heavily tape (using packing tape) an ice pack to the inside of a cake carrier before. Not super fancy, but it works.

  40. Jeanne Lythgoe

    This was absolutely delicious. It was my first attempt at a homemade strawberry shortcake and I will likely make it again. My only regret is that it isn’t strawberry season but next strawberry season, I definitely see me making this again. And it was so beautiful!! I wish I could upload a picture!






  41. Eileen

    This cake was amazing! My husband wanted strawberry shortcake for his Birthday. I was nervous as i had never made this before! The recipe, directions and hints were perfect! It came out wonderful and my husband and family loved it! Thank you!!






      1. Lindsay

        I’d personally make it one day ahead so it’s fresher, but you could do 2. I’d make the whipped cream fresh though.

  42. Melissa McGregor

    This is a great summer dessert! The vanilla cake is absolutely delicious. I made it as our Fourth of July dessert, so I added some blueberries. I only made two layers – the extra batter made 8 cupcakes, which I froze.






  43. KatyBakes

    I made this recipe and its so good! But instead of oil, I used melted butter and it still turned out great!! This is my go to recipe now. 






  44. Autumn

    Hi there! I so love all your recipes but I for some reason every time make the your vanilla raspberry cake with the reverse creaming method) or this cake – I follow the recipes exactly and immediately they shrink in on the sides and kind of shrivel up. They still taste wonderful but they fail me more than they are a success looks wise. Do you have any idea why this is happening? 






  45. natalie kouyoumdjian

    loved the cake, i just found the cake to be a tad dense. is that how its supposed to be ? everything else was phenomenal.






  46. Jacee

    I made this recipe for Easter and it was a huge hit, everyone was obsessed with it. I’m going to make it again this weekend and was asked if it was possible for me to make it a chocolate cake instead! If possible, how would you recommend I go about adding in the coco? I’m a beginning baker so I don’t wanna just wing it

  47. Marcela

    Hi Lindsay, I was wondering what type of milk you used. Was it whole milk or 2 percent? I am planning on making this for Mother’s day, great recipe! Thanks Lindsay!

  48. Michelle Sukhu

    I made this cake, and it was delicious! I love the texture of the cake layers. This was my first time making strawberry shortcake and it was simple to follow, and came out better than I could have expected. Thank you so much for this recipe. I have a sweet tooth so I decided to add homemade strawberry topping into the layers. I would definitely recommend this recipe to others.






  49. Mads

    I plan to cook the cake for my son’s birthday this Friday but I only have three pan 10,8 and 6 inch. Can I try it in those And still get a good cake or use just the 8 inch one and wait until each Layer is baked?

    Thanks a lot!

  50. Diane

    Absolutely delicious!!   Never made strawberry shortcake before.  So happy I found your recipe!!   
    I will be making this again!!   Thank you so much for sharing!!   

  51. Ss

    Hi there,
    I love in Canada and we don’t have challenge butter. I noticed that the recipe is similar to this one below
    https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/

    Should I still follow the strawberry shortcake butter amounts? I was just wondering what the change in butter amounts did. I was thinking the strawberry shortcake one would be a little more sturdy? Thank you so much in advance!

    1. Michelle Sukhu

      Hey, I live in Canada. I used this recipe for the cake and just substituted another brand of butter; it worked perfectly!

      1. Ss

        Thank you so much! This was amazing!! No one eats fruit desserts in our house but the kids gobbled this up!!






  52. Megan

    This looks so good! I am going to be making it for mother’s day, however I would also like to try the batter as cupcakes, do you think this would hold up okay in cupcake form?

  53. Carolynn

    This was a really great recipe. It was easy to follow and you wrote the steps incredibly well to where I didn’t have to really look anything else up.
    I measured all the ingredients by weight in grams. The only change I made was using 3 tablespoons of sugar for the strawberries instead of 4 (I don’t like it too sweet) and I substituted the milk and cream for lactose free. I also didnt have 3 pans so I divided the batter into two pans and baked it for a little longer (about 6-7 extra minutes). Maybe a higher temperature would have worked that way for two pans but the cake turned out delicious and everything melded together well. I am honestly not a fan of cake but this one was REALLY good. Perfect level of sweetness. I wouldn’t change a thing (other than what I did above for my own personal taste and my family being lactose intolerant and me only have 2 pans!) Great recipe. Here’s a pic of how it turned out: https://imgur.com/a/VBnA4We






  54. VB

    This recipe is fabulous!  My cake is a bit dense as I missed your tip on how long to beat so will fix that next time. Even so the overall taste is phenomenal.  Thanks for the best recipe for my favorite kind of cake.






  55. Linda

    Made this for Easter this year and came out fantastic.  I split it up dropped it off at my families’ front door and it was a huge hit.  I didn’t have the piping bags so just kind of put on the whip cream with a knife.  It made a two layer 8 inch cake for me but the layers were thicker. 

    I had some butter chunks In the batter but that was baking error in my part and now I know the benefit of creaming the butter generously.   Thanks for a great recipe. 






  56. Jacee

    Hi there! Was wanting to make this for Easter and was wondering if I should order cake pans or if using cupcake/muffin pans would work? I’m worried about the density, so I could always make them thinner.

  57. Virginia

    Im going to make this for my 18th birthday soon but I just wanted to make sure I get this right. The sugar I put with the strawberries to bring out the juices ,that’s table sugar right? Not powdered sugar?

  58. Rachel N.

    I made this for my teenage daughters birthday, and our family went crazy over it!!! My mom told me this recipe is definitely a keeper, and I agree!!! Thank you! 






    1. Vincenzina

      Will this cake hold if it is assembled the day before. I would like to do the whipped cream layers and cover the outside with buttercream, thoughts?  The cake looks delicious!

  59. Dorcas Hagerty

    My great nephew requested Strawberry Shortcake for his birthday. I found this recipe by searching on Pinterest. Everyone loved the cake. Even my other great nephew who doesn’t even like whipped cream. I have never made this before. The instructions were very easy to follow.






  60. Malini

    This looks amazing! How is this stored and will the whipped cream hold with the powdered sugar and be stabilized?
    Can’t wait to make this! 😊

    1. Lindsay

      If you make the whipped cream as listed, it holds up very well for days and days. As for storage, an air tight container in the fridge is best.

      1. Kristy

        I am going to make this cake tomorrow but I misread that I needed cream to whip and not already whipped whip cream … lol. Will this work and should I add icing sugar to the already whip cream? 

        Thanks!

        Kristy

      2. Lindsay

        What kind of whipped cream did you get? If it’s a stable one, like Cool Whip, it’ll be fine. Otherwise, I’m not sure.

  61. olivia

    what a wonderful recipe :)! that looks absolutely delicious! would be great for a summer party. The photos look stunning as well! thank you for sharing with us!

      1. Jacee

        I made this recipe for Easter and it was a huge hit, everyone was obsessed with it. I’m going to make it again this weekend and was asked if it was possible for me to make it a chocolate cake instead! If possible, how would you recommend I go about adding in the coco? I’m a beginning baker so I don’t wanna just wing it! 

      2. Grace Donayre

        Hi Lindsay, thank you for sharing your recipe. I am thrilled to make this for my husband’s birthday 😊. I would like to ask, what whip cream are you using, is it dairy or non-dairy whip cream? Thanks a lot and keep safe.

  62. Fir

    Hi Lindsay! Do you think this recipe would work as a sheet cake? I’m thinking of making this for a potluck with around 30 people, thought a round cake may be a bit more difficult to portion out than a sheet cake.

    1. Lindsay

      It would work well as a large sheet cake, like a 12 x 18. I find that as a 9 x 13 cake, it gets a little dense.

    2. Marcia

      I just made this cake a couple days ago. And needless to say after 2 days it was completely gone. Now, my family and friends are asking me to make it again. It was a easy recipe to follow. And it came out beautifully. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. It’s now a regular part of my baking recipes. I luv it😍






      1. Milia

        Hi! You are my favorite dessert blogger and people think I’m a professional baker when I make your cakes because your recipes are amazing! Quick question, I’m making this now for Father’s Day and and I noticed that for half a cup of butter you wrote 168g and for oil it was listed as 120g. I am lazy and weigh everything rather than getting out measuring cups/washing them. LOL I am used to both butter and oil being 14g a tablespoon, making half a cup 112g. Could there be a mistake? TIA!

    1. Lindsay

      You can just let it sit at room temperature until the other ones are done and then bake it. That should be fine.

  63. Meilani

    Wow love,
    you are incredible
    i made this yesterday and took it to my Gran’s it reminded her of summer holidays in her childhood!
    Thanx your twins are gorgeous😍






      1. Shawn

        I made this and it’s very good and pretty. How can I make the cake a bit more moist? Do I just add more oil? 

        On another note do you have an email I can write to you to tell you how your recipes and baking have been a Blessing during a very very very difficult time in my life. Your recipes have been my sanity. 

  64. Ms. Carolyn Holley

    OMG, this cake looks scrumptious……I’m going to try to make it for Mother’s Day, I guarantee it will be a hit!






      1. Lindsay

        You could reduce the sugar but keep in mind that sugar doesn’t just sweeten things. Sugar also adds moisture. So if you were to leave some out, your cake could end up a little more dry.

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29