Strawberries & Cream Cake

Spongey vanilla cake, with a super simple vanilla whipped cream, and topped with fresh strawberries, this Strawberries & Cream Cake is perfect for spring and summer.

This cake was inspired by my recipe for the more traditional Erdbeerkuchen because I wanted something quick and simple but still delicious! It has the same vanilla cake base but the key is the vanilla cream which is made with just two ingredients, whipped cream and instant vanilla pudding mix.

What is strawberry cream cake made of?

This Strawberries and Cream cake is SUPER simple! It’s made with a one bowl vanilla sponge cake (which you can sub for vanilla box cake if you really can’t be bothered), with a layer of whipped cream which is stabilized and sweetened with vanilla pudding mix, and then topped with freshly cut up strawberries.

What do you put on strawberries to keep them fresh on cake?

To keep the strawberries looking fresh and juicy, I like to heat up raspberry or strawberry jelly (aka no chunks) with a little water so that it becomes like a simple syrup and then brush it onto the fruit. This can be a little tedious so an alternative is to toss the strawberries in the jelly mix first and then put them on the cake.

What can I use instead of strawberries?

Yes! Strawberries or raspberries are most traditional here but you could do sliced peaches, blackberries, cherries, or even apricots.

Additional Recipes to try!

• Kirschkuchen | Cherry Coffee Cake
• Upside Down Rhubarb cake
• Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte | Black Forest Cake

Tips for making German Strawberry Cake

• Err on the side of baking the cake for 35 minutes rather than 30 as it can have a tendency to sink slightly but the oil will keep it from drying out.
• Allow the cake to cool fully before moving on to the Whipped Cream layer. If it is still warm, the cream with become runny and soak into the cake.
• If the cream isn’t stiff enough (it should be a little soft), place it in the fridge to encourage the pudding to start setting.
• No matter which way you decide to layout the strawberries on top, whole, halved, or diced, the cake will be delicious so don’t stress.

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake Layer

• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store. There are three whole eggs in the cake.
• Sugar: White granulated sugar gives this cake its slight sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a little flavor and enhances the sweetness of the cake.
• Salt: Salt balances out the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor of the cake.
• Oil: Any neutral oil such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil will work in this cake.
• Water: This cake is often made with sparkling water which makes it a little extra fluffy but it will also work the regular water.
• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for this vanilla cake! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Corn Starch: Mixing cornstarch with flour gives the cake a lighter and more tender texture similar to what you get when using cake flour instead.
• Baking Powder: In addition to the air whisked into the eggs, baking powder helps the cake rise so be sure it hasn’t expired.

Whipped Cream & Strawberries

• Heavy Cream: Heavy Cream or heavy whipping cream will work in this recipe. It should be cold when you whip it.
• Instant Vanilla Pudding mix: Most brands will work for this (every one that I have tried has worked) but it needs to be instant pudding mix, not the cooked version. This stiffens the cream, adds sweetness, and vanilla flavor.
• Strawberries: I love making this in spring and summer because fresh strawberries are used to top off the cake and they taste best when in season!

How to make Strawberries & Cream Cake?

Vanilla Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Line a 9″ springform pan with a piece of parchment paper or with baking spray that includes flour.
• In the bowl of a mixer, add in the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Use the whisk attachment to whisk on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy and the lines of the whisk appear in the egg mixture.
• With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the oil and water until just mixed.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, and corn starch.
• Use the whisk attachment by hand to gently mix in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, the batter should no longer be clumpy.
• Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick, inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean.
• Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Strawberries & Vanilla Whipped Cream

• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, pour in the cold cream and sprinkle over the vanilla pudding mix.
• Immediately whip the cream with the pudding mix, using the paddle attachment, until stiff peaks form.
• Rinse the strawberries and dry. Remove the tops and then cut the strawberries in half or dice.
• Use a large spoon or spatula to scoop the whipped cream onto the cooled vanilla cake. Poke the strawberries, top side down into the whipped cream. You can arrange them however you want or just sprinkle them all over the top!
• I usually start in the center of the cake with the strawberries and work my way out.