Strawberries & Cream Cake

Light and fluffy almond 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! I recently updated this recipe to now have an almond cake base which I’m obsessed with because I think it adds so much depth and flavor. BUT if you can’t have almonds, this Vanilla Cake baked in a 9″ pan would be perfect.

What is strawberry cream cake made of?

This Strawberries and Cream cake is SUPER simple! It’s made with a one bowl almond 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 with cream cheese or mascarpone, 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. You can also macerate the strawberries in lemon juice and sugar which is delicious and will give them a bit of a syrup but it will also soften the strawberries.

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!

• Yogurt Plum Cake
• Upside Down Rhubarb cake
• Red Currant Cake

Tips for making Strawberry Shortcake

• Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature. This will help them mix seamlessly but if they start to look a lil split or curdled don’t stress.
• I used whole almond flour in this cake but blanched almond flour works too. I like the texture and flavor that the whole almonds give to the cake.
• If you can’t have almonds, or just want a basic vanilla cake, this Vanilla Cake baked in a 9″ pan would be perfect.
• This cake bakes FAST so make sure you are paying attention and test it by inserting a toothpick into the center and seeing if it comes out clean.
• 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 cream cheese to start setting.
• Make sure to dry the strawberries off before putting them on top of the cream as the water can cause the cream to split. Not the end of the world, just doesn’t look as nice.
• 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. In the photos I kept them whole because they were just picture perfect but if I was serving it, I would slice the strawberries and pile them high on top.

Ingredients

• Butter: Unsalted butter is the base of the cake and keeps it moist and rich. Make sure the butter is soft but not melted.
• Sugar: White granulated sugar gives this cake its slight sweetness as well as helps with the structure. There is also sugar in the whipped cream topping.
• Vanilla & Almond Extract: Vanilla adds a little flavor and enhances the sweetness of the cake and cream while the almond extract enhances the almond flavor in the flour.
• Salt: Salt balances out the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor of the cake and cream.
• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store. There are four whole eggs in the cake, just make sure they are at room temperature.
• Almond Flour: Almond flour keeps this cake light but gives it a delicious nutty flavor. I like using whole almond, almond flour, but blanched almond flour works too!
• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work in this cake! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Baking Powder: In addition to the air whipped into the wet ingredients, baking powder helps the cake rise so be sure it hasn’t expired.
• Cream Cheese: Either cream cheese or mascarpone would be perfect for this whipped cream. They should be cold when used.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy Cream or heavy whipping cream will work in this recipe. It should be cold when you whip it.
• 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 Almond Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Line a 9” metal round pan, springform if you have it, with parchment paper or a baking spray with flour in it. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extracts.
• Use the paddle attachment to beat on medium high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing completely before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl in between each egg. After the first two eggs, add in the almond flour and beat until just combined.
• Then continue with the remaining two eggs.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again. 
• Pour in the all purpose flour and baking powder and mix again on medium speed for about 30 seconds until combined. 
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.
• Place the baked cake on a wire rack to cool for ten minutes. Then run a knife along the edge between the cake and the pan.
• Remove the spring form or tip the cake out of the pan. Leave to cool completely on a piece of parchment paper on a wire rack.

Strawberries & Vanilla Whipped Cream

• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
• Whip on medium high speed for one minute until smooth.
• Pour in the heavy cream and whip again on medium high speed until medium stiff peaks form. Place in the fridge until ready to assemble.
• 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 cake. Lay the strawberries down into the whipped cream. You can arrange them however you want or just sprinkle them all over the top!