I love birthdays. Maybe not my own so much, but I enjoy celebrating other people’s special days — and I’m usually the one who ends up making the cake. No one ever asks; it’s just assumed. We don’t eat cake every day, but when we do, it’s homemade. It’s surprisingly simple to make a cake from scratch, and this fresh strawberry layer cake is light, bright, and perfect for a birthday.
My cousin Sammy had a birthday recently, and I wanted something fresh rather than heavy ganache. This cake uses real strawberries and whipped cream for a delicate finish. It’s not health food, but with moderation it’s a lovely treat.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 1 ¾ cups puréed strawberries*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 eggs, beaten
- red or pink natural food coloring, optional
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the whipped cream)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for the whipped cream)
- 6–8 fresh strawberries for decoration
*To make puréed strawberries, place 2–3 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries in a blender and pulse until smooth.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. I used tall 3-inch pans; if yours are shallower, consider dividing the batter into three pans to avoid overflow.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder, then whisk in the sugar and salt.
- Add the oil, strawberry purée, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Stir in the beaten eggs and food coloring (if using) and whisk just until smooth. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then carefully remove them and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, use a long serrated knife or cake leveler to even the tops and then split each cake horizontally so you have four equal layers. Place one layer on your cake stand or serving plate.
- In a large chilled metal bowl, whip the heavy cream with the vanilla and ¼ cup sugar on medium-high speed until very stiff peaks form. If preparing the cake ahead of time, add a whipping cream stabilizer (such as “Whip It”) per package instructions before whipping.
To Assemble the Cake
- Fit a piping bag with a large tip and fill it with the whipped cream. Pipe an even ring of cream on the first cake layer, starting at the edge and spiraling inward to cover the layer.
- Place the next cake layer on top and repeat the same piping step. Continue until you have stacked three layers, reserving one of the baked bottoms to use as the final top layer — placing a baked bottom on top gives the cake a nicer appearance.
- For the top layer, pipe large swirls of whipped cream around the outer edge.
- Garnish each swirl with a fresh strawberry (whole, halved, or quartered, depending on your preference). Chill the assembled cake until ready to serve so the cream firms up.
This cake is best served chilled and within a day or two of assembly for the freshest flavor and texture. The bright strawberry purée and lemon notes keep the flavor lively, while the whipped cream adds a light, airy finish. Enjoy celebrating with a delicious, homemade strawberry layer cake!
Recipe adapted with permission from the original source.