Strawberry Cream Cake with Fresh Strawberries (video)
Strawberry and cream is always a classic combination, which makes this strawberry cream cake the perfect dessert in summer or strawberry season. A light sponge cake made from scratch, filled with fresh seasonal strawberries and cream, and frosted with more whipped cream. A rich, yet light and refreshing cake perfect for the weekend, a special occasion or celebration.
If you need a dessert that simple and yet light and refreshing, then this is it. Don't get me wrong - when I say light I don't mean light on calories. I mean not as heavy as a rich chocolate cake would be with chocolate frosting. Whipped cream is not low in fat, and yet it feels light and refreshing. And so, if you need an indulgent yet light and refreshing dessert, this strawberry cake is the answer.
I make this cake every strawberry season. It's my Aadi's favorite. He loves whipped cream. So any whipped cream cake is his favorite. Hence, the two cakes often made in our home are my chocolate cake with whipped cream and this strawberry cream cake.
About this strawberry cream cake
Of course, this cake is a special candidate when strawberries are in abundance because it works best with fresh seasonal strawberries. The cream is dairy and perishable. Hence, you must keep it refrigerated, like all whipped cream cakes. No matter how wonderful light and fluffy your whipped cream is, it will lose volume during storage, and over time it will be soft and runny. As I mentioned in previous posts, you can extend the life of your whipped cream by stabilizing it.
And always use fresh whipping cream with a high-fat percentage for cakes. You do not want to use half and half or table cream for your cakes as they will not whip.
Some non-dairy whipping creams have a longer shelf life. So you will need to read the instructions and shelf life for the brand you use. Any leftover cake in the fridge will last for a day or two. And yet, the whipped cream will become soft but still edible and delicious.
Ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)
- Eggs - Always use large size eggs when baking unless specified. The size of eggs varies significantly these days, so as a guide, one large egg weighs between 50 to 60 grams.
- Whipped cream - I prefer to use cream with minimum 38% fat content. Anything less than that will not whip well and will have a shorter shelf life.
- Strawberries - This cake is best made when strawberries are in season. Frozen strawberries just don't look as appetizing on a fresh fruit cake, unless that's the look you are going for. Since frozen fruits, when thawed, look very limp. You can use them in between layers, and yet make sure you drain any excess moisture to prevent it from ruining the whipped cream.
And if you choose to use frozen strawberries between layers, perhaps you can use a strawberry filling for the top of the cake. Similar to my Chocolate cherry cake, where I piped a whipped cream border and poured the cherry filling in the middle. - Powdered sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar. And when looking for powdered sugar always buy one made from cane sugar, not beet sugar. You will find the buttercream made from cane sugar does not have a grainy consistency.
- Vanilla - A good quality vanilla will make a huge difference in anything you make. Premium vanilla can be expensive. That is why I make my own homemade vanilla extract, bean paste or sugar.
- Cream of tartar - Gives a much creamier egg white and it's less likely to separate the protein and the water. It's also flavorless so it does not affect the flavor of your baked goods. The best substitute for cream of tartar is a pinch of salt. While lemon juice and vinegar are also
often used.
Useful Tips and Tools
- If you bake often, it would be a good idea to invest in a cake mixer like a K-Mix or Kitchen Aid. Having said that, you don't have to buy an expensive stand mixer, a simple hand mixer works great too.
- I believe in measuring ingredients by weight, which makes my kitchen scale one of the most valuable items when baking.
- And, the same goes for my measuring cups and measuring spoons. It's always a good idea to have these handy and use them when baking rather than trying to guess measurements.
- I think one set of baking pans is a must for any home baker. For my coffee cakes, I like to use my 8 x 8 square baking pan or 9 x 3 inch round baking pan or 9 x 13 sheet cake pan.
- Once baked, always invert your cakes on a cooling rack. This encourages air circulation and prevents the steam from pooling at the bottom of the pan.
- Every oven works differently. So, the baking times are just guidelines. In the case of cakes, a skewer inserted in the center is a great indication. If the cake bakes too quickly or too slow compared to the time given it might be a good idea to check if your oven needs calibration. An oven thermometer is a great little gadget to help keep the oven temperature in check. All you need to do then is adjust the temperature accordingly.
Strawberry Cream Cake with Fresh Strawberries (Save/Pin)
Prepare Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven at 170 C/ 340 F.
- Grease and line two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Melt butter and set aside to cool.
- Sift the flour, cornflour, and salt twice.
- Whip the eggs with cream of tartar
- When the eggs get foamy (about a minute) gradually add the sugar whisking continuously
- Once all the sugar is in - whip the eggs until light and foamy - ribbon stage
- Next, add the vanilla and combine well.
- Sift the flour mixture over the whipped eggs and gently fold with a spatula in three editions.
- Add a few tablespoons cake batter to the cool butter and combine well.
- Then add the butter mixture to the remaining cake batter.
- Divide the batter equally between the two baking pans.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until top is lightly browned, the top springs back when touched and the cake leaves the sides of the pan.
- Transfer to a wire rack and invert immediately to prevent the cake from sinking.
- Cool completely before decorating.
Prepare for frosting
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks with powdered sugar - and set aside.
- Prepare sugar syrup and cool completely.
- Save 8 to 10 pretty strawberries for decoration.
- Chop the rest into small pieces for the filling (about 1 cup).
Assemble
- Place one layer of the cake on a serving platter.
- Generously brush the cake with simple syrup.
- Spread a dollop of whipped cream.
- Place the sliced strawberries on top.
- Add another small dollop of cream over the strawberries so they don't move around too much.
- Place the second cake layer brushed with simple syrup on top.
- Spread more whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake with a spatula.
- Dip the spatula in warm water to create a smooth finish.
- Place leftover whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip.
- Pipe a border on the bottom and top edge of the cake.
- Place eight to ten strawberries on top equally spaced.
- Enjoy!
Strawberry Cream Cake with fresh strawberries
Print Pin RateDescription
Ingredients
For the cake
- 4 Eggs large
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) Unsalted butter (4 tbsp) melted
- ¾ cup (90 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Cornflour
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar optional
For the filling and frosting
- 1 ½ cup (350 ml) Whipped cream
- 4 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 8 oz (225 g) Strawberries fresh
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Simple syrup
Instructions
Prepare Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven at 170 C/ 340 F.
- Grease and line two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Melt butter and set aside to cool.
- Sift the flour, cornflour, and salt twice.
- Whip the eggs with cream of tartar
- When the eggs get foamy (about a minute) gradually add the sugar whisking continuously
- Once all the sugar is in - whip the eggs until light and foamy - ribbon stage
- Next, add the vanilla and combine well.
- Sift the flour mixture over the whipped eggs and gently fold with a spatula in three editions.
- Add a few tablespoons cake batter to the cool butter and combine well.
- Then add the butter mixture to the remaining cake batter.
- Divide the batter equally between the two baking pans.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until top is lightly browned, the top springs back when touched and the cake leaves the sides of the pan.
- Transfer to a wire rack and invert immediately to prevent the cake from sinking.
- Cool completely before decorating.
Prepare for frosting
- Whip the cream to stiff speaks with powdered sugar - and set aside.
- Prepare sugar syrup and cool completely.
- Save 8 to 10 pretty strawberries for decoration.
- Chop the rest into small pieces for the filling (about 1 cup).
Assemble
- Place one layer of the cake on a serving platter.
- Generously brush the cake with simple syrup.
- Spread a dollop of whipped cream.
- Place the sliced strawberries on top.
- Add another small dollop of cream over the strawberries so they don't move around too much.
- Place the second cake layer brushed with simple syrup on top.
- Spread more whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake with a spatula.
- Dip the spatula in warm water to create a smooth finish.
- Place leftover whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip.
- Pipe a border on the bottom and top edge of the cake.
- Place eight to ten strawberries on top equally spaced.
- Enjoy!
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, whipping cream is dairy and all dairy is perishable. Hence, any cake with fresh fruits, custard or whipped cream will have to be kept in the fridge at all times.
Unfortunately, not long enough. A whipped cream cake may last only a few hours. Perhaps 2 hours at room temperature on a cool day or for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge. The only way to keep whipped cream cakes longer is to stabilize it.
Most cakes have a shelf life of 4 to 5 days. In the case of cake with whipped cream, the cake can still be eaten for 4 to 5 days and yet the cream will start becoming liquid after 2 days.
You can prepare the cake layers a few days in advance, and place them in the fridge or freezer. Then, prepare the whipped cream and frost the cake a few hours ahead of the celebration so it stays fresh longer.
Yes, you can! Just use my eggless vanilla cake instead of this vanilla sponge cake. Then layer with whipped cream and strawberries just as shown in the video.
If you want a chocolate version of this cake - use my Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream recipe and just add strawberries in between the layers and on top. And for an eggless option, use my Eggless Chocolate Fudge Cake and layer with strawberries and cream.
Troubleshooting
Why is my genoise flat?
If the eggs get deflated either because they were over whipped or because the fat was not folded in properly the eggs will deflate. This results in a flat genoise.
Why is my genoise rubbery?
If you look in the video, I show you the right method to add the melted butter. A little batter must be added to the melted butter first. Then you fold that mixture to the rest of the whipped eggs. If not the butter will sink at the bottom of the pan giving you a rubbery genoise.
Is genoise dry and tasteless?
Yes, some classic genoise can be dry and tasteless but not this one. This one has sugar, eggs, butter. If the eggs are whipped to a ribbon stage they don't become dry. The butter adds richness and moisture to the cake.
How do you so stabilize whipped cream?
There are many ways to stabilize whipped cream from simple powdered sugar, pudding mixes, or gelatine. This cake used powdered sugar, which contains cornstarch and works as a stabilizing agent. This cake will last a day or more in the fridge. A Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream stabilized with gelatine may last for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. I have explained with a video tutorial everything you need to know on how to stabilize whipped cream with 5 different methods.
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Karen
No measurement for the Baking Powder. No mention of when to add the sugar. A waste of time and food.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Keren. Sorry about that. But, there is no leavening in this recipe, no baking powder or baking soda. The sugar is whipped with the eggs. Thanks
Anusha
The recipe doesnt even make one cake! And misleading recipe where the method doesnt include half the ingredients mentioned.
Veena Azmanov
Anusha. the recipe does make 2 cakes as you can see in the video. The bulk of the batter is whipped eggs. Most novice bakers don't succeed in making this cake because they end up deflating the whipped eggs.
If the eggs are deflated of course there will be no batter to bake (not even one cake). Please see the video below.
As for the ingredients - I just checked the list and the method. Can you please be specific as to what is missing?
Thanks