This fluffy Strawberry Vanilla Cake is a wonderful dessert to make for birthdays, Mother's Day, or any other special occasion. The light and fluffy vanilla cake layers are separated with a fresh strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting offering a sweet and tangy contrast. Piped frosting ruffles add a special touch.
few drops of red/pink food coloring or beet juice squeezed from shredded beet
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Instructions
For the Starlight Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease, line and flour three 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans.
With your electric mixer beat together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add softened butter and continue beating on high speed until pale in color and very fluffy.
In another bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture in 3 additions alternating with the milk. Start and end with flour.
Divide batter between 3 cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean. Don't open the oven before 20 minutes.
Cool cakes for 10 minutes in cake pans. Loosen sides with a metal spatula and invert onto a wire rack. Remove parchment paper and invert back - so the tops are up.
If not using the cake right away, you can wrap the cooled layers in plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer.
For the Strawberry Filling:
Wash and hull strawberries. Cut in halves or quarters and place in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse about 10-15 times until the consistency looks like chunky apple sauce.
For the Cream Cheese Filling/Frosting:
Leave 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree in the food processor and puree until really fine. Press through a strainer to remove seeds.
Beat together cream cheese, sugar and 2 tablespoon of strained strawberry puree until smooth (1 minute). If you prefer a darker pink hue add a few drop of food coloring/beet juice. Add whipping cream and whip until fluffy (2 minutes).
Assembly:
Level the cake layers and place first layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread half of strawberry puree over top. Carefully spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture over the strawberries. Place second cake layer on top and spread remaining strawberry puree and another thin layer of cream cheese filling. Then place third cake layer on top.
Very thinly frost the top and outside of the cake with an angled spatula. Place remaining frosting in an icing bag with a petal tip (I used Wilton #104).
With the wide side touching the cake pipe vertical ruffles around the cake. Start from the top going to the bottom. The thin end from one ruffle should slightly overlap on the thick side of the previous ruffle.
Pipe hearts (or flowers) on the top. Decorate with optional sugar pearls or fresh strawberry halves.
Store cake refrigerated due to the cream cheese frosting.
Notes
*You can make your own cake flour with all-purpose flour and corn starch: Per 1 cup of flour, replace 1 tablespoon of AP flour with 1 tablespoon corn starch.
If you want to make a larger cake, you can double the recipe and bake in 8- or 9-inch cake pans. Or, you can bake the batter in just two 8- or 9-inch pan for a wider but not so tall cake.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Vanilla Cake
Serving Size
1 slice (out of 14)
Amount per Serving
Calories
228
% Daily Value*
Fat
17
g
26
%
Saturated Fat
10
g
50
%
Trans Fat
0.3
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
4
g
Cholesterol
72
mg
24
%
Sodium
155
mg
6
%
Potassium
194
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
18
g
6
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
15
g
17
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
615
IU
12
%
Vitamin C
14
mg
17
%
Calcium
90
mg
9
%
Iron
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword strawberry vanilla cake
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