The Best Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Simply the best Strawberry Shortcake Cake! Perfect vanilla cake layered with fresh whipped cream and strawberries – the perfect summer dessert! Love strawberries? Try this  Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse and Strawberry Shortcake Cookies!

This post was created in partnership with Sprouts Farmer’s Market.

This gorgeous cake is simply the best Strawberry Shortcake Cake I’ve ever had!

Perfect vanilla cake (a slight update of my super popular vanilla cupcakes) is layered with fresh whipped cream and fresh strawberries, along with a surprising ingredient that adds depth and flavor and takes this recipe over the top!

I generally lean toward chocolate desserts as my desserts of choice… but this light and flavorful cake won me over.

I know this cake will be making an appearance in my house again very soon.  It’s just perfect for spring and summer entertaining!

The inspiration for this dessert came from a surprising source… a bottle of Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze I picked up on a recent grocery trip.

I LOVE balsamic glaze with savory dishes… and summer tomatoes are almost not complete without a drizzle of balsamic… but I’ve never experimented with balsamic vinegar in dessert recipes and wanted to challenge myself a bit.

I am oh so happy I did!

The addition of Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze to the fresh strawberries adds a depth and flavor that enhances the entire recipe!

I promise, the strawberries do not taste like vinegar… in fact I shared this cake with several friends and they said it was the best strawberry shortcake they’d ever had!

The addition of Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze simply adds one extra little note of flavor that works beautifully with the strawberries!

Don’t just take my word for it… you need to try this recipe for yourself!  =)

I’ll be enjoying this new Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze on all kinds of delicious savory recipes, but I’ll be sure to keep it on hand as my little “secret” to the best strawberry shortcake ever!

This cake is just so pretty, and would make quite a statement for any a spring or summer party!

Feel free to decorate the cake as desired, but this simple “naked” layering technique keeps assembly time down and shows off those beautiful berries!

This recipe produces a beautiful, flavorful strawberry shortcake that is sure to become a household favorite!

More Summer Recipes To Try

1. Summer Fruit Tart
2. Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
3. No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
4. Strawberry Cupcakes
5. Brownie Strawberry S’mores

How to Make The Best Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

This recipe just screams SUMMER! Perfect vanilla cake is layered with fresh whipped cream, fresh strawberries and a surprising ingredient that adds flavor and depth.

5 from 72 votes

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Calories 503 kcal

Ingredients

 

Cake

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup oil vegetable, canola or light olive oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream regular, full fat
• 1 cup whole milk or 2%, but avoid lower fat

Strawberries

• 2 pints fresh ripe strawberries
• 1 tablespoon Sprouts Organic Balsamic Glaze optional
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar divided, see recipe below
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces cream cheese regular, full fat
• 1/4 cup diced strawberries with glaze from the recipe above

Instructions

 

Bake the cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare three 8" cake pans by lightly greasing the sides of the pans and then dusting with flour, then line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk, then set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth.  While mixing, slowly add sugar and continue to beat until the butter and sugar are well combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.  Don't skimp on the mixing at this stage.
• While mixing, add the eggs one at a time, blending at least 10-20 seconds between each additional egg.  Mixing well to incorporate some air is important in this step.
• Add vanilla and oil, and blend well to combine.
• Add sour cream and blend.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low, and pour in about half of the milk, then half of the flour mixture.  Repeat with milk and flour.  Blend just until all ingredients are well combined.   Stop mixer and scrap down the sides of the bowl, and stir (just a couple times) by hand just to make sure all ingredients are well blended.
• Divided batter evenly into prepared pans.
• Bake in preheated 350°F. oven for 22-30 minutes, or until the cake has a slight dome and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
• Cool cakes in pans for 5-10 minutes, then carefully remove and continue cooling on a wire cooling rack  (leave the parchment on the bottoms at this point).  Once cakes are mostly cool, wrap well in plastic wrap and place cakes in the freezer.  This will help keep them moist as they fully cool, and will make them easy to handle (stack and frost) when you're assembling the cake.

Prepare strawberries

• Dice strawberries and add to a large bowl. Set aside a couple whole berries for garnish, if desired.
• Drizzle on the balsamic glaze, then sprinkle sugar over the berries and stir until the berries are evenly coated.
• Cover and place in the fridge while you prepare the whipped cream.

Whipped cream

• Place the entire mixing bowl and mixing beaters in the freezer for at least 5 minutes, while you gather you ingredients.
• Add heavy cream into the chilled bowl and beat until it begins to thicken.
• While mixing, add 1/4 cup powdered sugar into the cream (reserving 1/2 cup for later).
• Continue to beat, and add vanilla.
• Beat until light and fluffy and holds a soft peak.
• Remove whipped cream from mixing bowl and transfer into a different large bowl.  Place in the fridge for the moment.
• In the now empty mixing bowl (should be scraped clean, but no need to wash), add cream cheese and blend until fully smooth.  Do not move on until the cream cheese is smooth.
• Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar (that you reserved earlier) and blend until fully combined with the cream cheese.
• Scoop out 1/4 cup of the glazed strawberries from the fridge, and blend with cream cheese mixture.
• Remove whipped cream from fridge and add one large scoop (about 3/4 cup) whipped cream to the mixing bowl and blend on low.  Mix just until the cream cheese mixture has gotten a bit fluffier.  Add the remaining whipped cream and blend on low just until all ingredients are combined.  This step may be done by hand if desired.  Be careful not to over mix.

Assemble the cake

• Remove cake layers from freezer, unwrap and remove parchment from cake bottoms.
• Stack one layer of cake, then about 1/3 of the whipped cream and spread with an offset spatula as needed to level.
• Add a layer of strawberries (about 1/3 of the total mixture).  You do not need to use all the liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
• Repeat with another layer of cake, whipped cream and strawberries, then repeat for final layer.
• Garnish cake with a few whole strawberries, if desired.
• Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.  Best when served within 1-2 hours of assembly.

Notes

You can divide the work up a bit by baking (and freezing, as directed) the cake layers a day (or a couple days) in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 8gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 305mgPotassium: 437mgFiber: 5gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 3417IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 248mgIron: 4mg

Keyword strawberry short cake

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Happy baking!

Disclosure – I created this recipe in partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market.  Partnering with brands I love allows me to provide you with high quality content at no cost to you.  I only work with brands I use and love.  All images, text and opinions are my own.