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Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

A light vanilla sponge filled with strawberry jam, covered in vanilla whipped cream and finished with fresh sliced strawberries. The sponge drinks up the berry juice, which is the point.

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Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

What it's made of

Cake layersVanilla Sponge Cake Layers Filling between the layersStrawberry Jam Filling FrostingVanilla Whipped Cream Frosting FinishFresh Strawberry Finish
Makes 12 servings Active 1 hr 40 minChill or rest 2 hr 0 minParts 4
Contains milk, egg, wheat, soy (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this layer cake and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Vanilla Sponge Cake LayersCake layers · makes 12 slices

  • 6.0 large eggs (300.0 g)
  • 1.0 cupgranulated sugar (200.0 g)
  • 0.25 tspfine sea salt (1.5 g)
  • 2.0 tsppure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)
  • 1.25 cupscake flour, sifted (140.0 g)
  • 0.25 cupunsalted butter, melted and cooled (57.0 g)

Strawberry Jam FillingFilling between the layers · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 2.0 cupsstrawberries, hulled and crushed (300.0 g)
  • 2.0 tbspfresh lemon juice (30.0 ml)
  • 1.5 tbsplow- or no-sugar-needed fruit pectin
  • 0.5 cupgranulated sugar (100.0 g)
  • 1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)

Vanilla Whipped Cream FrostingFrosting · makes 24 cupcakes

  • 2.0 cupsheavy cream, cold (480.0 ml)
  • 0.5 cupconfectioners' sugar, sifted (60.0 g)
  • 0.125 tspfine sea salt
  • 2.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)

Fresh Strawberry FinishFinish · makes 12 servings

  • 1.0 lbfresh strawberries (450.0 g)
  • 2.0 tbspgranulated sugar (25.0 g)
  • 1.0 tsppure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)
  • 1.0 tspfresh lemon juice (5.0 ml)

Method

1. Vanilla Sponge Cake Layersfull recipe

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment and butter the paper; dust with flour and tap out the excess.
  2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl set over barely simmering water until warm to the touch (110°F, 43°C). Move to the mixer and whip on high 8 to 10 minutes until tripled and ribbony; whip in the vanilla.
  3. Sift a third of the flour over the foam and fold gently with a spatula; repeat twice. Fold 1 cup of the batter into the melted butter, then fold that back into the bowl.
  4. Divide between the pans and bake 22 to 25 minutes until golden and the tops spring back.
  5. Cool in the pans 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges, turn out onto a rack, peel off the parchment and cool completely before filling.

2. Strawberry Jam Fillingfull recipe

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries and lemon juice. Whisk in the pectin until no dry lumps remain.
  2. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly (a boil that doesn't stop when stirred).
  3. Stir in the sugar, return to a full rolling boil, and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Skim off any foam.
  5. Transfer to a heatproof container and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. The filling thickens as it chills.
  6. Stir until smooth; if you want a very smooth filling, blend briefly or press through a sieve. Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a long filling tip. Poke a small hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in about 2 tablespoons, until the doughnut feels heavy.

3. Vanilla Whipped Cream Frostingfull recipe

  1. Pour the cold cream into a chilled bowl and add the confectioners' sugar and salt.
  2. Add the vanilla and whip on medium-high speed to stiff peaks, 2 to 4 minutes. Stop as soon as the peaks hold; overwhipped cream turns grainy.
  3. Frost a completely cooled cake or cupcakes and refrigerate until serving.

4. Fresh Strawberry Finishfull recipe

  1. Rinse and dry the strawberries, hull them and slice lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick; halve small ones.
  2. Toss with the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a bowl.
  3. Let stand 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the slices turn glossy.
  4. Lift the berries out of their juice and arrange them over the dessert just before serving; spoon a little of the juice over if you like.

5. Put it together

  1. Bake the Vanilla Sponge Cake Layers and cool the layers completely, at least 1 hour. Level the tops with a serrated knife if they domed.
  2. While the layers cool, make the Strawberry Jam Filling and chill it until it holds its shape.
  3. Make the Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting.
  4. Set one layer on the plate. Pipe a ring of frosting around the top edge as a dam, spread the Strawberry Jam Filling inside it, then set the second layer on top, bottom side up.
  5. Spread a thin coat of frosting over the whole cake and chill 20 minutes, then frost with the rest.
  6. Finish with the Fresh Strawberry Finish.
  7. Chill until the frosting is firm, then let the cake sit at room temperature 30 minutes before slicing.