This strawberry cream cake features fluffy vanilla sponge, a fresh strawberry filling, and a whipped cream frosting (chantilly) that’s light and not too sweet. Perfect for strawberry season and celebrations.
Craving something quicker? Try this strawberry mug cake, ready in minutes with real fruit flavor.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients You Need
Here’s what you need for this cake: a light chiffon sponge, fresh strawberry filling, and whipped cream frosting.
- Vanilla chiffon sponge– a light and fluffy base made with cake flour, egg yolks, whipped egg whites, milk, sugar, and a hint of vanilla.
- Whipped cream frosting (chantilly) – just heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, whipped into a soft, airy topping.
- Fresh strawberry filling – juicy strawberries mixed with a little sugar for a simple, sweet layer.
How to Make a Strawberry Cream Cake
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: egg yolks, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.
Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, whisking until you get a smooth cake batter. Don’t overmix—the secret to a light chiffon sponge is keeping the batter airy.
In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and keep whipping until you reach stiff, glossy peaks. The meringue should hold its shape without collapsing.
Gently fold the meringue into the batter using a spatula. Work in batches and use an up-and-over folding motion to keep the mixture airy. The goal is a smooth, light chiffon cake batter without deflating the egg whites.
Pour the cake batter into three greased and lined 6-inch / 15 cm cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350°F / 180°C oven for 30–35 minutes, until the sponges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once baked, let the cakes cool completely. If using a chiffon pan, invert to cool upside down for about 1 ½ hours. Otherwise, leave in the pans for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool fully on a wire rack.
Place the sliced fresh strawberries in a medium bowl, sprinkle with the granulated sugar, and stir gently with a spoon. Cover and let the strawberries rest in the fridge for about 15–20 minutes.
This quick maceration releases the juice, giving you a sweet and juicy strawberry filling that won’t make the cake layers soggy during assembly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Whip on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until you get a smooth, firm, and glossy whipped cream frosting. The cream should form soft to stiff peaks and hold its shape without becoming grainy.
For extra stability, you can add a spoonful of mascarpone or cream cheese while whipping ok make this mascarpone frosting.
Place a cake board on your rotating cake stand and set down the first cake layer. Spread an even layer of whipped cream frosting with an offset spatula, then add a layer of juicy strawberries and cover with more cream.
Gently place the second cake layer on top, press lightly to keep it stable, and repeat the process. Finish with the third cake layer, making sure the stack is even and the filling doesn’t spill out.
Cover the entire cake with a thin crumb coat of whipped cream, smoothing it out with an offset spatula or cake smoother.
Decorate the top with the remaining whipped cream frosting, piping swirls or rosettes with a piping bag, then add fresh strawberries for a simple but elegant finish.
Chill the finished fresh-cream cake in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. For even more flavor, drizzle each slice with homemade strawberry sauce or coulis.
Tips for this recipe
Storage Instructions
- Freezing → I don’t recommend freezing the finished cake since fresh strawberries don’t thaw well.
- In the fridge → keep leftover strawberry cream cake covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Make ahead → bake the chiffon sponge up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months (well wrapped).
- Filling & frosting → prepare the strawberry filling and whipped cream frosting on the same day as assembly for the best texture.
Recipe variations
Recipe Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries for this cake?
Yes, but let them thaw and drain well before using. Fresh strawberries are best because frozen berries release more liquid and can make the layers soggy.
How do I stabilize whipped cream frosting?
For a more stable whipped cream, add mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, or a little gelatin while whipping. This helps the cream hold its shape, especially in warm weather.
How long does strawberry cream cake last?
Keep the cake in the fridge for 2–3 days, well covered. The sponge can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I make the sponge in advance?
Yes! Bake the vanilla chiffon sponge up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
What’s the difference between a cream cake and a shortcake?
A cream cake is made with a light sponge and layered with whipped cream and fruit, while a shortcake usually has a biscuit or scone-like base.
You will also love
More Strawberry recipes
- Strawberry cake pops
- Strawberry coffee cake
- Strawberry filled cupcakes
- Vanilla cake with strawberry filling
I hope you enjoy this strawberry cream cake as much as I do. If you try it, don’t forget to leave a comment and a rating below ! Happy baking
Print
Strawberry Cream Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
Light and fluffy strawberry cream cake made with vanilla chiffon sponge, a juicy fresh strawberry filling, and a soft whipped cream frosting. Perfect summer dessert for birthdays or family gatherings. (For a 6 inch / 15 cm cake - 8 - 10 servings)
Ingredients
Vanilla chiffon sponge
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 50 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil (grapeseed or sunflower)
- 50 ml (¼ cup) milk (or water)
- 120 g (1 cup) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp cream of tartar (or fresh lemon juice, for the egg whites)
Whipped cream frosting
- 350 g (1 ½ cups) heavy cream, full-fat and cold
- 3 to 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–1 ½ tbsp cornstarch or ½ tsp cream of tartar (optional, for stability)
Strawberry filling
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1–2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
Vanilla Chiffon Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare three unlined 6-inch / 15 cm aluminum cake pans. (See notes if baking in two batches.)
- In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder at least twice. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the vegetable oil, ¾ of the sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and whisk until you get a smooth cake batter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed for 2–3 minutes until foamy.
- Add the cream of tartar and the remaining sugar, then whip on high speed for 3–4 minutes until you reach stiff, glossy peaks.
- Add a small amount of meringue to the batter and mix quickly to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the rest with a spatula, working from the center outwards, until smooth and airy.
- Pour the batter evenly into the three pans and run a knife through to remove air bubbles.
- Bake on the middle rack for 30–40 minutes, without opening the oven door, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pans and let the cakes cool upside down for at least 1 ½ hours.
- Run a knife around the edges to release the cakes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Strawberry Filling
- In a medium bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the granulated sugar.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes, then drain the excess juice before using.
Whipped Cream Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. (Optional: add cornstarch or cream of tartar for stability.)
- Whip with a stand mixer or electric hand whisk on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until you have a thick, smooth whipped cream frosting that forms stiff peaks.
Assembly of the Layer Cake
- Place a cake board on a turntable and set down the first cake layer.
- Spread a layer of whipped cream, then pipe a border around the edge to hold the filling. Add some strawberry filling in the center and cover with more cream.
- Add the second cake layer and repeat the process, finishing with the third layer.
- Cover the whole cake with a thin crumb coat of whipped cream, then smooth with an offset spatula or cake scraper.
- Decorate the top with the remaining cream using a piping bag and add fresh strawberries.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving, ideally with a drizzle of homemade strawberry sauce or coulis.
Notes
Storage : the assembled strawberry cream cake keeps for2–3 days in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap or stored in anairtight container.
Tips :
- Use a kitchen scale → for best results, always measure ingredients in grams instead of cups. This ensures accuracy and a more reliable sponge.
- Baking in 2 batches → if you don’t have three pans, divide the batter between two pans or bake one pan at a time for about 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely, then cut them into 3–4 layers with a cake knife once very cold.
- Make ahead → bake the chiffon sponge up to 2 days in advance and store well wrapped in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months. Assemble with the strawberries and cream only on the day you plan to serve.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cake, layer cake, dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 26.2 g
- Sodium: 354.1 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.5 g
- Protein: 6.7 g
- Cholesterol: 165.7 mg
Hello, I would like to know if I can cover this cake with sugar paste.
Thanks a lot
Hello, you can cover the cake with sugar paste, but be sure to apply a layer of buttercream or smbc as an exterior glaze (let this glaze harden in the fridge before applying the sugar paste). Use a brand of sugar paste that can be stored in the fridge ( Massa ticino, renshaw extra ...). Your cake should of course be stored in the fridge.
Hello and bravo for your beautiful recipes.
I would like to make a pièce montée of 2 cakes covered with marzipan.
-Is it possible to cover this cake with marzipan?
-What's the difference between the molly cake and the cake in your "simply naked cake"?
-Can the cakes be cut more thinly?
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely
Elodie
Hello, yes you can cover your cake with almond paste in this recipe (always keep in a cool place). Here it's a molly cake recipe (cream cake), in simply naked cake it's a white cake recipe but the texture remains more or less the same, a dense cake that's not dry in the mouth. Yes, you can cut your cake into even thinner slices.
Waouh..a very successful decoration, thank you for sharing!
Very pretty cake
I like it very much
I'm going to make it
Hello,
The cake is superb and looks delicious...
I would like to use the mascarpone chantilly for the inner layers of the cake but I have a few questions. Is this type of chantilly stable and won't make my other cakes slip off the top? Does the mascarpone make the cream denser? It's the addition of fruit that appeals to me in this recipe (I've already tried just the chantilly and it didn't work, my cake wouldn't hold).
I'd like to use chocolate molly cake for this cake. Can I use a syrup to soak it (I wanted to try a passion fruit syrup). Won't that soften it too much?
Thanks in advance for your answers, your site is a gold mine.
I'm also going to try my hand at macaroons this weekend to decorate my cake We'll see, but I figure with your recipe I'll get the hang of it.
Hello, if you don't want to worry about the cake layers slipping, you can make an SMBC that you can apply only to the edges of each layer and then you can top the inside with chantilly, otherwise with a chantilly and mascarpone it should hold without worries if the layers aren't too thick. The cake also needs to be cold (kept in the fridge), and the cream filling needs to be cold before filling the layer cake. As for the molly cake, it's not at all dry in the mouth, so it's up to you whether you want to soak it or not, applying the syrup with a flat brush.
Hello, I've been browsing the site for over an hour. Congratulations on your work!
How long can we talk about this cake? with an SMBC outside?
Thank you in advance.
Hello Géraldine and thank you for your message, for the conservation it is with the expenses only if the cake is filled inside with a fragile cream (chantilly etc) if you use butter cream for the interior you will be able to preserve it approximately 1-2 days with room temperature (in a fresh place preferably)
Hello ,
Is it possible to cover the cake with the same chantilly-mascarpone that you put inside? For a 3-layer cake, will it be stable? Or is it better to make a buttercream with Swiss meringue? Thanks in advance
Hi Elodie, yes, it's perfectly possible to use only the mascarpone chantilly for the filling and smoothing. You'll need to apply a thin layer between each cake, and normally you shouldn't have any problems with stability (the cream should be quite cold and so should the cakes).
Hello, I love all these types of cakes but I find all the creams too sweet. If I take some sugar out of the chantilly or Smbc it still holds, does it give the same result?
Thanks for your help
Hello, yes I've already tested it by halving the amount of sugar in the SMBC and the texture was the same, just less sweet and it was perfect.
Can you make this in cupcake size?
I wouldn’t recommend making this strawberry chiffon cake as cupcakes. The texture of chiffon cakes is delicate, and it can be tricky to achieve the right structure in a smaller cupcake size.
Salam alikum
Fadela ,
Thank you for your blog I enjoy and I learn a lot of tips and recipes.
I would like to make this layer cake with a 22 cm mould, should I multiply the quantities by 2? It seems huge to me ? Thanks in advance
Hello, the quantities given are also for a layer cake 12-15 cm in diameter (about 10-15 parts) for a layer cake 22 cm I would say to double the quantities to be sure to have enough to get enough layers of cake and to assemble the layer cake (even if there will surely remain some leftover cream and some scraps of cake).
Hello! I would like to make this cake but as a pièce montée with a 15 and a 12 cake. Do I keep the same quantities indicated on the recipe?
Thanks in advance,
Coline
Hello, yes you can make the recipe 2 times keeping the basic quantities.
Hello
Your cakes are wonderful....
can you replace the strawberries with raspberries?
Can we use the same ganache for the couverture as for the filling? And what type do you suggest: a vanilla whipped ganache, vanilla mascarpone ganache or any other suggestion.
merci pour votre retour
Hello Matilde, yes you can replace the strawberries with raspberries. You can also use the same cream for the filling and to cover the cake. Use the mascarpone chantilly instead.
Hello,
first of all bravo and thank you for your site it's a gold mine for amateurs like me!
I'd like to make this cake but I'm wondering how long it can be taken out of the fridge before tasting? here for an outdoor wedding. (time to present the cake
plus photo etc) I'm a bit afraid it won't hold up.
is it a cake that can be assembled the day before or is it not advisable with the strawberries?
thank you in advance for your feedback
Thank you very much for your message,
Yes it's possible to make it the day before for the next day, it must be kept cool and it should hold if the assembly is well done and if you use a buttercream on the outside, it holds well and is stable at room temperature. On the other hand, mascarpone whipped cream is more fragile, but if it's just the time to take the photos, it should be fine.
Bonjour
Congratulations on your work,
I have two small questions if you can help me:
I made a molly cake but when I cut it out I think it's undercooked, it's very moist... what can I do? I'm afraid of drying it out if I bake it again,
And I wanted to know if this cake would hold another cake (one of 20 and one of 15 on top).
Thank you very much for your advice and thanks in advance for your reply
Hello, my answer comes late but if your sponge cake is undercooked, it's best to put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
When assembling 2 cakes into a pièce montée, make sure that the bottom cake does not support the top cake. You need to use dowels to insert into the bottom cake, plus a rigid cake tray to prevent the top cake from crushing the bottom cake.
Thanks ❤️
Very nice cake!
I made it today for my son's first birthday.
It was my first layer cake. I did it all without a mixer, just with an electric mixer and hand utensils, and everything went well!
The result was top, top, top!
Many thanks for this recipe.
Hello Aurélie, thank you very much for your feedback on this recipe.
Can I put a little orange blossom in the sponge cake? And how much?
Hello, yes you can flavour the sponge cake by adding about 1-2 teaspoons of orange blossom water.
I made this cake in one layer.
It was a huge success, and people were amazed by the lightness of the cake. What's more, I used lime again in the mascarpone chantilly, and the combination of strawberry and lemon was perfect.
Clearly a recipe I'd keep and make again.
Thank you very much Melissa for your feedback on this recipe
Is there any way to Bake this cake in a nine inch pan
Hi, Just multiply the quantities in grams by 1.5 to get the right quantities for a 9-inch pans.
Hello, I'd like to make this cake, but I'm not always a fan of mascarpone chantilly. Do you think I could garnish the inside of the cake with strawberry compote and/or strawberry frosting and cover the outside in thin 'naked cake' layers of butter- cream cheese frosting? Buttercream and cream cheese for my part. Or do you think the whole thing will be uncoordinated in taste? Thanks for your feedback and keep up the good work, I love your recipes!
For the strawberry filling, the ingredient list says powdered sugar but the instructions say to use granulated. Also when you say “sliced” does it matter how the strawberries are sliced, will cutting thin length-long slices work in the filling or would chopped incorporate better inside?
Hi, yes, it's granulated sugar, but it also works with powdered sugar, and regarding the strawberries, it's up to you whether you want them in slices or chopped there won't be much difference.
Does the mascarpone make the frosting more stable then a normal whipped cream frosting? And if I wanted to add banana to the filling along with the strawberries would I mix it with the sugar as well? Thank you
Yes, the mascarpone adds more stability than a simple whipped cream, and you can also add the bananas to the sugar or simply add them directly during assembly.
I loved how dense the cake was, and how creamy the icing was. The marscapone cheese made the icing so decadent!
Made the sponge, very tasty
Used this whipped cream frosting
Made the sponge which is fluffy and moist! Number one for sponge cakes!
The cake was amazing. Definetly would make again.
Can I make cupcakes using this recipe?
Hello, yes, you can adapt this chiffon cake recipe to make cupcakes. Simply pour the batter into cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full, and bake at the same temperature specified in the recipe, but for a shorter time, usually around 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them and test with a toothpick for doneness.
Hi! How much sugar goes into the egg yolk vs how much into the egg whites?
Hello! You need to put about 3/4 of the sugar into the egg yolk mixture, which is approximately 110 g, and the rest into the egg whites.
The recipe states 50 ml is 1/4 cup but I believe it is a bit more because 1/2 cup is 125 ml.
Good catch! Cup measurements can definitely be a bit tricky sometimes. For the best results, I'd recommend using a digital scale—it's way more accurate and will help make sure your recipe turns out perfectly every time!
This recipe is fantastic! It is the very best white cake with strawberries that I have ever eaten including fancy store bought! I will be making this many times