Make this delightful vanilla cake with strawberry filling in this easy recipe, perfect for all your celebrations. An irresistibly delicious and moist and fluffy vanilla cake filled with a juicy and fruity strawberry cake filling and finished with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
Experience this delicious vanilla cake with strawberry filling recipe, with layers of fluffy and moist vanilla cake and a generous, fruity strawberry filling, all wrapped in a light, creamy buttercream.
This cake is made up of 3 preparations: a soft and moist vanilla white cake prepared with egg whites and filled with a fruity and sweet homemade strawberry puree filling, all enclosed in my favorite Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.
This is the perfect cake for baking beginners, and you can even make it with frozen strawberries, perfect for enjoying all year round as a birthday cake or for other occasions.
Craving for more strawberry desserts? Give these a try : French strawberry fraisier, Fresh strawberry coffee cake , Strawberry filled cupcakes
Ingredients Notes
Vanilla white cake
- Butter: Unsalted butter softened with at least 80% fat, I don't recommend using salted butter because even if you remove the salt from the recipe, you risk having too much salt in the recipe.
- Sugar: Extra-fine granulated sugar if possible, no flavored sugar to preserve the neutral, vanilla flavor of the cake.
- Egg whites: only whites, to make the cake even lighter, at room temperature.
- Cake flour: Only for an even more fluffy cake.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda, are essential for the cake's softness.
- Buttermilk: Its acidity brings a wonderful balance to the sponge cake crumb, you can replace it with yogurt or sour cream.
- Vanilla and salt: Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds and table salt are essential to bring out the flavors in this vanilla cake recipe.
Strawberry filling
- Strawberries: With fresh strawberries if in season, or with frozen strawberries, a recipe made from my homemade strawberry compote.
- Sugar: Indispensable for balancing the acidic flavor of cooked strawberries, use granulated sugar or natural sugar such as maple syrup or honey.
- Lemon juice: For preservation, use fresh lemon juice or bottled lemon juice.
Frosting buttercream
- Egg whites: Use egg whites that are well separated from the yolks (any trace of yolk can interfere with the meringue's success).
- Sugar: Granulated sugar, not brown sugar or powdered sugar.
- Butter: An unsalted butter with a softened but not too softened texture.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds or vanilla bean paste.
>> Egg yolks can be used to make pastry cream, lemon curd, homemade sauces or simply frozen for up to 3 months.
How to make Strawberry Vanilla Cake from scratch
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
Cake batter
- Preheat the oven to 329°F/ 165°C and prepare 3 6 inches / 15 cm round cake pans, lining them with parchment paper only on the bottoms.
- In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of you stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the softened butter with the sugar at medium speed for about 3 minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed and add the vanilla extract and egg whites one by one, then return to medium speed and beat for around 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately and in batches, mixing between each addition with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the vanilla cake batter into the 3 prepared pans and bake in the oven for approx. 30 minutes.
- Leave the cakes to cool slightly before removing from the pans and cooling completely on a wire rack.
Strawberry filling
- Place fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries in a medium saucepan with sugar and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until you obtain a strawberry jam-like texture.
- Allow to cool completely before blending in a blender or with a hand mixer to a smooth strawberry purée.
- Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Buttercream frosting
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing a little water.
- Cook the mixture in a double boiler, monitoring the temperature with a cooking thermometer, which should read at least 131°F/55°C (you should no longer be able to feel the sugar granules when you touch the mixture).
- Return the mixer bowl to its stand, fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix at high speed for 15-25 minutes until the meringue is glossy with stiff peaks.
- Reduce speed and add softened butter and vanilla extract.
- Return to high speed and mix for a further 5 minutes or so, until you have a smooth, creamy buttercream.
Assembling the cake
- Use a large saw knife or cake leveler to cut out the bumps on the cake layers.
- Place a cake board on a cake turntable and place the first layer of vanilla cake.
- Apply a layer of frosting and a sausage to the edges of the cake.
- Fill the inside with the strawberry filling and place the second layer of cake, then repeat the last step to the last layer.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the whole cake and spread with an angled spatula, then place in the fridge for around 20 minutes.
- Apply a new, thicker layer of vanilla buttercream frosting over the entire cake and smooth it with stainless-steel icing smoother.
- Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining frosting and a piping bag with a star tip, add strawberry filling and some fresh strawberries if you want.
- Place the cake on a plate or cake stand and serve immediately or place your strawberry vanilla cake in the fridge and remove the cake 20 minutes before serving to soften the buttercream.
You'll also love: How to frost a cake for perfect smooth
Serving Suggestions
- Whipped cream: Top each slice with fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.
- Vanilla ice cream: Enjoy it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Fruit coulis: Drizzle some strawberry coulis over the cake for extra flavor.
Tips for this recipe
Storage and freezing
In the fridge: Vanilla strawberry cake can be stored in the fridge, under plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for 3-5 days.
In the freezer: You can store the rest of the strawberry vanilla layer cake in the freezer for up to 3 months, cut it into slices, and wrap it in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
At room temperature: Meringue buttercream is stable at room temperature, so the cake can remain out of the fridge for several hours in a cool place.
Variations & Substitutions
More Strawberry Cakes You'll Love
I hope you love this white cake with strawberry filling. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
Vanilla Cake With Strawberry Filling
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
Strawberry vanilla cake white strawberry filling made with buttermilk and egg whites cake, a strawberry puree filling and Swiss meringue buttercream (for a 6 inches/ 15 cm cake about 8-10 slices).
Ingredients
Vanilla white cake
- 300 g (2 ⅓ cups) Cake flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 150 g (⅔ cup) Butter - unsalted and softened
- 290 g (1 ½ cups) Sugar - granulated and extra fine
- 5 Egg whites - at room temperature approx.175g
- 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
- 220 ml (1 cup) Buttermilk - or plain yogurt
Strawberry filling
5-6 tbsp homemade strawberry puree or strawberry compote
Swiss meringue buttercream
- 8 Egg whites
- 220 g Sugar - granulated
- 350 g Butter - softened
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract or seeds from a vanilla bean
Instructions
Cake batter
- Preheat the oven to 329°F/165°C and line 3 round cake pans, each 6 inches/ 15 cm in diameter, with baking parchment only on the bottom.
- In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened butter with the sugar at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until creamy and smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg whites one by one, continuing to mix at medium speed then beat at high speed for approx. 3-5 minutes until smooth.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately and in batches, mixing gently with a spatula until the mixture is smooth.
- Divide the cake batter between the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for around 30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Check for doneness by plunging a toothpick or knife blade into the center of the cake; it should come out clean, with no crumbs or liquid batter, indicating that the cake is done.
- Leave the cakes to cool slightly in their pans before removing them from the pans and leaving them to cool completely, upside down, on a wire rack.
- Wrap your cakes in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before assembling.
Strawberry filling
Follow the strawberry purée recipe and leave to cool completely in the fridge.
Swiss buttercream frosting
Follow the Swiss meringue buttercream recipe and leave at room temperature until ready to assemble.
Assembling the Layer Cake
- Using a sponge knife and a sponge cake leveler, cut out the bumps and remove the crusts, if necessary, from the 3 cake layers.
- Place a first layer of cake on a cake board, then on a cake turntable.
- Apply buttercream frosting around the edges to form a boudin and spread also a small layer of buttercream over the cake layer.
- Fill the inside with cooled strawberry filling and top with the second layer of cake, and repeat until you reach the last layer.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream frosting over the whole cake and smooth with an angled spatula, then place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Apply a new layer of buttercream frosting over the whole cake and smooth with a stainless steel icing smoother.
- Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining buttercream frosting in a piping bag with a star tip.
- Garnish the top center with strawberry filling and decorate with fresh strawberries before serving.
Notes
Storage: In the fridge under plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Add a mascarpone whipped cream between the sponge cakes for a lighter cake, and fresh strawberry pieces for extra flavor.
Replace the vanilla cake with a lighter, less dense cake such as molly sponge cake or vanilla sponge cake.
Replace buttermilk by mixing a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice (about 10 ml) with 200 ml of semi-skimmed milk and leave to stand for a few minutes, it will begin to curdle.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: cake, birthday cake,
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 885
- Sugar: 65.8 g
- Sodium: 282.5 mg
- Fat: 52.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 96 g
- Protein: 10.5 g
- Cholesterol: 137.5 mg
What a beautiful cake!
Bravo !
One question keeps nagging at me every time, can I keep this cake in a cool place? because I live in a tropical country and long live warm temperatures. Although at the moment we are not yet in summer (austral winter)....
thank you for your reply.
And bravo , I discovered your blog and it's a mine of delicious information
Hello Virginie, then yes layer cakes like this one should be kept in a cool place , take the cake out a few minutes before serving
It's just gorgeous this cake!!!
It's so beautiful you wouldn't dare eat them.
Just a quick question. First of all, it's just sublime. I would like to know if it is possible to cover the cake with sugar paste after the smbc? If not, can you recommend a filling for the inside of the cake other than the Smbc that holds well. Thank you
SMBC is very good as a filling or as a covering frosting with or without sugar paste, otherwise you can also use a ganache.
I would like to buy a cake pan to make this style of cake. You say 15 cm, but what height because I noticed several. Thank you for your help.
Here's a link to the pan I use : 6 inch round cake pan
Excuse me, I'm 13 and I'm wondering if it's possible to make the layer cake and keep it in the fridge for the next day, please.
Yes, it needs to be kept in a cool place and you can make it 1-2 days beforehand.
Good evening Fadela, just a quick note to tell you that I made this cake this weekend for the 14th birthday of a friend's daughter, following your recipe to the letter. I messed up a bit on the dripping icing, but the girl loved it so much she told me "it's the best and most beautiful birthday cake I've ever had!" It was worth spending the whole weekend to hear that! Thank you and bravo for your site!
Thank you so much Yael for your feedback
Hello,
Thank you for this recipe, the cake is beautiful!
I would have liked to make it for my daughter's birthday on Sunday. We'll be 20 people, I was thinking of making the recipe x2, but I don't know if I should use moulds with a diameter of more than 15cm or keep 15cm diameter and make extra layers? What do you recommend? And how should I adapt the cooking if necessary?
Many thanks for your help.
Hello, in this case I think the best thing would be to make it in an 18 or 20 cm pan, for the baking count 1h and test the baking with the blade of a knife and if necessary add 10 min of additional baking.