Layers and layers of cake and whipped cream make this strawberry shortcake such a fantastic treat. Fresh strawberries are the star and will have people coming back for seconds.

Once spring rolls around this is one of my go to desserts until the fall. This classic dessert is always well received and it s a guaranteed show stopper. One of my favorite reasons for making this cake is that it can be made in less that an hour.

In this recipe

This recipe is a very simple one which makes it a great staple in any baking recipe collection.

Canola Oil: This is used instead of butter because this cake needs to be kept cool. When adding oil to a cake it stays liquid at room temperature and only solidifies as 14F or -10C. This will help with the moistness of the cake.

Baking Powder: This is the leavening agent used for this recipe which will create the air bubble to give the cake rise.

Cream Cheese: Adding this to the whipped cream will help stabilize it and help keep its shape.

Brown Sugar: This will add additional moistness to the cake along with hints of caramel and a cake that will be a little darker in color.

Making the strawberry shortcake

Since this recipe calls for canola oil we do not need to cream the fat and sugar together like when butter is used. This makes this cake much easier to prepare with plain old elbow grease and bowl and spoon. The oil, eggs, sugars, and vanilla can be added all at once. Then alternate adding the flour mixture and milk being careful not to overmix.

When assembling this cake it is important to make sure that the cakes have come to room temperature. This is important to make sure that the heat from the cakes do not cause the delicate whipped cream frosting to melt. If you start to see the whipped cream start to melt while assembling the cake then put the cakes in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes and the whipped cream in the refrigerator as well. Once everything has cooled down then you should be able to continue.

Tips and tricks

If you have a scale it is good to weigh the amount of batter in each pan. It will take a little longer but you will have cakes that cook at the same time and are evenly sized.
If you want to make this ahead of time bake the cakes and then freeze them. Assemble when you are ready to serve. Make the whipped topping the same day you are ready to assemble.
Once this cake is assembled it will last in the refrigerator 2-3 days as the strawberries will start to go bad.

Looking for other cake recipes?

Layered Strawberry Shortcake

Sean

A fluffy cake layered with stabilzed whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

4.79 from 19 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 456 kcal

Equipment

Stand mixer with whisk and paddle attachment
3 8 inch cake pans

Ingredients

Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar packed
½ cup canola oil
3 large eggs room temperature
2 large egg whites room temperature
1½ tbsp pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups milk

Filling:

4 cups strawberries sliced, divided

Frosting:

1 cup cream cheese 1 oz block, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Making the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F or gas mark 4. Grease 3 8 inch cake pans.
In a mixing bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt until combined and set aside.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium high speed, beat sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and egg whites until they are all combined. Reduce the speed to low and starting with the flour mixture add ⅓ of the flour to the batter and mix until just combined. Pour in ½ of the milk, mixing until just combining. Repeat with another ⅓ of the flour and alternate with milk. Mix until just combined and be careful to not over mix scraping down the sides as necessary.
Evenly divide the batter between the three pans and gently tap to remove any large bubbles.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick/knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place the pans on a rack. They need to cool completely.

Making the frosting:

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium high speed, beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to mix until evenly combined. Scrape the paddle with a spatula and replace it with the whisk attachment. Add the heavy cream and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and whisk until firm peaks form.

Assembly

To assemble the cake start with one layer on the cake plate, top with ⅓ of the whipped cream and ⅓ of the sliced strawberries. Repeat this process with the remaining layers of cake and whipped cream. Decorate the top with the remaining strawberry slices or with whole strawberries.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 194mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 708IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclaimer*

Keyword Quick and Easy, Strawberry, Whipped Cream

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ann

May 7, 2022 at 7:44 am

I love strawberry shortcake! Your presentation is so pretty, the layers add quick the look to the usual strawberry shortcake. Thanks for the share!

Andrea

May 6, 2022 at 10:24 am

Strawberry Shortcake is my favorite but I’ve never made the shortcake like this before. I can’t wait for our strawberries to be ripe so I can make this!

Veronika

May 6, 2022 at 7:30 am

This cake was really light and fluffy and the cream cheese frosting was really delicious too and paired well with the strawberries. I always prefer frosting like this over icing.