If you want to bake a truly celebratory cake, try this Fresh Strawberry Cake.
It’s made with homemade yellow cake, a delicious cream filling and plenty of fresh strawberries for the best berry flavor, and looks so gorgeous with the three layers. Great for Mother’s Day, or any spring or summer feast!
This cake comes from the mom of a friend of mine from the Balkan region. Her grandkids call her Baka and she makes the best cakes!
Of course I won’t be able to pop over and have a slice this year – instead I’m making it in at home in celebration of all the cake she has given me in non-distancing years.
This is a bit more work than many of my other recipes, but every step is simple. And it’s worth it, the outcome is both beautiful and delicious! Enjoy!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cake: There are no ingredient substitutions I can recommend for the cake part of this recipe. Please make it as-written. Yellow sponge cakes are simple to make, BUT they are not very forgiving if you don’t follow the recipe exactly.
- Cream: Please use cream labelled as “heavy whipping cream” and chill it well before using. Otherwise the cream will not work.
- Jello: You can use a cake glaze instead of jello, but please make sure it’s one that sets. Otherwise the cake will be a big mess, and that’s really a shame.
- Strawberries: Feel free to use a mix of berries, or other berries (red white blue is gorgeous for patriotic holidays – just make sure to use a clear jello!). Use blueberries, blackberries and raspberries whole on the cake – if you cut them, their juices will run out and stain the cake.
How to make a Fresh Strawberry Cake
1. Start by preparing the ingredients for the cake base: Separate the eggs and beat the whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt added. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Then combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. To make the cake batter, gradually beat the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Then, gently fold in the beaten egg whites until you have a smooth, fluffy batter.
3. Spread the batter in a lined 9×13 inch pan, then bake. Once done, spread the hot cake with strawberry jam and allow to cool.
4. To make the cream layer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients for the cream filling and beat until fluffy.
Spread over the cooled cake base and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. Finally, arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the cake, then pour the jello evenly on top.
Make sure to allow your jello to cool a little before adding it to the cake – it should still be pourable, but it mustn’t be blazing hot. Otherwise, it may melt through the cream layer.
Chill the cake until the jello is set (this can take several hours, so make sure to plan ahead!), then slice to serve.
Baking tips
Eggs: The cake gets most of its rise from the beaten eggs. In order to have the greatest success, follow these tips:
- Make sure to beat the egg whites really well; you should be able to slowly invert the bowl without them falling out (do this test VERY carefully, or you could end up with a huge mess!)
- Also, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla very well. Beat long enough until the mix turns light in color and increases in volume.
- Be very gentle when folding in the egg whites – you don’t want to knock out all of the air! As a little trick, I fold in ⅓ of the egg whites first with a little more strength to slack down the batter, then very gently fold in the rest.
- While being very careful, make sure to fold the egg whites in completely. You don’t want large flecks of egg white left in the batter – otherwise your cake will rise very unevenly.
Baking: Don’t worry if the cake puffs up a lot in the oven, it will sink back down once you take it out!
Cream filling: Make sure to whip the cream long enough, until it’s notably fluffy. Otherwise you’ll have a brick of cream cheese on your cake.
Chilling: Definitely chill the cake long enough before slicing! Otherwise it won’t be neat.
Storage
The cake keeps well covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. I do not recommend freezing, because the texture of the cake layer and the fresh strawberries really do not hold up too well in the freezer.
Watch the recipe video
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Fresh Strawberry Cake
Recipe details
Ingredients
Cake layer:
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons strawberry jam
Cream layer:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream well chilled
- 12 oz cream cheese softened (1.5 blocks)
- 6 tablespoons icing sugar or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry topping:
- 1 pound fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
- 1 (6 oz.) package strawberry jello
- 2 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 360°F (180°C). Line a 9×13 inch (22x33cm) cake pan with baking parchment.
Cake:
- Egg whites:Separate eggs. Set yolks aside in large mixing bowl. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks in separate mixing bowl.
- Egg yolks:Add sugar and vanilla extract to egg yolks and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients:Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt; slowly add to yolk mixture while beating on low speed.
- Finish batter and bake:Gently fold in egg whites until cake batter looks smooth. Carefully spread batter in prepared pan and bake around 20 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Cool:Spread strawberry jam over hot cake, then cool in the pan on a wire rack until at room temperature.
Cream layer:
- Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until cream. Add heavy whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes, until cream is light and fluffy. Carefully spread cream filling over cooled cake. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Finish:
- Arrange cut strawberries over cream layer. Prepare jello according to package directions, allow to cool a bit (it should still be runny, but it shouldn't be blazing hot – otherwise it will melt the cream layer). Evenly pour over strawberries, then chill until set. Slice to serve.
Notes
Baking tips
Eggs: The cake gets most of its rise from the beaten eggs. In order to have the greatest success, follow these tips:- Make sure to beat the egg whites really well; you should be able to slowly invert the bowl without them falling out (do this test VERY carefully, or you could end up with a huge mess!)
- Also, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla very well. Beat long enough until the mix turns light in color and increases in volume.
- Be very gentle when folding in the egg whites – you don’t want to knock out all of the air! As a little trick, I fold in ⅓ of the egg whites first with a little more strength to slack down the batter, then very gently fold in the rest.
- While being very careful, make sure to fold the egg whites in completely. You don’t want large flecks of egg white left in the batter – otherwise your cake will rise very unevenly.
Ingredient notes
Cake: There are no ingredient substitutions I can recommend for the cake part of this recipe. Please make it as-written. Yellow sponge cakes are simple to make, BUT they are not very forgiving if you don’t follow the recipe exactly. Cream: Please use cream labelled as “heavy whipping cream” and chill it well before using. Otherwise the cream will not work. Jello: You can use a different glaze meant for cakes, but please make sure it’s one that sets. Otherwise the cake will be a big mess, and that’s really a shame. Strawberries: Feel free to use a mix of berries, or other berries. Use blueberries, blackberries and raspberries whole on the cake – if you cut them, their juices will run out and stain the cake.Storage
The cake keeps well covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. I do not recommend freezing, because the texture of the cake layer and the fresh strawberries really do not hold up too well in the freezer.More recipe information
Recipe first published on 04/29/2020. Updated with step by step photos and better text on 03/21/2021.
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