When summer hits, my kitchen just begs for something bright, fresh, and bursting with real fruit flavor! Forget those heavy, overly sweet things we sometimes tolerate; we need a dessert that actually tastes like sunshine. That’s why I’m absolutely obsessed with sharing my recipe for the ultimate **Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake**. Honestly, this cake is pure celebration in three glorious layers: a tender, fluffy vanilla cake, a juicy filling made from fresh strawberries and a kiss of jam, all held together by the most magical—and totally stable—cream cheese whipped cream frosting you’ll ever taste.
I remember the first time I photographed a perfect slice of this cake for Keto Violet. I was setting up the lighting, and I remember being struck by how the layers naturally told their own story—soft sponge, airy cream, and those ruby-red strawberries shining through. As I adjusted the framing, I realized this cake didn’t need much styling at all; its charm comes from its simplicity and honesty. That moment really cemented why I love sharing food photography—when all the elements just fall into place effortlessly, it feels like magic! You can read a little more about my background in food photography right here.
You are going to love making this dessert. Trust me, it’s built to impress but surprisingly easy to manage, even if you’re new to stacking cakes!
Why This Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake Is Your Next Favorite Dessert
I know what you’re thinking: ‘Layer cake? That sounds like a lot of work!’ But honestly, this recipe is designed to make you look like a superstar without needing ten years of baking experience. It’s the perfect showstopper for any gathering. You’ll want to bookmark this one right now!
- It’s genuinely beginner friendly! The vanilla cake batter is incredibly forgiving, mixing up quickly with oil instead of tedious creaming.
- The stabilized cream cheese frosting is dreamy—it tastes like pure whipped cream but won’t melt into a puddle the second you set it out at your party.
- You get that classic summer flavor of strawberries, perfect for making every bite feel seasonal and fresh.
- It offers amazing visual appeal! The layers look so impressive once sliced, making it a guaranteed hit for any celebration.
- It doesn’t require fussy soaking syrups or complex techniques; it’s all straightforward mixing and baking. Check out some other great party dessert ideas here if you’re planning ahead!
- The vanilla cake base, which relies on oil, stays wonderfully soft and moist for days (if it lasts that long, which it usually doesn’t!).
Essential Equipment for Your Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
To make sure this beauty comes together smoothly, grab your tools! Having the right gear on hand stops me from stressing out halfway through. You really only need a few basics for this showstopper.
You’ll definitely need your stand mixer fitted with the paddle and whisk attachments, or a sturdy hand mixer for the frosting. Make sure you have three 8-inch cake pans ready to go! I always line mine with parchment paper—it’s a lifesaver. And don’t forget a few bowls for prepping everything.
Ingredients for the Perfect Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
Alright, listing ingredients can feel a little dry, but for a layer cake like this, precision is everything! I need you to pay close attention to those temperatures—room temperature for the cake components and *icy cold* for the cream. These details are what take this cake from good to show-stopping. If you’re interested in seeing how I handle ingredient prep for another recipe, take a look at my tips for the Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad.
For the Vanilla Cake Layers
For the cake, we’re skipping the creaming method and using oil, which makes it super quick and keeps the cake tender.
- 2.5 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1.75 cups granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract, optional (makes such a difference!)
- 0.67 cup sour cream
- 0.75 cup milk, preferably whole or 2% (and make sure it’s room temperature!)
For the Strawberry Filling
This is where the freshness comes in. We need a good amount for the inside, plus a bit extra for decoration later on. Remember to divide them!
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced or diced, divided
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
- Additional whole strawberries, for garnish, optional
For the Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting
Listen up, this is the secret sauce! You want the cream cheese soft enough to mix easily, but the heavy cream needs to be straight from the fridge—like, bordering on frozen cold—so we can get those stiff peaks.
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to cool room temp (not melty!)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 0.75 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2.25 cups heavy whipping cream, really cold, straight from the fridge
Step-by-Step Instructions for Assembling Your Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
Okay, deep breath—it’s time to put it all together! While this is a layer cake, because we used oil in the base, the texture is so sturdy you won’t have any trouble. Don’t forget to check out my general best baking tips guide if you want reassurance on any tricky spots!
Preparing the Cake Layers
First things first, get that oven heating up to 350°F! Don’t put the batter in until it’s ready. While it warms, take a moment to whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. We need those dry ingredients fully combined before they hit the wet stuff.
Next, mix your sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites, and extracts until everything looks smooth—then add the sour cream. When you bring in the dry mix and the milk, add them alternately. Seriously, only mix until *just* combined after each addition. We want tender cake, not tough cake! Divide that beautiful batter evenly among your three greased, parchment-lined 8-inch pans. Pop them in and set your timer for 18 to 22 minutes. Rotate them halfway through so they brown perfectly evenly. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely on a rack before you even think about frosting them!
Making the Strawberry Filling
This part is so sneaky easy, you’ll wonder why you ever bought filling from a jar! Take about 2.5 cups of your sliced or diced fresh strawberries and gently toss them with the 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam. Just enough to coat them lightly. Set that gorgeous mixture aside to let the jam melt into the fruit a little bit. Remember that half cup of fruit we reserved? Dice that up small, because that piece is going right on top later!
Whipping the Stabilized Frosting
This is the texture game-changer! Get your 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla into the large bowl. Beat that until it’s totally smooth—no lumps allowed. Now, this is vital: the heavy whipping cream needs to be ice cold. While the mixer is running on medium, slowly drizzle that cold cream down the side of the bowl. Once it’s all in there, crank the speed high and whip it until you have really stiff peaks. If you keep it cold, this frosting holds up like a champ!
Assembling the Final Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
Time for the fun part! Place your first cooled cake layer down. Spread one-third of that glorious cream cheese frosting evenly over the top, and then spoon about 1.25 cups of your jammy strawberries right over the frosting. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the process: frosting, then strawberries.
Top it with the final cake layer. Use the rest of your whipped cream frosting to cover the top and sides. Don’t stress about making it look too perfect; this is a shortcake cake, after all! Finally, place those remaining reserved diced strawberries right in the center, and stick those beautiful whole strawberries around the edge for decoration if you have them. Gorgeous!
Expert Tips for a Flawless Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
Even though this recipe is super forgiving, I’ve picked up a few tricks over the years to make sure you get professional results while keeping your stress low. These little shortcuts are game-changers, especially when you’re planning a big party and need things done yesterday!
Ingredient Temperature Hacks
Getting those eggs and milk to room temperature usually requires planning ahead, but who has time for that? If you forgot to let them sit out, here’s my emergency fix! For the eggs, just set them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) tap water for about five minutes. Same thing for the milk—a quick 15 seconds in the microwave takes the harsh chill off, which helps everything emulsify so much better during mixing. Check out my full baking tips page for more speed tricks like this.
Frosting Stability and Substitutions
I love the slight tang the cream cheese gives this whipped cream frosting, but if you aren’t a fan, you can totally swap it out! You can use 8 ounces of mascarpone cheese instead, but just know that the final frosting will be a touch softer. On the other hand, if you need something rock solid stable, using a traditional vanilla buttercream is an option. If you just want simple cream, basic homemade whipped cream works great, but you absolutely have to assemble the cake right before serving because it just won’t hold up as long as our stabilized version!
Storage and Make-Ahead Guide for Your Layer Cake
This **Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake** is absolutely best served the day you make it, but I know how it is when you’re hosting a big dessert party—you need a game plan!
The good news is that you can totally prep components ahead of time, which saves your sanity the day of the event. You can wrap up those baked cake layers tightly in wax paper and then plastic wrap, and they’ll happily sit in the refrigerator for a day. Just make sure they are totally cool before you wrap them!
The cream cheese whipped cream frosting needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge too. If you prepared it the day before, don’t panic if it looks a little soft when you take it out. I just pop it back onto the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and give it a quick whip again until those beautiful stiff peaks return!
Here’s the main rule: Do not assemble the cake until the day you plan to serve it. Once everything—cake, frosting, and jammy strawberries—is all together, keep the finished cake in the refrigerator. But before you slice into it? You have to let it sit out on the counter for about 30 minutes so it can come up to a nice, cool room temperature. That little bit of warmth really makes the vanilla cake taste even softer and the flavors pop!
Common Questions About This Beginner Friendly Layer Cake
I always expect a few questions when folks tackle their first big layer cake, especially when it comes to fruit filling and stabilizing the frosting! I’ve collected a few of the most common things people ask about this deliciously **beginner friendly** design. If you’re nervous about stacking, don’t worry—this recipe is designed to forgive you!
If you want more general encouragement on basic baking, check out my section on beginner friendly baking tips to boost your confidence!
Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh in this Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake?
Oh, I totally get it—sometimes fresh berries aren’t available, or you just need them right now! You absolutely can use frozen strawberries, but you have to treat them gently. I recommend allowing the frozen berries to thaw completely in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. You need to drain off all that extra liquid; otherwise, it’ll thin out your jam mixture and make the cake layers soggy.
Once they are thawed and drained, you can toss them with the jam just like the fresh ones. Just avoid pressing them or squeezing them to get more juice out; we are trying to keep excess moisture AWAY from our beautiful vanilla cake layers!
How do I stop my whipped cream frosting from weeping?
This is the million-dollar question with any whipped topping! That’s precisely why we use the cream cheese stabilizer in this recipe, giving us that cheesecake-whipped-cream flavor combo that holds its shape so nicely. To make absolutely sure you avoid weeping:
- Cream Cheese Temperature: Make sure it’s softened enough to mix into a smooth base with the powdered sugar, but not warm or oily. Cool room temperature is the goal.
- Heavy Cream Temperature: This is the most critical part. Your heavy whipping cream must be straight from the fridge, seriously cold. If your bowl or whisk attachment feels room temperature, put them in the freezer for ten minutes before you start!
The combination of the heavy cream being cold and the texture added by the cream cheese prevents that watery separation. This makes handling the **frosting** so much easier!
What are some simple cake ideas for a party if I don’t want to make a full layer cake?
If stacking three layers feels like too much for your specific gathering, which is totally fine, you have a couple of easy options! First, you could bake the exact same batter but spread it into cupcakes instead of cake pans. You’d cook them for less time, probably around 16 to 18 minutes at 350°F, and you can still use this wonderful cream cheese frosting piped right on top.
Another fun idea is to serve it deconstructed! Make the jammy strawberry topping, whip up a big bowl of the stabilized cream cheese frosting, and serve it alongside crunchy shortbread cookies or even plain pound cake slices on the side. People can build their own stacks, and it looks adorable on a dessert table!
Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
I know some of you are curious about the numbers, so here is a quick look at the expected nutritional breakdown for one generous serving of this **Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake**, based on the 12 servings listed in the recipe. Please remember that these figures are just an estimate! They can shift based on the exact brands of oil, sour cream, or even the natural sugar content in your specific batch of strawberries.
We made this cake to be decadent and delicious, and I think you’ll agree the full flavor payoff is worth every bite!
- Calories: 585
- Fat: 36g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Protein: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 23g
- Sugar: 37g
As you can see, because of that rich cream cheese whipped cream frosting and the oil in the cake, the fat and sugar content are on the higher side—but that’s what makes it an incredible dessert for a special occasion, not an everyday snack!
Share Your Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake Creations
I really, truly can’t wait to see your gorgeous three-layer beauties! Making this **Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake** is a rewarding experience, and seeing how you decorate those layers and present them for your parties is the best part of my job.
If you followed along and loved the recipe—and I’m betting you did—please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating right here on the page. Ratings truly help other beginner bakers find this recipe when they are looking for reliable great dessert recipes!
Did you make any small swaps? Did you add a squeeze of lemon zest to the frosting? Spill the details below in the comments section! And if you snap a picture of your finished masterpiece, tag me on social media! I absolutely love spotting your incredible work.
Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites, and extracts until combined. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. Add half of the flour mixture, beating until just combined. While still beating, slowly add milk, then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Do not overmix it.
- Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the pans. Evenly divide the batter between the three pans. Tap or gently drop the pans on the countertop a couple times to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pans once during bake time if necessary to ensure even browning. Place the pans on a rack to cool completely.
- Combine the strawberries and jam and set aside. Slice about 2.5 cups for the filling and dice about 0.5 cup for the top of the cake.
- Place the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth. While the mixer is still whipping, slowly pour the heavy cream down the side of the bowl. Stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl periodically. Increase the speed to high and continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. Keep the cream cold so it thickens properly.
- Place one layer of cake on a platter. Top with one-third of the frosting, then top with about 1.25 cups of strawberries. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. For the third layer of cake, top with remaining whipped cream frosting, then place the remaining strawberries in the center. Decorate the outside with whole strawberries, if desired.