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Why I Love This Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry season is upon us: that glorious time of year when fresh strawberries actually taste like… well, strawberries. I hope you can find locally-grown berries near you because the flavor and color of berries not shipped around the world or across the country is worth the higher price! And with strawberries in hand, what’s better to make than (naked) strawberry shortcake cake!
This is a variation on a cake my family had almost every day during strawberry season while I was growing up. Mom would make at least one of these a week and usually, late at night when we got in from work outside, we would all enjoy a piece with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
To serve – Serve the cake chilled or just slightly cool so the whipped cream is set and the layers slice cleanly. Use a sharp knife, wiping between cuts, and make sure each slice has plenty of strawberries and cream. It is perfect as a centerpiece dessert for spring and summer gatherings, especially when strawberries are at their sweetest.
To store – Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The whipped cream and strawberries will soften the cake over time, which actually makes it extra luscious by day two. Freeze unfrosted cake layers tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Add fresh strawberries and whipped cream after thawing. Freezing the fully assembled cake is not ideal, since the berries and cream can weep and turn grainy.
More Strawberry Desserts
If this is your jam (oh, jam WOULD be good in this as an additional layer!), you may also love my strawberry and rhubarb shortcakes. They’re deconstructed and just a little bit tart.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Ingredients
For the shortcake
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the whipped cream
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 2 cups strawberries cleaned, hulled, and sliced
Instructions
For the shortcake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar, flour, and baking powder.⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder
- With the mixer running on medium-low, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the ingredients are a sandy texture.⅓ cup unsalted butter
- In a measuring cup or bowl, mix the egg, milk, and vanilla extract.1 large egg, 1 cup whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- With the mixer running, add milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until no dry streaks remain.
- Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and evenly distribute the batter between pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until just slightly golden and a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a cooling rack and cool until completely cooled.
- While cooling, prepare the whipped cream.
For the whipped cream
- Whip cream cheese until light and fluffy.4 oz cream cheese
- Add heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest.1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp orange zest
- Whip until the cream reaches stiff peaks.
To assemble the cake
- Place one cooled cake on plate. Top with approximately one cup of whipped cream mixture. Spread evenly and top with one layer of sliced strawberries.2 cups strawberries
- Top with second cake round, pressing slightly to adhere. Then add another cup of cream mixture.
- Finish with more berries. On this final layer, take more time to assemble as this is the final presentation.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Thank you for putting the nutritional values for your recipes!! I so much enjoy following them.
Kiddo and I made this for hubby’s b-day! Initially I was intimidated – after all, I’ve long been in an intimate relationship with my smoke alarm (aka – I REALLY can’t cook). But after watching Kaleb’s video, it took away a lot of the fear.
And it turned out GREAT!!! The smoke alarm didn’t cheer me on once! (My only burn was in lighting the birthday candles…I’m telling y’all, I have many gifts to offer the world, but cooking or anything to do with it, isn’t one of them). The 2 tbsp of orange zest in the whipped cream was DIVINE!!! That slight citrus flavor contrasting with the berries was perfect. Ohmigosh was this good!
If I can do it and make it look impressive, anyone can make it~
Can I make this in one 8 inch pan and then cut the cake in half to create to layers? I don’t have two pans:(
Hi kaleb! Can I use cake flour for this recipe? Thanks!
I will have to say it was amazing!! Thank you for sharing as i plan to make this shortcake again today!
Hi !!! Nice recipe!! How do I store the cake if there’s left over?? Should it be refrigerated or out on the counter? Thanks!!
Hi Linda!! Definitely store the cake in the refrigerator. The whipped cream needs to be kept cold ?
Hi! Can I make this whipped cream in advance? Thank you!
Hi J! I wouldn’t recommend whipping cream early, it doesn’t hold for too long and can start losing volume!
Saw your recipe video on Youtube and am so glad I clicked around and found your blog!! Currently writing my shopping list down to make this tonight! 😀
My grandmother and mother made a shortcake similar to this. For sure, I will be making this with fresh strawberries. Yum!
This looks delicious. When I skimmed the cream from the milk this morning (yes, we use raw milk), I wasn’t sure how I would use it. Now I know! I’ll be making the shortcake this weekend.