This is absolutely the best strawberry shortcake recipe! It's easy to make, extremely moist, full of juicy strawberries, fluffy vanilla bean whipped cream, and drizzled with fresh strawberry syrup.
This classic dessert is perfect for the summer months and holidays like Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day!
If you're looking for other cake recipes, check out my pistachio cake, lemon curd cake, chocolate fudge cake, Chantilly layer cake, blueberry lemon cake, chocolate berry cake, chocolate drip cake or lemon bundt cake.
Why You'll Love This Simple Recipe for Strawberry Shortcake
It's full of fresh strawberries. The cake is filled with fresh strawberries for fresh summer flavor.
It's filled vanilla bean whipped cream. This delicious cream is perfectly sweetened and flavored with vanilla bean paste for the perfect taste.
It's an extremely moist cake. Instead of sponge cake we're making the most perfect vanilla cake. It has a super moist crumb, and paired with the whipped cream and juicy, sweet strawberries it just completely melts in your mouth.
Simple Ingredients for Classic Strawberry Shortcake
- All Purpose Flour- gives this cake the best crumb
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda- helps to leaven the cake and give it its fluffy texture
- Salt- brings out all the flavors in the cake
- Butter- make sure it's softened
- Sugar- granulated white sugar is used to sweeten and add moisture to the cake
- Eggs- make sure they're room temperature
- Vanilla- adds a sweet note to the cake layers and whipped cream, I really recommend vanilla bean paste for this recipe, but vanilla extract will work as well
- Buttermilk- helps to make the cake super moist
- Heavy Whipping Cream- make sure it's extra cold
- Powdered Sugar- used to sweeten the whipped cream
- Fresh Strawberries- used for the strawberry filling of course!
Step by Step Instructions
STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
STEP THREE: Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix medium-high speed until smooth, pale in color and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
STEP FOUR: Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time, until each has been added completely. Mix on low then medium speed just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
STEP FIVE: Evenly distribute the cake batter between the parchment paper lined cake pans. Bake the cakes then let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cake layers to a wire rack to completely cool.
STEP SIX: Add the thinly sliced strawberries to a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries. Gently stir to coat the berries with sugar. Cover the strawberries and let them chill in the fridge for around an hour to let all the sugar dissolve and create a lot of strawberry syrup.
STEP SEVEN: To make the whipped cream, add the heavy whipping cream to a chilled, large bowl and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Then sift in the powdered sugar and add in the vanilla bean paste. Mix on low speed until combined, then high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 more minute. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.)
Assembling the Cake
STEP ONE: To make sure the cake layers will stack appropriately, the tops will most likely need to cut as they dome while baking. Using a sharp knife, cut the domed tops off of each cake layer.
STEP TWO: Place the first cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Pour 2-3 tablespoon of strawberry syrup over the first cake layer. Arrange a layer of sliced strawberries on top of the cake layer. Add about ⅓ of the whipped cream on top of the strawberries. Arrange another layer of strawberries over the whipped cream. Add the second cake layer on top and repeat the steps.
STEP THREE: Then add the remaining cake layer on top and top with the rest of the whipped cream. Top the cake with the remaining sliced strawberries. Drizzle the remaining strawberry juice over the cake and serve! (I topped the cake with whole strawberries for decoration.)
FAQs
Can I use frozen strawberries? I would recommend sticking with fresh berries for this cake.
Can I use other fruit instead of strawberries? Yes! (See my peaches and cream cake.) You can use other berries or even stone fruit and make an equally amazing dessert!
Can I use cool whip? I really recommend making your own whipped cream because it's so much better! But yes, you can of course use cool whip to make things easier.
Can I use 3 8-inch cake pans? Yes, but the baking time will be different. Start with 18 minutes, and add more time as necessary until a cake tester comes out clean from the centers.
Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour? For this cake, AP flour will really give you the best, most tender crumb. If you want to use cake flour, increase the amount to 2 ½ cups (280 g), as cake flour weighs less than AP flour cup for cup.
Does strawberry shortcake need to be refrigerated? Yes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
PRO TIPS
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
Weigh the cake batter in each of the three cake pans. This will ensure that an even amount of batter is in each pan so that the layers will be the same size.
Troubleshooting Whipped Cream:
- Make sure your heavy cream is cold.
- Chill your bowl to allow the cream to whip up more easily.
- Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, not just soft peaks.
- Keep the whipped cream in the fridge until ready to use so it stays firm.
Make sure all your wet ingredients for the cake layers are room temperature. You'll have the best textured cake when the ingredients are room temperature instead of cold. Cold wet ingredients can lead to a "gummy" cake.
If you make this cake please leave a star review! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Summer Desserts Try Next Time
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
For the Strawberries
- 3 cups (420 g) fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (75 g) granulated white sugar
For the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup (98 g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
For the Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 6 inch cake pans with non stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
- Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, pale in color and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time, until each has been added completely. Mix on low then medium speed just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Evenly distribute the cake batter among the parchment paper lined cake pans.
- Bake the cakes for 29-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the cake layers to a wire rack to completely cool.
For the Strawberries
- Add the thinly sliced strawberries to a large bowl.3 cups (420 g) fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
- Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries. Gently stir to coat the berries with sugar.¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (75 g) granulated white sugar
- Cover the strawberries and let them chill in the fridge for around an hour to let all the sugar dissolve and create a lot of strawberry syrup.
- Separate the strawberries from the juice when ready to use.
For the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy whipping cream to a chilled, large bowl and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.(If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.)1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
- Then sift in the powdered sugar and add in the vanilla bean paste. Mix on low speed until combined, then high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 more minute.¾ cup (98 g) powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Assembling the Cake
- To make sure the cake layers will stack appropriately, the tops will most likely need to cut as they dome while baking. Using a sharp knife cut the domed tops off of each cake layer.
- Pour 2-3 tablespoon of strawberry syrup over the first cake layer.
- Arrange a layer of sliced strawberries on top of the cake layer.
- Add about ⅓ of the whipped cream on top of the strawberries.
- Arrange another layer of strawberries over the whipped cream.
- Add the second cake layer on top and repeat the steps.
- Then add the remaining cake layer on top and top with the rest of the whipped cream. Top the cake with the remaining sliced strawberries. Drizzle the remaining strawberry juice over the cake and serve! (I topped the cake with whole strawberries for decoration.)
Hi there! Can I bake them into two 8 inch cake pan instead of three 6 inch cake pan? If yes, is the baking time same?
And what if I want to bake just two 6 inch cake pan? How should I reduce the ingredients?
Hi Samantha,
Yes you can definitely bake the cake in two 8 inch cake pans. I would start with 30 minutes, check the cakes with a toothpick and add more time as needed.
Hello! I noticed that in the ingredients it says all purpose flour, but in the instructions it says cake flour. Which is the correct one?
Should be AP flour, sorry about that!
Thanks so much for this recipe!!
I doubled the recipe and made it in 3 nine inch cake pans. Baked them for 30 minutes and they turned out perfect.