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The Best Strawberry Shortcake Cake

The Best Strawberry Shortcake Cake

A stunning three-layer vanilla sponge cake layered with stabilized whipped cream and fresh macerated strawberries. The ultimate summer celebration dessert.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Vanilla Sponge
  • 3 cups All-purpose flour sifted
  • 1.5 tsp Baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup Whole milk
  • 0.5 cup Sour cream full fat
For the Filling and Topping
  • 2 lbs Fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
  • 3 tbsp Granulated sugar for macerating
  • 3 cups Heavy whipping cream cold
  • 0.75 cup Powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp Instant vanilla pudding mix for stabilization

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare three 8-inch cake pans with grease and parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs one at a time followed by vanilla.
  3. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk/sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
  5. Macerate sliced strawberries with sugar and lemon juice for 20 minutes.
  6. Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar, vanilla, and pudding mix until stiff peaks form.
  7. Layer cake with cream and berries, finishing with a mountain of fresh strawberries on top.

Notes

Use cold heavy cream and a chilled bowl for the best whipped cream volume. Always ensure cake layers are 100% cool before assembly to prevent melting.