Get ready to take your tastebuds for a ride with this bakery worthy moist Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling!! The ultimate classic flavor combination, this easy recipe features a soft and fluffy homemade vanilla cake, layered with a fresh strawberry cake filling and topped with a cream cheese frosting. Finished off with extra swirls of strawberry jam and fresh, juicy strawberries, this simple cake is easy to make but sure to impress!!
Everyone needs a classic go to vanilla cake recipe in their back pocket. This easy, homemade vanilla cake is an elevated variation of my grandmother's classic 1-2-3 cake but with a twist!! After countless tests of the original recipe, I finally came up with a rendition that turns the ordinary vanilla cake into a, dare I say bakery quality show-stopper!!
Unlike the original recipe, my updated version is made with a combination of sour cream and milk. Add in butter, vegetable oil, and milk powder and all these ingredients work together to create a super fluffy vanilla cake that stays nice and moist.
But the ingredients are not the only upgrade to this delicious cake. My goal was to create a sturdy cake with a velvety soft texture that could also hold the weight of the strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting. So I made this cake using the reverse creaming method!! Which, I know can be intimidating but don't fret. I am here to guide you to success.
Paired with a layer of homemade strawberry jam cake filling, generous swoops of cream cheese frosting, AND fresh strawberries, this cake is bursting with flavor. It tastes just like my fresh strawberry shortcake bundt cake!! Sweet and tart in all the right ways and just one layer (no fussy layer cake here), it's the perfect addition to any celebration!! I can't wait to show you how to make this elevated vanilla cake with strawberry filling!!
If you have extra strawberry filling, it's all good!! Use it to make my strawberry jam coffee cake recipe. It features a sour cream cake base layered with strawberry cake filling and topped with almond streusel for a sweet crunch!!
How to Make It
I love that this vanilla cake recipe uses the reverse creaming method. It's super simple, has fewer steps, and is perfect for beginner cake bakers. The main goal with this method is to limit the development of gluten. This helps to create a super moist cake with a bouncy crumb.
Too much gluten development from over mixing leads to a dry, tough cake - something we don't want here. This foolproof method can be made with or without a mixer but I suggest using a stand mixer for ease.
Step 1: Shift and whisk the dry ingredients together. In the bowl of the stand mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: Slowly add in the sliced butter, one piece at a time. Once all the butter is added slowly add in the oil. Once combined, the mixture will look very crumbly in texture, like wet sand.
Step 3: Whisk together wet ingredients. Whisk together the milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Slowly add the mixture to the dry ingredients.
Whisk together the eggs. Slowly pour in half of the egg mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and add the second half of the egg mixture.
Step 4: After mixing, the batter should look thick and smooth, with a creamy texture.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter into a lined 9 x 13 cake pan and then bake for 35 to 40 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a wooden skewer in the center of the cake. When done, it should come out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Step 6: Let the vanilla cake cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. It should like look like this fresh from the oven. Golden brown, with the edges pulling slightly away from the pan.
Strawberry Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting
This homemade fresh strawberry filling recipe is simple to make and requires just four ingredients. I suggest making the filling ahead if possible and storing it in a glass jar until ready to use. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 10 days which makes things a lot easier when it comes time to assemble the cake.
The tanginess of the cream cheese frosting creates a nice balance that offsets the sweetness of the strawberries and cake. It enhances and elevates the strawberry flavor rather than take away from it.
Step 1: Make the homemade strawberry cake filling. When making the filling, be sure to stir the mixture occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: Make the cream cheese frosting. When making the frosting, first start on medium high speed. Beating at a high speed can break down the structure of the cream cheese.
Step 3: Spread a layer of strawberry jam. Start at ½ cup of filling adding more if desired. Be mindful not to add too much filling so the cream cheese won't slide off.
Step 4: Decorate. Dollop spoonfuls of strawberry filling on top of the frosting and swirl together with a wooden skewer. Top with sliced and whole strawberries then it is ready to serve!!
If you're leaning towards a more citrusy cake, my lemon sour cream bundt cake is a delicious family favorite. It is filled with lemon juice and zest and finished with a fresh, creamy strawberry glaze. It tastes just like a refreshing glass of strawberry lemonade!!
Baking Tips from My Kitchen
Testing this elevated family recipe took a lot of trial and error to get just right. My goal when putting twists on recipes that are part of my family is to be able to recreate something you would be excited to serve to your family. These were the best ingredients and tips I found for my version of the best strawberry vanilla cake:
- Unbleached Cake Flour - Cake flour has a lower protein count than all purpose flour. This ensures a light and tender crumb.
- Milk Powder - Although this isn't a common pantry ingredient, it really helps elevate this cake. It adds a smoother, more mellow flavor, helps provide structure and creates a higher rise, and creates a consistent texture with a tender, bouncy crumb.
- Reverse Creaming - This was one of the major changes from the original recipe. Reverse creamed cakes usually bake up flat, not domed like cakes that use the creaming method. I wanted a more structured cake with a soft texture and flat surface when spreading the filling and frosting.
- Use Cold Cream Cheese - If you've ever had runny cream cheese buttercream after mixing, your cream cheese was likely too warm. Using the cream cheese straight from the fridge creates a thicker frosting that is much easier to spread.
- Choose the Right Strawberries - For best the strawberry flavor, use fresh bright small to medium red berries that are firm to the touch. Avoid berries that are bruised, soft, or mushy.
- Use Butter and Oil - While the original recipe uses all butter, I opted to go for a combination of butter and oil. Butter provides loads of flavor while vegetable oil contributes to the cake's soft texture.
Storage
Because of the strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting, I recommend storing this cake in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
If making the cake layer in advance, store in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap for 2 days.
More Cake Recipes You'll Love
It brings me so much joy when you make one of my recipes!! If you try this recipe and love it much as I do, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below. And don't forget to tag me to share your creation with me!! You can find me on Instagram @vintage_confections and Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 3 (375 g) cups Cake Flour
- 2 (400 g) cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Milk Powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ (113 g) cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- ½ (112 g) cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ (120 g) cup Sour Cream full fat, room temperature
- 1 (240 g) cup Whole Milk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 large Eggs room temperature
Strawberry Cake Filling
- 4 (680 g) cups Fresh Strawberries hulled and finely chopped
- 1 (200 g) cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream Cheese cold
- ½ (113 g) cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 4 (480 g) cups Powdered Sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
For the Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and line a 9x13-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of the stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, sift together the flour, sugar, milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 (375 g) cups Cake Flour, 2 (400 g) cups Granulated Sugar, 2 tablespoons Milk Powder, 2 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the butter, one slice at a time to the flour mixture. Mix until the butter is incorporated and starting to break into smaller clumps, about 2 minutes. Once all the butter is added, keep the mixer on low speed and slowly add in the oil. Continue to mix for 1 minute. Once combined, the mixture will look very crumbly in texture, like wet sand.½ (113 g) cup Unsalted Butter, ½ (112 g) cup Vegetable Oil
- In a large mixing cup, whisk together the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, pour the milk mixture into batter and mix for 30 seconds. Then, increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 30 seconds. After mixing, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Dry ingredients like to stick to the bottom so be sure to scrape the bowl well!!½ (120 g) cup Sour Cream, 1 (240 g) cup Whole Milk, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- Whisk together the eggs and slowly add half of the egg mixture to the batter on low speed. Once the egg mixture has incorporated into the batter, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the second half of the egg mixture. After all of the egg mixture is incorporated, scrape the bowl and mix the batter on low for 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix the batter for an additional 10 seconds, being careful not to over mix.4 large Eggs
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is combined. The batter should be thick and creamy. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. When done, the cake should be golden brown in color and bounce back when lightly pressed. The edges of the cake should slightly pull away from the sides of the pan. A cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then using the parchment overhang, gently lift the cake out of the pan and onto a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes before flipping it over to remove the parchment paper. (I like to do this by placing another wire rack on top of the cake, flip it so the parchment paper is now on top then remove the paper. Then repeat the process by placing the wire rack on top of the cake again and flipping it back over so its right side up.)Let the cake cool completely, about two hours before making the frosting. If you didn't make it ahead, as the cake cools, make the strawberry filling.
For the Strawberry Filling
- In a large saucepan, add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon and stir until combined. Bring to a boil stirring often over medium high heat and boil for 2 minutes. Then, decrease heat to medium low.4 (680 g) cups Fresh Strawberries, 1 (200 g) cup Granulated Sugar, 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- Cook the mixture, stirring often for 20 to 25 minutes until the jam thickens. Use the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash any large chunks of strawberries. To test to see if the jam is ready, run the wooden spoon along the bottom of the saucepan in a straight line. If the jam takes a second or two to come back together, the jam is ready. You can also take a small cold plate (I like to place one in the freezer while I'm making the jam) and place a small spoonful in the center. Slide your finger through the middle of the jam. If the jam stays apart, it's ready. If it comes back together, cook it a little bit longer!!
- Once ready, remove jam from heat and transfer to a heatproof container. Allow jam to cool to room temperature. If making the jam ahead, place it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Allow the jam to come to room temperature before spreading it on top of the cake. If the jam is still cold place it in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds to heat up. This will make it easier to spread.Note that this recipe makes 2 cups of filling. I like to serve the extra filling on the side of the cake with scoops of ice cream!!
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Decrease to low speed and slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar a cup at a time, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl until fully combined.8 oz Cream Cheese, ½ (113 g) cup Unsalted Butter, 4 (480 g) cups Powdered Sugar
- Once all of the powdered sugar is added scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla extract. Continue to mix on low speed until no lumps of sugar or pockets of air remain and the frosting is smooth.1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Assembly
- Place the cooled vanilla cake on a wire rack or cake plate. Spread a layer of jam on top of the cake. I usually spread ½ cup but you can add more!! Next, cover the layer of jam with the cream cheese frosting. Add spoonfuls of strawberry filling on top of the cream cheese frosting and gently swirl the two together with a wooden skewer.
- Top with whole and halved strawberries and serve with extra jam on the side. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Measure your dry ingredients properly - Be sure to weigh your flour using a kitchen scale or spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Avoid scooping directly into the flour. Doing so will compact the flour into the cup adding more flour than what is needed for the batter.
- Strawberry Filling - If making the filling ahead, store it in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. The jam will continue to thicken while in the fridge. Be sure to take it out and allow it to come to room temperature before using or heat it in the fridge for 10 to 20 seconds. This recipe makes 2 cups of filling.
- Cream cheese frosting - If your frosting is too soft, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes to thicken.
- Flour - For the softest texture and tender crumb, use cake flour. Due to the mixing method and milk powder, do not swap the cake flour with all purpose flour. Using all purpose flour will result in a very dry cake.
- Storage - Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If making the cake in advance, store in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap for 2 days.
Emily
What a stunning cake - it looks so delicious and approachable to make. Excited to make it this weekend!
Lauren
Thank you so much Emily!! I hope you enjoy it!!