Homemade Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling
This homemade vanilla cake with strawberry filling is super moist, has an incredibly soft texture, and is easy to make. Topped with a layer of fresh strawberry filling, tangy cream cheese frosting, extra swirls of strawberry jam, and juicy strawberries, it is bursting with strawberry flavor!! With just one layer, this classic cake is the perfect centerpiece for all festive occasions and celebrations!!
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
Expert Tips
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 906kcalCarbohydrates: 123.9gProtein: 18.8gFat: 39.3gSaturated Fat: 21.7gCholesterol: 220mgSodium: 397mgPotassium: 239mgFiber: 6.5gSugar: 69.4gCalcium: 127mgIron: 5mg
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