Vanilla Cake With Strawberry Filling
Dive into this moist, luscious vanilla cake with strawberry filling! A heavenly treat that's sure to impress!
Servings 10 -12, approximately
Equipment
- two 8 inch (20cm) round cake pans
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowls
- hand mixer (or stand mixer)
- rotating cake stand or turntable
- piping bags and tip
Ingredients
For the strawberry filling (This makes about 1 cup.)
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 ounces fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries (170g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50g)
- ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the vanilla cake layers
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (312g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (170g)
- 1 ½ cups sugar (300g)
- 3 medium eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon light vegetable oil
- 1 cup whole milk (250ml)
For the vanilla buttercream frosting (Note: To make extra swirls on top of the cake, make ½ a batch more frosting.)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature (8oz/226g)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, plus more, if needed (500g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, plus more, if needed
Instructions
Make the strawberry filling.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the water and the cornstarch to make a slurry.¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water, 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice and stir everything together. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring until the strawberries have softened up a bit.6 ounces fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries (170g), ¼ cup sugar (50g), ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Once the strawberries softened, use a potato masher to mash them up and make them chunky.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium or low, so that it simmers and the strawberries get darker and the mixture thickens. Keep stirring so that it doesn't burn. This will take about 5 minutes and then you'll see it's darker in color and thicker.
- Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to cool completely. It will get a bit thicker once it has cooled completely.
Make the vanilla cake layers.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃.
- Grease and flour the pans and remove any excess flour. Then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Then add the salt and set aside.2 ½ cups all purpose flour (312g), 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In another large bowl, beat the butter to soften it, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar (all at once) and beat for another 5 minutes, until the mixture is creamy. Scrape the bowl a few times.¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (170g), 1 ½ cups sugar (300g)
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and the oil and mix again.3 medium eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 tablespoon light vegetable oil
- Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mixture (I usually begin and end with the flour) and beat on low - medium speed until just combined after each addition. Don't overmix.1 cup whole milk (250ml)
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean and the cakes are a light golden brown.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them. Then place them upside down on a wire rack to cool completely. These cakes bake pretty flat, but you could trim them once they're cool if you want. If you decide to trim them, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 45 minutes (or freeze them for 20 minutes) so they'll be easier to cut.
Make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Sift the powdered sugar. Set it aside.3-4 cups powdered sugar, plus more, if needed (500g)
- Beat the butter with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) on high speed until it's creamy, for about 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times during this time.1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature (8oz/226g)
- Add the powdered sugar in 4 batches, while the mixer is still running. Start on low speed and gradually increase speed to medium. Mix well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla and the milk, one tablespoon at a time (you may not need all of the milk) and beat until you reach your desired consistency. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon more milk, if it's too thin, add 1-2 tablespoons more powdered sugar. Then beat for another 3-4 minutes on high speed so that it gets lighter in color.2 teaspoons vanilla, 1-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, plus more, if needed
- Stir the frosting with a rubber spatula for about a minute to remove any air bubbles and make it more spreadable.
Assemble and decorate the cake.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate, cake stand, or turntable. Add an even layer of buttercream (about 1 cup). Then fill a piping bag with some of the buttercream and pipe a border around the edge of the cake layer.
- Add about ½ a cup of strawberry filling inside the border and spread it out to the edge.
- Place the second cake layer on top and add a very thin layer of buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or in the freezer for 10 minutes) to make the frosting firm.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and cover the top and sides with more buttercream. Use a bench scraper or offset spatula to smooth it out.
- Pipe some swirls around the edge of the top and fill the inside with another ½ cup of strawberry filling.
- Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or a cake cover and refrigerate it for at least half an hour before serving. This will make it easier to cut.
- Bring the cake to room temperature before you serve the cake.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Storage
Before serving, make sure to bring the cake to room temperature. To me, buttercream tastes best when it's at room temperature.
Cover the cake tightly and keep it in the refrigerator for up to about a week.
Freezing Instructions
You can freeze this cake (frosted or unfrosted) for up to about 2 months. Before serving, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Buttercream frosting freezes well. Store it in a freezer bag or an airtight container and you can freeze it for up to about 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight a day before serving.
Picture Tutorial & Tips
I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success.
Baking Measurements
I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking!
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