This cake! Really, it has left me speechless. I don’t even want to talk much about it because I feel like I can’t do it justice. But, I will anyway, and the cake gods will be annoyed.
This cake… you know, it’s just one of those things. Give it a taste and goodnight. We are all done. Time to go home.
I was craving a fresh fruit cake (not that kind) and I thought what better than a wonderfully light and easy, buttery vanilla cake with fresh, ripe strawberries and homemade whipped cream? As always, the best things in life are the simplest things in life. And your palate can appreciate and discern the singular flavors, as well as the merriment of a few simple flavors much easier.
So I baked this cake last night and while enjoying it, my husband told me it was his new favorite cake. Happy dance time!
This cake is the moistest (OK, so some people hate that word but I have to in this case), fluffiest, freshest, most heavenly dessert I’ve had in a very long time. It feels like a baby cloud is softly, and oh so happily, bouncing around in your mouth.
I beg you, please, PLEASE bake this cake. It cannot be more perfect.
I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart’s strawberry cream cake, so you don’t need me to tell you that it’s going to be perfect. But the thing is, I’m not perfect like Martha---I like to make things simple and changed it here and there---so here’s a less headachy version (sorry Martha!).
I'm curious, what's your favorite cake ever? Comment below and let me know!
Recipe
The Best Strawberries and Cream Cake Ever
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup 1 stick Unsalted Butter, softened
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs plus 2 Egg Yolks
- ½ cup Whole Milk
- ½ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour plus 1 tablespoon extra for dusting the pan
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder I always use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder, such as Rumford Brand
- ¾ teaspoon Sea Salt
For the Fresh Strawberry Topping:
- 1 pound Fresh Strawberries rinsed, stems cut off, and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
For the Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350º F (176º C).
- Grease a round cake pan (8- or 9-inch diameter will work, just make sure it comes up at least 2 inches) with cooking spray or butter.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan, move it all around, and tap off all the excess.
- In a large bowl, add butter and ½ cup sugar and beat with mixer until soft and creamy.
- Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat well.
- Add flour, baking powder, and sea salt; and give this powder mixture a little mix with a spoon and then beat with mixer on low until just combined. Don’t overbeat in this step.
- Pour into cake pan and bake until a fork poked inside comes out clean (about 25 min).
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pan and let cool for another 10 minutes before splitting cake in half lengthwise (serrated knife works best for this).
For the Fresh Strawberry Topping:
- In a clean mixing bowl, gently combine sliced strawberries with sugar until completely coated and let sit until ready to assemble cake. The strawberries will release a bit of sweet juice. This is exactly what you want.
For the Whipped Cream:
- In a clean mixing bowl, beat together heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside until ready to assemble cake.
Assembling the Cake:
- Once the cake has cooled, start layering everything as follows:
- First add half the strawberries plus half its juice onto the first half of the cake (cut side up).
- Then add half the whipped cream on top (don’t spread it to the very edge of the cake).
- Then layer the other half of the cake (cut side down), add the remainder of the cream, and lastly, the remainder of the strawberries plus its juice. Slice and enjoy!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
i love strawberries and cream! never made a strawberries and cream cake though, definitely on my 'to make' list now. looks delicious.
honestandtasty says
Oh I'm excited to hear how you like it then! 🙂
dina says
it looks gorgeous!
honestandtasty says
Thanks Dina! It tastes even more gorgeous, I have to say 😉
Nicky @ Kitchen Sanctuary says
Bita that looks soooo good. I love fresh strawberries - and surrounding it in cake and cream? Yes please 🙂 Pinned!
honestandtasty says
Thanks! There's nothin' like it, Nicky! Fluffy cake paradise 🙂
Matt @ Plating Pixels says
This looks super yummy! I love strawberries in desserts. I recently made a sweet strawberry pizza but will have to try this.
honestandtasty says
Thank you, Matt! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a go! Strawberry pizza, that's so interesting! Sounds like a really yum dessert but I could see it as a savory dish too (maybe with some balsamic vinegar, and fresh mozzarella).
Jessica says
Does it get yucky soggy if you assemble it beforehand? I just don’t know if I can assemble it in the morning or immediately before the party.