Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Strawberries and cream is a match made in heaven, and in no world is it not just plain delicious! My Strawberry Shortcake Cake features piles of vanilla whipped cream and fresh strawberries between two layers of buttery, tender, slightly dense vanilla cake. It is a celebration of strawberries and a version of shortcake that's fit to feed a crowd. What I love about this recipe is that the cake is made in one bowl and baked in one pan so it is truly fuss-free and easy to make. You slice the one cake in half to make two layers so there's less clean-up. If you love baking with strawberries, check out my Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes, Strawberry Shortcake Bars and Strawberry Shortcake Cookies too!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Tender vanilla cake - the vanilla shortcake is buttery with a tender crumb and just lightly dense like a true shortcake.
• Fresh strawberry filling - for the filling, I toss chopped fresh strawberries with a bit of sugar and a drop of vanilla and spoon it over the first layer of cream between the cakes.
• Hint of lemon - a bit of lemon zest adds wonderful citrus flavor and aroma to complement the berries.
• Easy one bowl recipe - this cake comes together in one bowl and is all baked in one pan.
• Vanilla whipped cream - my secret to getting beautiful billowing piles of cream is to make stabilized whipped cream with a bit of skim milk powder. Read on below to see how I do it.
• Fresh strawberries - what's a strawberry shortcake recipe without piles of fresh strawberries? Get the sweetest ones you can find and slice them up.

INGREDIENTS FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• All purpose flour - simple all purpose flour works great for this recipe. If you are after an especially soft cake, you can also use pastry flour which has a lower protein content. My tip is to be sure to measure your flour correctly since adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cakes. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean so the vanilla shines.
• Pure vanilla extract - it is important to have good vanilla for this recipe since it's the main flavor and you want it to shine. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Unsalted butter - butter brings the flavor! I couldn't make shortcake without butter. The solid fat fraction of butter is what will help to make the "short" and crumbly texture as well as add tenderness. Make sure it is completely softened to room temperature and if it is cold in your house, then warm it up just slightly in the microwave (but do not melt it).

• Egg - two whole eggs will provide structure, lift and of course flavor to this cake.
• Milk - you can use whole milk at 3.25% or 2% milk. I would avoid anything with less fat content than that (i.e. avoid skim milk).
• Whipping cream - the frosting is so easy to make with just cream, sugar, skim milk powder and vanilla. Make sure you use cold heavy cream with minimum 35% milk fat content to get the most voluminous piles of cream.
• Skim milk powder - brings extra protein to help stabilize the cream so that it holds up nicely and remains airy without weeping even days after storage in the fridge.
• Fresh strawberries - there's no substitute for fresh berries here. Only make this recipe if you have fresh strawberries available.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the cake batter. Combine dry ingredient. Sift the flour, corn starch and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt and whisk to blend well.
• STEP 2). Add wet ingredients. Add soft butter, beaten eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, milk and vanilla and beat using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium-low speed until the batter is smooth.
• STEP 3). Bake the cake. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the cake is evenly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• STEP 4). Make the strawberry filling. Combine chopped strawberries and sugar in a bowl and toss together to combine. Leave them for 10-20 minutes or until they have released a little of their juices. Strain the strawberries, reserving the juice.
• STEP 5). Make the cream filling and topping. Combine whipping cream with skim milk powder in a large bowl and whisk or beat on medium speed until the cream forms peaks. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until they form semi-firm peaks. Be mindful not to over whip as the cream can become grainy.
• STEP 6). Assemble your strawberry shortcake. Slice the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom layer of cake onto a serving plate. Spoon a little under half of the cream over the cake and spread it out evenly leaving about ½-inch border. Spoon the drained chopped strawberries over the cream. Place the top layer over the filling and apply a bit of pressure to help it stay in place. Spoon the remaining cream over the cake and pile the fresh sliced strawberries over the cream. Just before serving, drizzle the reserved strawberry juices on top.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use very soft (almost melted) butter. Take your butter out of the fridge two hours before you plan to bake. I usually take mine out the night. Sometimes I even microwave it for a few seconds until it is half melted so it incorporates evenly into the batter for this one-bowl method.
• Have eggs at room temperature. Take your egg out of the fridge 2 hours before baking, or place it in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes.
• Do not over-mix, but DO mix! It is important to mix well so that all of the ingredients become evenly incorporated and the butter emulsifies into the batter. An emulsified batter is the secret to the soft texture. However, do not over-mix or it will develop gluten and become tough.
• Do not over-bake. The cake is ready when it is evenly golden and a skewer comes out clean.
• Stabilize the whipped cream with skim milk powder. This is my baker's secret!

RECIPE FAQ

STORING AND FREEZING

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