Bakery Style Strawberry Layer Cake with Whipped Frosting
This Bakery Style Strawberry Layer Cake is a soft, flavorful celebration of real strawberries with light whipped frosting for a fresh and elegant finish. It’s a delicious, crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for any occasion, offering bakery-quality results right from your home kitchen.
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract optional but highly recommended
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup milk preferably whole or 2%, at room temperature
Filling:
- 3 cups fresh strawberries sliced or diced (divided)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
- Additional whole strawberries for garnish optional
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to cool room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups heavy whipping cream very cold (straight from the fridge)
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined, then set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites, and both extracts until fully blended. Add in the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Gradually add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, taking care not to overmix the batter.
- Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease them. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Gently tap or drop each pan on the counter a few times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake the cakes for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If needed, rotate the pans halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Let the cakes cool completely in their pans on a wire rack.
- Filling:
- Mix the fresh strawberries and strawberry jam together and set aside for assembly. For best results, slice approximately 2½ cups of the strawberries for the filling, and dice about ½ cup to sprinkle on top of the finished cake. You can choose to slice or dice the berries as you prefer—just make sure you have around 3 cups total.
Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy. While continuing to whip, slowly pour the cold heavy cream down the side of the bowl. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to high and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. It’s essential that the cream stays cold throughout the process to ensure proper thickening. If using a hand mixer, hold the bowl at the top and avoid pressing it against your body, which could transfer warmth.
Assembly:
- Place the first cake layer on your serving platter or cake stand. Spread one-third of the whipped frosting evenly over the top, then spoon about 1¼ cups of the strawberry filling on top. Add the second cake layer and repeat the process with another third of the frosting and the remaining filling. Place the final cake layer on top and cover it with the remaining whipped frosting. Arrange the reserved diced strawberries in the center of the cake and, if desired, garnish the sides or top edges with whole strawberries for decoration.