Nana’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Golden sponge cake sandwiching a delicious strawberry cream layer topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Nana’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake is not your typical strawberry shortcake. Delicate, elegant and absolutely perfect for your summer time event.
Welcome to 2019 Summer Dessert Week!
This week we are celebrating desserts galore! You will find something for any of your dessert needs.
From family BBQ’s to a simple just because snack.
A big group of us have come together to share some of our favorite summertime dessert recipes with you!
Today I am bringing this absolutely incredible Strawberry Shortcake Cake.
It is our favorite summer dessert around here.
Nana’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake is light, delicate and moist. The sweet summery flavor of Strawberries shines through.
It’s not your usual Strawberry Shortcake.
While it does take a little time to assemble, the recipe is very easy and uses items you probably already have or can get quite easily almost anywhere.
While it’s easy, there are four key components to the recipe.
Here are the four steps to essentially making the best strawberry shortcake cake.
Four Steps to Nana’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Vanilla Sponge Cake:
For this recipe, we make an easy vanilla sponge cake that requires ingredients you probably have on hand, and nothing special.
You will start by baking up the sponge cake, allowing it to cool completely and then doing the rest.
The cake needs to be cooled completely before doing anything else or everything will just slide off.
Strawberry Cream Filling:
This is your cream that goes in between the two layers. This incredibly easy strawberry cream filling can be made while you’re baking the cake, and then chilled.
It will need to firm up in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Whipped Cream:
Homemade whipped cream is always better both in the creaminess and taste factor, than the store-bought counterparts.
It’s SO easy to make and you can use it for just about anything.
BUT this cake is incredible with store-bought whipped cream too, so you use what you like.
Fresh Juicy Strawberries and pie filling:
Fresh strawberries are the best in this recipe. You can either use store-bought pie filling or make your own homemade pie filling.
I have done both and honestly they are both delicious, so again this will be a personal preference.
Just be sure to use fresh strawberries on top, no matter which you use.
You can use frozen, but I suggest you thaw them first.
More Summer Desserts!
- Circus Animal Cookie Ice Cream
- Butterscotch Ice Cream
- Individual Mermaid Ice Cream Treats
- Creamy Peach Pie Delight
- Frozen Strawberry Yogurt Pie
- Mini Fresh Strawberry Pies
- Cherry Limeade Icebox Pie
- Coconut Custard Almond Cake
- Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
- Fiesta Lime Cupcakes
- Ice Cream Cone Drip Cake
- Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
- Mermaid Layer Cake
- Vanilla Icebox Cake
- The Perfect Vanilla Cupcake
- No Bake Berry Cheesecake
- Sea Shell Beach Cakesicles
Nana’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Ingredients
For Sponge Cake:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
To Make Cream Filling:
- ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon strawberry extract
- 2 tablespoons strawberry pie filling +
- ¼ cup strawberry pie filling
To decorate cake:
- 2-3 cups of whipped cream
- Remaining strawberry pie filling from can
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
Instructions
For Sponge Cake:
- Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature before you get started and preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Prepare your pan. Butter a standard spring form pan and then shake flour inside to coat.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. You are looking for a very fluffy, pale yellow color. This took me about 15 minutes on medium/high speed. You can wrap the base of your mixer (if you’re using a stand mixer) with ice packs and a towel to tie it together so the motor stays cool for that long. I do that anytime I make meringue or this cake or any other reason I need to have the mixer on that long.
- To test if your mixture is ready, take a spoonful and plop it on top. If it sinks right in, it needs more beating. If it sits there and lasts for 30 seconds to a minute – you’ve got the right texture.
- Sift your flour and baking soda on the top, folding it in gently with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan and leave it exactly as it is.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Turn off the oven, open the oven door but do not remove the cake. Leave it to cool for 10 minutes this way.
- Remove from oven and allow it to cool an additional 10 minutes. Pop the lock on the spring form pan and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.
- When the cake is completely cool, take a long serrated knife and cut the cake into two halves to create a top layer and a bottom layer.
To Make the Strawberry Cream Filling
- In a saucepan, heat 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream over medium heat. Remove the pan just as the cream begins to bubble but before its a full on boil.
- In a small bowl, beat the sugar, egg and flour until frothy.
- Once mixture is frothy, stir in the warm cream a very small amount at a time, whisking constantly.
- Pour everything back into the warm saucepan and warm again over medium-high heat. Whisk often until the cream reaches a simmer. Once it’s simmering, whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened – less than 5 minutes or so.
- Remove from heat, and pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the vanilla and strawberry extract.
- Take two tablespoons of strawberry pie filling including a few strawberries. Cut the strawberries included into much smaller pieces and whisk into the cream mixture.
- Allow the entire mixture to cool for about 15 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
- Once cold and solid, separate your two cake halves and fill the middle layer with all of the cream and strawberry mixture. Gently spread 1/4 cup of strawberry pie filling across the top of the cream layer. Gently place the other cake half on top trying not to push down too much and scrape off any access around the edges.
- Put the cake in the refrigerator for about 1 hour for it to firm up a little more. Do not allow cake to remain in the refrigerator for too long.
To Assemble Cake:
- When ready to serve, cover the cake in whipped cream topping. Top the cake with the remaining strawberry pie filling. You can spread it around the entire top of the cake or just leave in the center like we did.
- Add strawberries and whipped cream garnish.
- Cake can be refrigerated until serving. Lasts in refrigerator in air tight container for 2-3 days. Allow to sit on counter for 20 minutes or so before serving to soften up. Great chilled or room temperature.
Notes
- Do not open the oven door for the first 30 minutes to check the cake at all. Any loss of heat or sudden movement can quickly ruin this cake.
I love fresh fruit so fruit salad, strawberry pie, fruit pizza etc.
I love that you used a spongecake recipe for this. So good!
I love your recipes. I am leaving my email address in case I can subscribe to them. These are recipes like I have never seen or heard of before and I like that, they’re unique!
Hi! You didn’t mention pan size
Hi there! A standard spring form pan is 9″. I hope that helps! Enjoy the recipe! <3