This recipe might just be the best vanilla cake I’ve ever developed. While my blog already features beloved vanilla cake recipes like the white forest cake, this particular creation stands out for its unparalleled softness and fluffiness. It achieves a delightful texture that many compare favorably to high-quality boxed cake mixes – but with all the goodness and fresh flavor of homemade ingredients! The secret lies in a unique combination of both oil and butter. Butter provides that rich, classic buttery flavor we all love, while the oil works wonders to ensure the cake remains incredibly moist and tender, crumb after crumb.

Complementing this exquisite cake base is my signature fresh strawberry filling. Crafted with just a handful of simple ingredients, this sweet and luscious filling is absolutely perfect for enhancing layer cakes. It brings a burst of authentic fruit flavor that beautifully cuts through the richness of the cake. To complete this masterpiece, the entire cake is generously covered in my celebrated strawberry buttercream frosting. I’ve previously featured this delectable frosting in my strawberry filled cupcakes, and its rave reviews made it an obvious choice for this ultimate vanilla cake with strawberry filling. The harmonious blend of these three components creates a dessert that is truly unforgettable.

I truly believe this cake is the ideal choice for any special celebration – from a memorable birthday party to an elegant gathering. Its vibrant colors and irresistible flavors are sure to impress your guests. If you find yourself craving even more delightful strawberry creations, be sure to explore some of my other favorite recipes: my comforting strawberry crumble, the indulgent chocolate cake with strawberry filling, the innovative strawberry crunch cheesecake, and the classic strawberry layered cake. For those seeking a more playful, festive vibe reminiscent of a funfetti cake, my strawberry funfetti cake offers a joyful burst of color and flavor perfect for any cheerful occasion.

Essential Ingredients for Your Strawberry Vanilla Cake

Crafting this delightful vanilla strawberry cake requires a selection of high-quality ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving its perfect flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to gather to bring this incredible recipe to life, along with some helpful tips for each:

• All-Purpose Flour: For the cake base, I recommend using standard all-purpose flour. It provides the perfect structure and tenderness for a beautifully textured crumb. Ensure it’s spooned and leveled for accurate measurement, or even better, weighed in grams for precision.
• Buttermilk: This ingredient is a game-changer for moist cakes. Buttermilk adds a subtle tang and reacts with the baking powder to create a tender, exceptionally moist vanilla cake. Make sure it’s at room temperature for optimal mixing. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then filling the rest with regular milk (dairy or non-dairy) to the 1-cup mark. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly before using.
• Neutral Oil: The inclusion of a neutral-flavored oil is key to the cake’s extraordinary softness and moisture. Opt for oils like vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil. It’s crucial to avoid oils with strong flavors, such as olive oil, which can impact the delicate vanilla taste of the cake.
• Almond Extract: While optional, a touch of almond extract truly elevates and enhances the overall flavor profile of the vanilla cake. It complements the vanilla beautifully, adding a subtle depth. If you enjoy its unique aroma and taste, I highly recommend adding it alongside the vanilla extract.
• Freeze-Dried Strawberries: These are an absolute must for achieving that vibrant, natural strawberry flavor in the buttercream without adding excess liquid. You can typically find freeze-dried strawberries at major retailers like Target, your local grocery store, on Amazon, or at specialty stores like Trader Joe’s. Be sure to select freeze-dried, not frozen, strawberries, as the latter contains too much moisture for frosting. Once measured, you’ll need to blend them into a fine powder using a food processor or a high-speed blender for the smoothest buttercream.
• Strawberry Jam (for filling): For the irresistible strawberry filling, I utilize the homemade strawberry jam from my dedicated strawberry filling recipe. This ensures a fresh, bright, and perfectly textured filling for your cake. If you’re short on time, a high-quality, thick store-bought strawberry jam can be used as a convenient substitute.
• Other Pantry Staples: Don’t forget the baking essentials! You’ll need granulated white sugar for sweetness, large eggs for structure and richness, vanilla extract for classic flavor, baking powder for lift, and kosher salt to balance and enhance all the flavors. Ensure all refrigerated ingredients like butter and eggs are at room temperature before you begin for the best emulsion and cake texture.

For precise measurements and full ingredient quantities, please refer to the detailed recipe card below.

Creative Substitutions & Delicious Variations

This vanilla cake with strawberry filling recipe is wonderfully versatile, allowing for several adjustments and creative twists to suit your preferences or what you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make it your own! Here are some ideas for substitutions and variations:

• Buttermilk Alternatives: If buttermilk isn’t readily available, you can easily swap it out for an equal amount of full-fat sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt. Both will contribute to the cake’s moistness and tender crumb. I don’t recommend using just regular milk, as it won’t provide the necessary acidity or richness for the best texture.
• Flavor Extracts: The almond extract adds a lovely nuanced flavor, but if you’re not a fan or prefer a pure vanilla profile, feel free to omit it entirely. For an adventurous twist, consider adding a hint of citrus with fiori di sicilia extract – it imparts a beautiful floral and lemon note that pairs wonderfully with strawberries.
• Strawberry Filling Shortcuts: While the homemade strawberry filling is truly exceptional, I understand that time isn’t always on your side. In a pinch, a good quality, thick store-bought strawberry jam or preserves can be used as a convenient substitute for the homemade filling. Just ensure it’s robust enough to hold its shape in the cake layers.
• Alternate Fruit Flavors: The beauty of this recipe is its adaptability to other fruits. Instead of strawberries, consider using freeze-dried raspberries or blueberries in the buttercream, and a homemade raspberry or blueberry filling for a different, yet equally delicious, berry-infused cake experience.
• Frosting Variations: If you’re looking for a different frosting experience, you can easily adapt this cake. For a richer, tangier counterpoint to the sweet strawberries, try my strawberry cream cheese frosting. It adds another layer of indulgence!
• Chocolate Lovers’ Delight: Can’t decide between vanilla and chocolate? You don’t have to! Adapt this recipe to a chocolate base by making my chocolate cake with strawberry filling. It offers the same luscious strawberry elements with a decadent chocolate cake.
• Adding Fresh Berries to Filling: For an extra burst of freshness and texture, once you’ve spread your homemade strawberry filling, you can gently press a thin layer of freshly sliced strawberries on top before adding the next cake layer. This adds another dimension to the strawberry flavor.

Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Baking Perfection

Baking this stunning vanilla cake with strawberry filling is a rewarding process, and I’m here to guide you through each step to ensure your success. Follow these clear instructions for a truly magnificent result:

Step 1: Prepare the Wet Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the room temperature unsalted butter with the granulated sugar and neutral oil. Mix on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture will become creamy but might not appear as smooth as an all-butter creamed mixture, due to the oil. This is perfectly normal and contributes to the cake’s moist texture.

Step 2: Incorporate Eggs and Extracts. Next, mix in the vanilla and almond extracts until just combined. Then, add the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. It’s crucial to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl thoroughly after each addition to ensure your cake batter is evenly mixed and smooth, preventing any unincorporated ingredients from affecting the final texture.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a separate medium or small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. This step ensures that the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is vital for an even rise and consistent flavor in your cake.

Step 4: Alternate Wet and Dry. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed only until just combined after each addition. Be very careful not to overmix the batter at this stage, as overmixing can lead to a tough cake.

Step 5: Bake the Cake Layers. Divide the smooth cake batter evenly between two greased and parchment-lined 8-inch cake pans. Bake in a preheated oven (usually 350°F/175°C) for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter. Allow the cake layers to cool in their pans for about 15 minutes before carefully inverting them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Cooling completely is crucial before frosting.

Step 6: Begin the Buttercream. While your cake layers are cooling, you can start preparing the luscious strawberry buttercream. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter with the confectioners’ sugar on low speed until they are just combined and no dry sugar remains. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and noticeably pale in color. This process incorporates air, making your frosting truly dreamy.

Step 7: Add Strawberry Flavor and Creaminess. To the whipped butter and sugar, add the finely powdered freeze-dried strawberries, along with the kosher salt and additional vanilla and almond extracts. Beat again on medium-high speed until the frosting is beautifully light, fluffy, and uniformly pink from the strawberry powder. Finally, with the mixer running on its lowest speed, slowly pour in the heavy cream until the frosting reaches a super creamy, spreadable consistency. You might not need all the cream, so add it gradually until you reach your desired texture.

Step 8: Assemble Your Masterpiece! Now for the exciting part – assembling your cake! Place one cooled cake layer onto your chosen serving plate or cake stand. Spread a thin, even layer of strawberry frosting over the top of this cake layer. Then, using a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or simply snipping the corner off a Ziploc bag), pipe a sturdy ring of frosting around the outer edge of the cake. This creates a “dam” to prevent the strawberry filling from leaking out. Carefully fill the center space within the piped ring with your homemade strawberry jam or filling. Gently top with the second cake layer. Finally, use the remaining strawberry buttercream to generously frost the top and sides of the entire cake, smoothing it out for a beautiful finish. For decoration, arrange fresh strawberries artfully on top of the cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy your stunning creation!

Expert Tips & Tricks for the Perfect Cake

Achieving a bakery-worthy vanilla cake with strawberry filling is easier than you think with these expert tips and tricks. These pointers will help you streamline your baking process, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure your cake turns out perfectly moist, flavorful, and beautiful every time.

• Strategic Make-Ahead Planning: To significantly reduce stress on serving day, embrace the make-ahead advantage of this recipe. The homemade strawberry filling can be prepared up to a week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Similarly, the baked cake layers can be made up to two days prior, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerated. This way, when it’s time to serve, you only need to focus on whipping up the fresh frosting and assembling your stunning creation, making for a much more enjoyable experience.
• Secure Your Filling: Preventing the delicious strawberry filling from oozing out of your layer cake is crucial for a clean and beautiful presentation. To do this, always spread a thin, even layer of strawberry buttercream on the bottom cake layer first. Then, use a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe a sturdy border, or “dam,” of buttercream around the outer edge of that same cake layer. This creates a secure barrier that will hold the strawberry filling perfectly in place.
• Boost That Strawberry Flavor: If you’re a true strawberry enthusiast and want to amplify the fruitiness, consider adding some very thinly sliced fresh strawberries directly on top of the strawberry filling layer before placing the next cake layer. This adds an extra burst of juicy, fresh berry taste and a delightful textural contrast that elevates the overall strawberry experience.
• Patient Cooling is Key: This might be the most important rule for successful layer cake assembly. Ensure your cake layers are *completely* cooled to room temperature before you even think about applying any frosting. If the cake is even slightly warm, the buttercream will melt, slide off, and create a messy, frustrating situation. Patience here pays off immensely.
• Room Temperature Ingredients for Success: Always make sure your butter, eggs, and buttermilk (or substitutes) are at room temperature. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a critical step that allows ingredients to emulsify properly, creating a smooth, cohesive batter and a beautifully even-textured cake. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy batter and a denser, less desirable cake texture.
• Avoid Overmixing the Batter: Once you start adding the flour to your wet ingredients, mix only until the flour streaks have just disappeared. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can result in a tough, chewy cake rather than the desired soft and fluffy texture. A light hand is best at this stage.
• Precise Measuring for Consistency: Baking is a science, and accurate measurements are paramount. Whenever possible, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients, especially flour, in grams. This is far more accurate than cup measurements and will ensure consistent, perfect results every time. If using cups, be sure to spoon the flour into the cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.

Common Questions About This Vanilla Strawberry Cake

I’ve gathered some frequently asked questions about this vanilla cake with strawberry filling to help you with any queries you might have during your baking journey. These answers provide further clarity and troubleshooting tips for a seamless experience.

Expand Your Berry Baking Horizon!

If this vanilla cake with strawberry filling has sparked your love for berry-infused desserts, you’re in for a treat! There’s a whole world of delicious berry recipes waiting to be explored. From comforting loaves to no-bake delights, these recipes celebrate the fresh, vibrant flavors of various berries, making them perfect additions to your baking list. Give these next berry-related recipes a try and continue your delightful baking journey:

If you’ve lovingly made this recipe, please make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! Your feedback is incredibly valuable and helps other home bakers discover and enjoy this delicious creation. I absolutely love seeing your beautiful baking triumphs, so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can admire your work and share your success! You can also follow along and get more delicious recipe inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok!

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling

Ella Gilbert

Nutrition