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Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe with Fresh Strawberry Icing

This recipe for moist vanilla strawberry cake gets a switch up with fresh strawberry icing – a perfect cake for special occasions!

I asked our son if he would be willing to try switching up our traditional vanilla cake birthday cake this year.

When he landed on a scrumptious looking layer cake on Pinterest, I panicked a little.

Oh, dear! Can I come close to making a cake similar to Yellow Bliss Road’s Fresh Strawberry Cake?

I did a fair share of substituting in the recipe, but I really loved trying this new – and delicious – twist for the moistest vanilla cake recipe ever!

Moist Vanilla Cake recipe with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

Vanilla Strawberry Cake Recipe with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

(A printable recipe card is provided below for your convenience.)

Ingredients you’ll need:

For the vanilla cake:

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk (To make your own sour milk, in a 2 cup measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Add enough milk to equal 1 1/3 cups.)
  • ½ cup shortening, margarine, or butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 egg whites

For the Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:

  • 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces
Top of Vanilla cake with Fresh strawberry icing and fresh strawberries
Decorating this moist vanilla layer cake is easy with fresh strawberry slices.

Step 1: Bake the vanilla cake in 2 round pans:

  • In the bowl of your mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt on low speed. Then add buttermilk, softened butter, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl. Beat on medium to high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping bowl occasionally.
  • Pour into 2 greased and parchment-paper lined 9×1 ½ inch round baking pans.
  • Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. **Tip: Place the pans staggered on 2 shelves in the oven. When it has baked for half the time, switch the location of the pans so they bake evenly.
  • Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

I recommend baking the cakes ahead of time if you can, and place them in the freezer. I find it much easier to frost frozen cakes. Here are the steps for how to freeze a cake.

A vanilla strawberry cake with fresh strawberry icing on a cake platter.

Step 2: Make the fresh strawberry icing

  • Chill the metal bowl and whisk attachment of your mixer in the fridge or freezer.
  • Take the chilled bowl out and beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer until stiff peeks form.
  • Transfer the whipped cream into another bowl and place in the fridge.
  • Wash the bowl and put the softened block of cream cheese into it.
  • Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy – scraping the bowl occasionally.
  • Add the vanilla and beat some more – scraping bowl occasionally.
  • Gradually pour in the sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
  • Then fold in the strawberries.
Vanilla strawberry layer cake with fresh strawberries decorating the top and sides on a cake stand.
Decorate your pretty vanilla cake with slices of fresh strawberries.

Step 3: Ice the Vanilla Cake

  • Place the bottom layer cake flat side up on a plate. Spread on a layer of icing on the top- to 1/4 inch from the edge.
  • Set the top layer of the cake flat side down onto the bottom cake.
  • Spread the icing on the top and around the sides.
  • Decorate with strawberry slices.
  • Place cake in fridge until ready to serve.

For more tips and tricks for assembling a layer cake, click here.

Looking for more cake recipes? Check these out:

And, I just discovered this way to turn any cake into the cutest cakesicles. You need to check them out!

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Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe with Fresh Strawberry Icing

Moist Vanilla Cake Recipe with Fresh Strawberry Icing

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours

This moist vanilla cake recipe topped with fresh strawberry cream cheese icing is a perfect cake for special occasions!

Ingredients

  • For the vanilla cake:
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk, To make your own sour milk, in a 2 cup measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Add enough milk to equal 1 1/3 cups.
  • ½ cup shortening, margarine, or butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 egg whites
  • For the Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:
  • 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bake the vanilla cake in 2 round pans:In the bowl of your mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt on low speed. Then add buttermilk, softened butter, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl. Beat on medium to high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping bowl occasionally.
  2. Pour into 2 greased and parchment-paper lined 9×1 ½ inch round baking pans.
  3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. **Tip: Place the pans staggered on 2 shelves in the oven. When it has baked for half the time, switch the location of the pans so they bake evenly.
  4. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. 
  5. I recommend baking the cakes ahead of time if you can, and place them in the freezer. I find it much easier to ice frozen cakes.
  6. Step 2: Make the fresh strawberry icingChill the metal bowl and whisk attachment of your mixer in the fridge or freezer.
  7. Take the chilled bowl out and beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer until stiff peeks form.
  8. Transfer the whipped cream into another bowl and place in the fridge.
  9. Wash the bowl and put the softened block of cream cheese into it.
  10. Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy – scraping the bowl occasionally.
  11. Add the vanilla and beat some more – scraping bowl occasionally.
  12. Gradually pour in the sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
  13. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
  14. Then fold in the strawberries.
  15. Step 3: Ice the Vanilla CakePlace the bottom layer cake flat side up on a plate. Spread on a layer of icing on the top- to 1/4 inch from the edge.
  16. Set the top layer of the cake flat side down onto the bottom cake.
  17. Spread the icing on the top and around the sides.
  18. Decorate with strawberry slices.
  19. Place cake in fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 645Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 77gFiber: 1gSugar: 55gProtein: 8g

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