Strawberry Shortcake Cake Recipe
Total Time
1 hour 48 minutes
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
18 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(1)
Ingredients
10 servings
- 3 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche (sour cream will also work)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (284g)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (297g)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces (227g)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 pounds strawberries, give or take, chopped into bite-sized pieces (see directions below) (900g)
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Preparation
Step 1
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Butter and flour a half sheet pan (12 x 16 inches, with a 1-inch rim) and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper.
Step 2
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, creme fraiche, and milk.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low until combined.
Step 4
With the mixer running on low, add the butter one piece at a time, beating until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Step 5
With the mixer still running on low, slowly add half the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Step 6
With the mixer running on low, add the rest of the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 20 seconds (the batter may still look a little bumpy).
Step 7
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and use a spatula to mix the batter a few more times.
Step 8
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter 2 or 3 times to help get rid of any bubbles.
Step 9
Bake 15-18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and pulls slightly away from the sides and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.
Step 10
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Carefully turn the cake out onto a large piece of parchment paper, remove the other parchment paper from the bottom of the pan, and let cool completely. Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight, or frozen for up to 1 week.
Step 11
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth.
Step 12
Add the sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds (if using), and salt and beat on medium until smooth and light, about 3 minutes.
Step 13
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fit the mixer with a whisk. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the heavy cream, whisking until fully combined.
Step 14
Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary, 2-3 minutes.
Step 15
Cut the sheet cake into three equal pieces. Place one piece on a serving plate.
Step 16
With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with about 1/3 of the filling, then fill the centers with chopped berries so the whipped cream is covered.
Step 17
Place the second layer of cake on top, and repeat with the filling and berries.
Step 18
Put the third piece of cake on top and spread the last 1/3 of filling evenly on the top of the cake.
Step 19
Decorate with more strawberries if desired.
Step 20
For best results cutting the cake, chill the cake for 2 hours before serving/cutting. If you’re okay with it being a little more messy, dive in immediately. **The strawberry shortcake cake can be held in the fridge for 2 hours before serving; the strawberries will start to leak out their juices and make things soggy if held much longer than that.
Step 21
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Chef's notes
If you need a visual on cutting the strawberry shortcake cake, I have one on Handmade Charlotte. Flipping the cake out of the sheet pan can be precarious. Just go slow, and use the parchment paper underneath to help you sort of lift it out.
I don’t have super precise measurements for the strawberries – I had two pounds of berries to be safe, and used about 1 1/2 pounds. I put some sliced berries on the sides to try and make it look a little more polished, but if that sounds too tedious you can just fill the layers with chopped berries and not bother with it.
