My soft and fluffy vanilla cake has a homemade strawberry filling and a smooth strawberry buttercream. I've opted to include oil and buttermilk in this cake, which helps make it so perfectly moist. This two-layer cake is filled with flavor and might just be the best vanilla cake I've ever made!
Now, this might be the best vanilla cake recipe I've ever made. I've already got a few homemade cake recipes on the blog but I find this one to be even softer and fluffier. It really reminds me of boxed cake mix (in a good way!). The difference? I'm using a combination of oil and butter! The butter will give us that delicious buttery flavor but the oil makes the cake super soft.
I'm then using my fresh strawberry filling recipe, made with just a couple of ingredients this sweet strawberry filling is perfect in layer cakes.
Finally, the whole cake is covered in my strawberry buttercream recipe! I've already used this strawberry frosting in my strawberry filled cupcakes so I knew I had to use it again for this vanilla cake with strawberry filling!
This super moist cake with homemade strawberry filling is basically summer in a slice. If you can, I recommend making this cake during strawberry season so you can get the best fresh strawberries for the filling!
Buttermilk and Oil Makes The Cake Extra Moist
- Buttermilk: This is going to make the vanilla cake extra moist.
- Oil: Make sure you use a neutral oil, like vegetable oil, sunflower oil or canola oil. You don't want to use an oil that has a flavor like olive oil.
- Almond Extract: This is optional, but it really enhances the flavor of the cake. I recommend adding it alongside the vanilla extract.
- Freeze Dried Strawberries: You can find these at Target, your local grocery store, Amazon or Trader Joe's! Make sure you are using freeze dried strawberries and not frozen strawberries. Once you've measured out a cup and a half, you'll need to blend them in a food processor or blender until you have a fine powder.
- Strawberry Jam: I'm using the strawberry jam that I made from my strawberry filling recipe!
Step 1: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the room temperature butter with the sugar and neutral oil. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, it is going to look creamy but not as smooth as it would look if you were mixing just butter and sugar together!
Step 2: Mix in the two extracts, then add the eggs one at a time. Make sure you scrape the bowl after each addition so the cake batter is getting evenly mixed!
Step 3: In a medium or small bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder and salt.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. You want to make sure you start and end with dry ingredients.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter into 2 greased and lined 8-inch cake pans. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with no crumbs. Let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes before taking them out and cooling completely on a wire cooling rack.
Step 6: While the cakes cool, you can make the frosting! In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar on low speed. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.
Step 7: Add the freeze dried strawberry powder along with the salt and extracts. Once combined and fluffy, slowly pour in the heavy cream until it is super creamy and spreadable.
Step 8: Time to assemble! Place one cake down on your serving plate or cake stand. Cover with a thin layer of frosting and then using a piping bag to pipe a ring of frosting around the outer edge. Fill in the space with the strawberry jam. Then top with the other cake layer and frost the top and outside of the cake. Place strawberries on top of the cake to decorate!
My Top Cake Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead of Time: I recommend making your life easier by making some of the components of the cake ahead of time. Make the strawberry filling up to a week in advance and store in the fridge, and make the cake up to 2 days in advance. That way the day that you want to serve it you just need to make frosting and assemble it!
- Filling the Cake: To make sure the strawberry filling doesn't leak out, you'll want to spread a thin layer of frosting on the bottom cake layer. Then fill a piping bag with strawberry buttercream and pipe a border on the outer edge of the cake. This will help the filling not leak out.
- More Strawberry Flavor: If you want extra strawberry flavor, add some thinly sliced strawberries on top of the strawberry filling!
- Cool the Cake: Make sure the cakes are completely cool before you start assembling, or the frosting will melt off.
Try these berry-related recipes next!
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Moist Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling
Equipment
- 2 8-inch cake pans
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cup (333 grams) white sugar
- ¼ cup (50 ml) neutral oil
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 ml) buttermilk room temperature
Strawberry Filling
- 2 cups (300 grams) strawberries diced
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- zest lemon
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups (339 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ¼ cups (508 grams) confectioner's sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups (38 grams) freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
Make Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃. Grease and line two 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter with the oil and sugar until creamy on medium speed. This will take about 2-3 minutes, and it'll look a bit grainy and fluffy.⅓ cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (50 ml) neutral oil, 1 ⅔ cup (333 grams) white sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition.4 large eggs
- Mix in the almond and vanilla extract.3 teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking powder and salt.2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then mix on low. Add ½ the buttermilk. Repeat once more, then end with the flour mixture.1 cup (227 ml) buttermilk
- Pour the smooth cake batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before removing and letting them cool completely on wire cooling racks.
Make Strawberry Filling
- I recommend making this the night before if possible, or start making it before you bake the cakes! This will give it time to really thicken up.
- In a medium sized saucepan, combine the diced strawberries with the lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until it begins to simmer, stir frequently.2 cups (300 grams) strawberries, 4 tablespoons white sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, zest lemon
- Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes, it should become very thick. Coat the back of a spoon and if you're able to do that and run a line through it with your finger, then it is ready.
- Take off the heat and let cool completely. Store in a large mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Make Frosting
- Blend the freeze dried strawberry pieces with a food processor or blender until you have fine crumbs. Set aside.1 ½ cups (38 grams) freeze dried strawberries
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar on low speed.1 ½ cups (339 grams) unsalted butter, 4 ¼ cups (508 grams) confectioner's sugar
- Once combined, turn the speed to medium-high and beat until it becomes very thick.
- Stop the mixer and add the vanilla extract, almond extract, salt and strawberry powder. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Turn the mixer on your lowest speed and slowly pour in the cream until the frosting becomes creamy and spreadable - you might not need all the cream!¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
Assembly
- Place one cooled cake layer down on a plate or cake stand. Spread a small amount of strawberry frosting on top, then pipe a ring of strawberry frosting on the outer edges of the cake - this will create a barrier so the strawberry filling doesn't leak out!
- Take the cooled and set strawberry filling out of the fridge. Place ½ cup (or more if you like, ½ cup is what I used in the images above!) of the filling in the middle and use a small offset spatula to evenly spread it over the cake. Spread it up to the ring of frosting.
- Place the second layer on top, then frost the whole cake with the remaining frosting. Enjoy!
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Jennifer Strickland says
Hi can you use frozen strawberries for jam
Ella Gilbert says
Hi! I haven't tested it, but it should work. It just might need a little longer on the stove.
Marissa Krohne says
Hi there! I’m so excited to make this cake. I plan on doing two 6in round cakes on top of the two 8in cakes. How long do you think the 6in round cakes will need to bake, and at the same temp? It’s for my daughter’s birthday this weekend. Thanks in advance!
Ella says
Hi Marissa! Ok, so I haven't tested this but what I'm thinking is you'll have leftover batter (since 6-inch pans use around 6 cups of batter while 8-inch pans use 8 cups of batter) if you're filling just two 6-inch cake rounds and in that case, you can use that extra batter to make cupcakes. I would bake the 6-inch cakes at the same temperature, for 16-24 minutes. Again, I haven't tested this but just my thoughts!
Marissa Krohne says
Thank you so very much for the feedback! I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes 💗💗💗🍓🍓🍓
Helen M says
It was amazing. A lovely combination of sweet and tangy. The sponge was lovely and moist. A real winner with my whole family
Will definitely make it again😍
Ella says
Thanks so much for your review!
Julie says
Absolutely amazing!
I prepared this for my coworkers birthday and loved it so much I had to do another one for a graduation party. So easy to do with simple ingredients. Thank you thank you!!!! Will absolutely add this to the line up
Ella says
Thank you so much for your review!
Brie says
Hi! I’m planning on making this cake for about 20 people, so ideally wanted to make it into a 9”x3 cake- should I double the recipe to get that yield? Would I need to double the strawberry filling as well or just keep it how it is? Thank you!
Ella says
Hi Brie! Do you mean a 9x13"cake or a three layer 9-inch cake? I haven't tested either, but you should be able to use the same recipe in a 9x13" cake pan. You'll need to check for doneness because it might need slightly longer in the oven! I would keep the strawberry filling the same, you should have just about enough! If you want an extra thick strawberry jam layer though you can double it and just store leftovers in the fridge.
Guerlise Notis says
I made this cake for my sister's birthday party and everyone loved it.
Ella says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear that!
Jennifer says
Hi. Will this work in a 13x9 pan or glass casserole dish? Thanks!
Ella says
Hi! You should be able to bake it in a 13x9 baking pan, you might need to bake it for slightly longer so keep an eye on it! I don't recommend using a glass dish, they aren't the best conductors of heat!
Jennifer Thomas says
Thank you!
Mom says
Welp. Didn’t read the part about halving the table salt. Really hoping my daughter’s cake isn’t salty 😳