Name: Strawberries and Cream Swirl Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 1 h 4 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 cups hulled and quartered fresh strawberries; 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil; 2 cups granulated sugar; 4 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 cup whole milk; 2 cups hulled & sliced fresh strawberries; 2 cups cold heaving whipping cream; 1/3 cup powdered sugar; whole fresh strawberry, for garnishing

This Strawberries and Cream Swirl Cake is a stunning layered cake that’s moist and loaded with fresh strawberries and sweet whipped cream frosting!

A three layer cake with whipped cream and strawberries on a wooden platter.

A Stunning Strawberry Layer Cake

This three-layer cake is moist and full of strawberry flavor. The actual cakes are swirled with pure strawberry puree before being baked to beautiful perfection. And then they’re layered with more strawberries and lots of freshly whipped cream frosting, creating a stunning cake that’s almost too pretty to eat. ALMOST!

A piece of strawberry swirl layer cake with a fork stuck into it on a white dessert plate.

Full of Strawberry Flavor

I love baking with strawberries during the spring and summer when they’re in season. Strawberry banana bread, fresh strawberry pie, or some buttery, scrumptious strawberry streusel scones. At least one of my favorite strawberry recipes is cooling on the counter on any given day. The berries bring so much bright color and sweet, fresh flavor.

This strawberry swirl layer cake is so moist and full of berry goodness. The strawberry puree adds such beautiful dimension to the cake, and each layers is separated by sweet, light whipped cream and more strawberries. It’s truly irresistible.

A three layer cake with strawberry swirls on a wooden cake stand. A slice has been cut out of the cake.

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

Fresh strawberries: Bring sweetness and bright color to the cake, filling and garnish.
Vegetable oil or canola oil: adds richness and tenderness to the cake.
Granulated sugar: sweetness that helps with texture, browning and moisture retention.
Large eggs: bind ingredients together, adds structure and contributes to the richness and moisture.
Vanilla extract: complements the strawberries with a warm, sweet aroma and enhances the overall flavor.
All-purpose flour: balances the wet ingredients to make sure the cake holds together.
Baking powder: the main leavening agent. It creates lift and tenderness and is crucial for that amazing pound cake texture.
Whole milk: adds moisture and helps bind cake ingredients and make the cake batter smooth.
Heavy cream: adds richness to the frosting and gives it spreading consistency
Powdered sugar: sweetens and thickens the whipped cream frosting. Sift first to avoid lumps.

Supplies:

Three 9-inch round cake pans
Parchment paper
Blender or food processor
Electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
Medium mixing bowl

Ingredients to make a strawberries and cream swirl cake in small glass dishes on a white marble counter.

How to Make Strawberries and Cream Swirl Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of three 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper then lightly grease and flour. Set aside.
Puree 2 cups of hulled and quartered strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the oil and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, until each one is well combined.

Steps to make Strawberry and Cream Swirl Cake.

Beat in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.

Steps to make strawberries and cream swirl cake.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until batter is well combined and smooth.
Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Place four (tablespoon-sized) spoonfuls of strawberry puree on top of the batter in each cake pan.

Steps to make a 3-layer strawberries and cream swirl cake.

Using a table knife, swirl the strawberry puree down into the cake batter.
Bake the cakes for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 more minutes.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the 2 cups of sliced strawberries for layering.
When the cakes are almost cool, beat the heaving whipping cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
Place one of the cake layers, swirled side up, on a cake stand or platter. Spread the top with a thick layer of whipped cream frosting.

Arrange half of the strawberry slices over the frosting. Repeat with another layer of cake, whipped cream frosting and strawberries.

Sliced strawberries arranged on top of a layer of whipped cream frosting spread on a layer of vanilla cake.

Place the final cake, swirled side up, on top of the cake. Scoop the remaining frosting onto the top center of the cake and garnish with a whole fresh strawberry.

A vanilla cake with strawberry swirls topped with whipped cream and strawberries.

Storage

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.

To freeze before assembly, let each layer cool and then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and put in a baggie or another layer of wrap before freezing. Defrost overnight, still wrapped, in the fridge to retain moisture. Then let come to room temperature, loosely covered, before assembling, frosting and serving.

If freezing leftover cake, wrap each slice in plastic wrap and foil, then pop into a freezer bag. You can grab a slice when the sweet craving hits, and it thaws quickly still covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.

Cakes Made for Celebrating

From a simple cake for a kid’s party to something a little fancier to wow the crowd, look no further than my Cakes Made for Celebrating! Sheet cakes, layer cakes, ice cream cakes, and more. There’s something for every taste and every occasion!

Pumpkin spice pound cake, naked confetti cake, fudge caramel stout cake, and zucchini sheet cake.

If you make my Strawberries and Cream Swirl Cake, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me @thebakermama on Instagram so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,