Strawberry & Whipped Cream Cake

This super easy Strawberry and Whipped Cream Cake is a soft, moist strawberry cake topped with fluffy cream cheese whipped cream frosting and juicy macerated strawberries. Assemble as a layer cake for an impressive presentation, or make it in a 9x13 pan. Perfect cake for Valentine's Day, special occasions, or no reason at all. 

There's just something about a strawberry cake. On Valentine's Day or Easter, it's the glimmer of spring and summer I need to push through the last months of winter. And when strawberry season rolls around, it's a delicious way to enjoy the taste of the season. 

This easy strawberry cream cake recipe starts with a handy box cake mix dressed up with fresh strawberry puree and sour cream for a moist, super flavorful strawberry cake. The layers are stacked like a strawberry shortcake with fluffy cream cheese whipped cream and topped with sweetened strawberries. It's an impressive, delicious cake that's easy to make and requires no decorating skills. 

If you have a few strawberries left over, try this easy Strawberries & Cream recipe with fresh whipped cream, or soft, moist Strawberry Bread with lemon glaze. 

🍓Ingredients

See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.

• Fresh or frozen strawberries. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries for the cake. For the topping, fresh strawberries tossed in sugar (macerated) release liquid and become sweet and juicy.
• White cake mix. White cake mix provides a pure white base for the pretty pink color of the strawberries. 
• Strawberry Jell-O. Strawberry gelatin mix boosts the strawberry flavor and bright pink color and adds moisture to the cake. Use the dry mix, do not prepare the Jell-O. 
• Sour cream. Sour cream is a great way to doctor up a box of cake mix. It adds moisture and richness to the cake. 
• Melted butter. Butter adds rich flavor and a denser texture with a bit more structure -- perfect for a stacked cake.
• Egg whites. Leaving out the yolks helps keep the color of the cake purely pink. You can use separated eggs or liquid egg whites. Here are a few ideas for your extra egg yolks.
• Cream cheese. When making the whipped cream frosting, keep the cream cheese in the fridge until right before you need it.
• Heavy cream. Cold cream whips faster and fluffier -- keep it cold until it's time to add it to the mixing bowl. 

🍰Substitutions or Variations

• Cake mix. For more strawberry flavor, use strawberry cake mix. You can also use yellow cake mix -- keep in mind the color of the cake may not be as purely pink. 
• Oil. Skip the step of melting the butter and use oil for a bit moister and fluffier cake. You just won't get the butter flavor. 
• Fresh strawberries. You can skip macerating the strawberries and just use fresh strawberries -- or any fresh fruit, really -- on top of the cake.  
• Strawberry topping. If all you have is frozen strawberries, try this easy homemade strawberry sauce recipe.

🥣How to Make Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake

Step 1:  Puree the fresh strawberries in a food processor or blender. Or mash thawed frozen strawberries. You'll need 1 cup of pureed/mashed strawberries. 

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, strawberry jello powder, sour cream, melted butter, egg whites, and strawberry puree on medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. 

Step 3: Pour the cake batter into two greased 9-inch round pans lined with parchment paper rounds. Bake at 350 according to the package instructions, 22-24 minutes. Cool cakes in pan for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire baking rack to cool completely. 

Step 4: Slice the domed tops off the cake with a serrated knife. Place one cake round cut-side down on a cake plate -- so the flat bottom side is facing up. 

Step 5: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer (I use the regular beaters) to whip cold cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Slowly add the cold heavy cream, ½ cup at a time, and whip the cream cheese whipped cream to stiff peaks -- the peaks hold their shape. 

Step 6: Spread a generous layer of frosting on the cake. Place the second cake layer, cut-side down, on top of the bottom layer. Frost the top layer with a thick layer of frosting. I leave the sides unfrosted, but there's enough frosting to frost the sides of the cake. Chill at least one hour or until ready to serve the same day. 

Step 7: Before serving, toss sliced strawberries with sugar. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the strawberries to macerate. 

Step 8: Spoon the strawberries on top of the cake. Seve and enjoy!

👉Top Tip: You can also bake this in a 9x13 pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake according to the time on the package. Cool cake in pan. Top cooled cake with frosting and serve with macerated strawberries.

🎁Storage

• Store frosted strawberry cake covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. 
• Store leftover macerated strawberries in the fridge for 1, maybe 2, days. They will soften significantly after 24 hours. 

📅Make Ahead

• ​Bake and cool the cake layers one day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature. 
• Prepare frosting and store in the refrigerator one day ahead. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or until soft enough to easily spread without tearing the cake. 

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