Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

This Strawberry Buttermilk Cake is one of my all time favorites.

It's so fresh tasting and a breeze to make and serve, making it the perfect cake for potlucks and parties. Just know that you need to make it at least a day in advance since the cake needs to chill for 6 hours before adding the cream cheese icing.

My preference is to make this cake when strawberries are in season but frozen strawberries work well too.

Here's the recipe:

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
(Serves 16 to 20)

1/2 cup butter, unsalted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 (3 oz.) package strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water

1 pound sliced strawberries (I prefer fresh but thawed frozen berries work well too.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

Beat the butter with the vanilla extract. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Mix well.

Add the baking powder and salt and mix again. Finally, add the flour and beat until thoroughly combined.

The finished batter.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

As the cake is baking, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water and add the sliced strawberries. Set this mixture aside until the cake comes out of the oven.

The strawberry mixture.

Slash the hot, just out of the oven, cake in a diagonal pattern and pour the gelatin strawberry mixture over it. Let the cake cool to room temperature and then put it in the refrigerator to cool for at least 6 hours before icing.

The hot slashed cake is ready for the strawberry mixture.

Let the cake cool at room temperature and then chill it in the fridge for at least 6 hours before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
2 packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream

In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the powdered sugar and whip again until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually add the cream, whipping after each addition. Don't add to much at once or it will splash. Once all the cream is added, whip the icing on high speed until it is light and spreadable.

Ice the top of the cake and that's it. Keep the cake covered in refrigerator until serving. 

Icing the cake.

The finished cake.

Strawberry Cream Cake

Strawberries and cream are one of my favorite flavor combinations.

How can you not like strawberry shortcake with whipped cream, angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream or even toast with cream cheese and strawberry jam?

So to honor this perfect duo of flavor I created this Strawberry Cream Cake.

I baked two layers of my favorite white cake, soaked them with sweetened strawberries and coated it with a lightly sweetened cream cheese and cream frosting.

The cake turned out pretty and was loved by my dinner guests. A plus is that you can make this cake anytime of year. I used frozen sliced and sweetened strawberries.

Strawberry Cream Cake

For the cake:
1 cup shortening
4 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
6 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups milk
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and line with parchment two 8-inch round pans that are at least 4-inches deep. Combine the shortening, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extract.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the milk and beat for 2 minutes. Add the four unbeaten eggs and remaining 1/2 cup of milk, beat for 2 more minutes.

The batter divided among the two pans.

Pour the batter evenly into the two pans and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

To assemble you need:
24 oz. frozen sliced and sweetened strawberries, defrosted
One of the cake pans cleaned and lined with plastic wrap
Cream cheese and cream frosting

Use a serrated knife to cut one of the cake layers in half.

Put one of the halves, crumb side up in the lined cake pan. Spread 1/3 of the strawberries over the layer and be sure to drizzle on 1/3 of the juice.

Top with the other half of the cake layer crumb side down. Press the cake down using your hand or the back of a spoon.

Spread 1/3 of the strawberries and juice over the top of the cake layer.

Use a serrated knife to cut the final cake in half and put half of the cake crumb side up in the pan.

Drizzle the final 1/3 of the strawberries and juice over the cake and top with the last half of cake crumb side down.

Press this down and cover with plastic wrap.

Put the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the cake layers firm up.


Invert onto a cake stand or plate and frost with Cream Cheese and Cream Frosting.

Chill the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.


Cream Cheese and Cream Frosting:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Whip the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Finally add the heavy cream and whip for 2 to 4 minutes or until light and fluffy.