Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Bake the sponge layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
- Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in large eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour for a smooth texture.
- Stir in vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (no wet crumbs).
- Allow cakes to cool completely, until the tops are no longer warm to the touch.
Macerate strawberries and whip cream
- Combine sliced fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and let macerate for 30 minutes, until syrupy juices form.
- Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, where the mixture holds ridges when lifted.
Assemble and serve
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread half of the whipped cream over it.
- Arrange half of the strawberries over the cream, distributing them to the edges.
- Place the second cake layer on top and frost with the remaining whipped cream.
- Top with the remaining strawberries and garnish with additional strawberries before serving.
Notes
Pro tip: for clean, stable layers, cool the cakes completely before frosting and assembly; if needed, wrap and refrigerate the cooled cakes for up to 24 hours. Store assembled cake in the refrigerator up to 2 days; strawberries may release more juice as it sits. Freezing is not recommended because whipped cream texture can break. For a dietary swap, use a dairy-free butter alternative and coconut cream whipped to stiff peaks (results vary, but the structure should stay similar).