STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE – This strawberry shortcake cake recipe by The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, is made of layers of dense vanilla butter cake and filled homemade cream cheese frosting and fresh sweetened strawberries. Add candles to it for the perfect Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake or just enjoy as is!
This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is the perfect cake for any occasion. This cake inspired version of the classic strawberry shortcake is made with layers of vanilla butter cake, homemade cream cheese frosting, and fresh sweetened Strawberries. You’ll want to add this Strawberry Shortcake Recipe to your family collection!
Let me tell start by telling you I am a lover of strawberry desserts especially in the spring and summer. My favorite desserts usually involve cake and fresh fruit. And strawberry shortcakes are one of the cake-like desserts I love most.
But when you combine my love of strawberry shortcake with a classic fruit-filled cake frosted in homemade cream cheese frosting, (<-click here for my recipe) what you have is a fairy-tale romance of two delicious desserts meant to live happily ever after.
Which is why I love this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cake from Ree Drummond’s NY Times bestselling cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier. She gets me, she really does.
Most strawberry shortcakes are made from either a sweetened biscuit or scone recipe. The shortcake itself is dense, then sliced and filled with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. Instead of a biscuit, this homemade strawberry shortcake cake recipe calls for a thick vanilla butter cake.
The strawberry “shortcake cake” layers hold up well to the macerated strawberries without the texture becoming mushy. And the cream cheese frosting is stiff enough to handle the weight of the layered strawberry shortcake cake.
I love the process of baking homemade cakes, creaming the butter and sugar, then seeing ribbons of cake batter spread evenly across a pan. Once the cake goes into the oven I love when it’s done baking and seeing its magical transformation into a beautiful sweet cake. In this cake, for a a strawberry shortcake cake!
Only limited by my imagination, what transpires after the cake comes out of the oven is where the fun really begins.
The Pioneer Woman’s homemade Strawberry Shortcake Cake recipe is made up of three delicious elements: cake, macerated strawberries (filling), and a creamy cream cheese frosting. Separately, these three elements are delicious on their own. But when you bring them together for one beautiful and memorable layered cake, dessert becomes the highlight of the moment.
Last Friday after I had frosted the strawberry shortcake cake, my older Abigail added her creative touch by decorating the homemade cake with fresh strawberries. From the first to the last bite of my slice, I found myself enjoying the strawberry shortcake cake a little too much. And when I say too much, I mean, going back for a second slice right after finishing the first.
Even the next morning for breakfast I indulged in a small sliver of the strawberry shortcake cake along with my morning coffee. It’s worth mentioning this cake is very good the next day too. I’ve made this recipe a few times, and each time it vanishes quickly!
Although it would be perfect for any occasion, this strawberry shortcake cake would be perfect for a celebrating a special birthday or holiday like Easter or Mother’s Day. Enjoy!
Ingredients you need to make this Strawberry Shortcake Cake Recipe:
- unsalted butter
- sugar
- eggs
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
- flour
- cornstarch
- salt
- baking soda
- strawberries
- cream cheese frosting
RECIPE FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE – REPRINTED BY PERMISSION FROM REE DRUMMOND/WILLIAM MORROW 2012
A layered vanilla butter cake filled with fresh sweetened strawberries and cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pound strawberries hulled and halved
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- One 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
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Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep (or you can split the batter between 2 pans if they’re not deep enough).
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To make the cake batter, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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Add the sour cream and vanilla, then mix until just combined.
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Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda and add it to the bowl.
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Mix it together until just combined.
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Spread it in the pan or pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is no longer jiggly like my bottom.
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Carefully remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely.
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Next, mash the strawberries with a potato masher or a fork (reserve a few for garnish if you like).
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Sprinkle the strawberries with the sugar. Toss them around and allow them to sit for a little while.
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They’ll give off this beautiful liquid after several minutes. Try not to drink it with a straw.
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To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl.
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Mix until very light and fluffy. Warning: You’ll feel like eating this bowl of icing before you even get it on the cake.
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To assemble the cake, use a sharp knife to cut it in half through the middle. It’s easier if you go all around the perimeter of the cake, slicing only halfway through the circle the whole way.
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Lay the two halves cut side up.
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And cover both halves with an equal amount of strawberries. Then—this is an important step!—place the cake halves in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. This’ll firm up the surface of the strawberries just a bit so that it’s easier to spread on the icing.
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Remove the cakes from the freezer and place one layer on a cake stand or platter. Cover with a little less than a third of the icing.
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Place the second layer on top, then spread the top with icing.
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Carefully ice the outside of the cake with the remaining icing.
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Lovely! You can certainly decorate the top of the cake with strawberry slices, too.
Cake should be stored in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in plastic wrap or a large sealed container.
Alice recommends these Strawberry Recipes for you to try!
Alice’s Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Almond Stuffed French Toast
Strawberry Honey Pistachio Cream Tart
Updated: May 04, 2018
Hi-I have the same question as a fellow commentor, how should we store this? Does it need to be kept in the refridgerator? Thanks for posting, I cant wait to try out the recipe this weekend!
Baking is often very therapeutic for me as well. This recipe looks so decadent and moist. Thanks for the gorgeous photos.
WOW! This cake looks magnificent and i bet it tastes delicious. Great job, wish i had the honour of trying it hahahah.
-Simply Bakes
Are you going to post the recipe of that strawberry tart w/pistachios that you had an instagram photo of? I think we are all dying to make that for Easter tomorrow!!! 🙂
This shortcake looks so delicious. The strawberries on top and side is a great touch.
I can’t wait to get this cookbook for my birthday! I would LOVE this cake.
This looks like a dessert out of a dream! I have been flipping through Ree’s book and trying to decide what to make. So many choices…
I made this today and it’s amazing. I don’t bake a lot so can someone tell me…do you have to store it in the refrigerator due to the icing???
This is making me really hungry!
Yum!!!! My mouth is watering….
I can vouch for how amazing this cake it! My daughter has requested it the last two years for her birthday. Heavenly!
WOW! I think I just died and went to heaven. Simply divine!
“Happy Cooking”
Oh my goodness. I wish I had time to make this for Easter Sunday, but definitely for my husband for our anniversary. This cake looks very special and you did a great job making it!
That cake looks delicious!
This is awesome recipe of the cake. Color of the cake is beautiful and attractive.
ree is so great! this recipe looks delicious – and your photographs are just beautiful. will have to try this one!
I haven’t received her cookbook yet but this is a cake that needs to be done. Love the added touch from your daughter. It’s so cute!
Beth,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and encouraging words.
Alice
This is one of those desserts that hardly a crumb is ever left, once you start cutting it. Can’t go wrong with a Strawberry Springtime Treat! Thanks for sharing!
That cake looks deeeelicious!
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful cake recipe, Alice. I have discovered in the last few years that I love to cook and bake. I never thought I would say that! Baking can be a challenge sometimes, like getting the right temperature and timing down for each yummy creation. But it’s so worth the effort! I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website recently. I sat for a full hour and a half looking through your recipes and drooling, printing them as I went. I’ve made your Lemon Blueberry Muffins so far and they were so delicious! Thank you for your commitment to the passion of food and the beautiful photographs that make us melt. Just thought I would share! 🙂
Made this today and it was a HUGE hit!!! Thanks for sharing!
I know, I know…I’m so far behind on purchasing the Pioneer Woman’s cookbook…it’s sad but true. So thanks for re-creating one of her recipes – your version looks excellent. Hope you had a great weekend!
This looks absolutely perfect. Thanks for such a great post, I am totally impressed! Keep stuff like this coming.
I have dreams about this cake. Divine and perfect as we enter strawberry season. Now, if those of us in the North could just get it to hurry up by a few months.