Strawberry Cream Cake is the cake that Teresa describes as the closest thing to eating a cloud that she has ever experienced in a dessert. The chiffon sponge is so extraordinarily light and airy from the whipped meringue folded through the yolk batter that it barely requires any chewing at all and simply melts away into sweetness on the tongue. Layered with homemade strawberry jam that is cooked until properly thick and caramelized, fresh strawberry pieces, and a billowy whipped cream frosting that is simultaneously soft and fluffy and just firm enough to hold the whole beautiful cake together, this is the dessert that makes everyone at the table go very quiet immediately after the first bite.
Strawberry Cream Cake is the Japanese-inspired celebration cake that achieves the most extraordinary lightness and fluffiness through a chiffon cake technique that splits the eggs, whips the whites into a proper meringue, and folds them through the yolk batter with the most gentle and careful hand. Paired with homemade strawberry jam made from fresh berries, beautifully fresh strawberry pieces tucked between the layers, and a softly whipped cream frosting that is applied in two stages for the most clean and professional finish. Come follow us on Pinterest where we share beautiful summer cake recipes and elegant celebration bakes from our kitchen every single week.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
This Strawberry Cream Cake recipe is the summer celebration cake that produces the most ethereally light and completely extraordinary eating experience through the chiffon cake technique which is genuinely different from any other cake method in home baking.
Separating the eggs and whipping the whites into a meringue before gently folding them through the yolk batter introduces a significantly larger quantity of air into the batter than any conventional creaming or whisking method could achieve. The resulting sponge is so light that it deflates slightly and visibly when it comes out of the oven which initially looks alarming but which actually produces the most beautifully soft and yielding crumb that absorbs the strawberry jam and cream in the most perfect way during assembly.
The water bath baking technique used for the chiffon layers is the detail that keeps the interior of the cake so consistently moist and the exterior so gently and evenly baked. The surrounding hot water creates a humid and gentle heat environment that prevents the outside of the cake from setting too quickly and drying out before the center has had time to cook through fully. Our Pistachio Rose Milk Cake makes a beautifully fragrant and equally light and elegant companion celebration cake for a complete and stunning spring and summer dessert table.
Ingredients Needed for This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
For the Chiffon Cake Layers:
- Egg Yolks and Egg Whites, separated
- Granulated Sugar, divided (some for yolk mixture, some for meringue)
- Salt
- Whole Milk
- Neutral Oil (olive, canola, or vegetable)
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Cake Flour, sifted
For the Strawberry Jam Filling:
- Fresh Strawberries
- Granulated Sugar
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Cook down to a thick jam consistency
For the Whipped Cream Frosting:
- Heavy Cream (40 to 45% fat content recommended)
- Granulated Sugar
For Decoration:
- Fresh Strawberries
How to Make This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
Begin with the strawberry jam if making from scratch as it requires the most time and needs to cool completely before use. Combine fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens to a proper jam consistency that holds a line when drawn through a spoonful on the back of a cold spoon. Cool completely and refrigerate.
Prepare the baking pans by setting cake liners on the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans. Do not use non-stick pans for chiffon cakes as the non-stick coating prevents the delicate chiffon from gripping the sides of the pan and it collapses. Prepare two 10-inch pans or any pans large enough to hold the 8-inch pans filled with hot water for the water bath. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar portion for the yolks and the salt using a whisk until pale and thickened. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla and blend until combined. Add the sifted cake flour and mix until completely smooth with no lumps whatsoever. Even small flour lumps will produce an uneven texture in the finished chiffon, cara mia.
In the completely clean bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, begin whipping the egg whites on high speed. Once the whites look very bubbly and foamy like shampoo foam, add all the sugar for the meringue and continue whipping until the meringue holds soft peaks that curl at the tips when the whisk is lifted. The meringue must be used immediately once made as it begins to separate and deflate if allowed to sit.
Add half the meringue to the yolk batter and fold together with a whisk until approximately 50% incorporated. Add the remaining meringue immediately and fold with the whisk until approximately 75% incorporated. Switch to a silicone spatula, clean the bottom and sides of the bowl, and fold gently until completely and evenly incorporated. The batter should look light and airy throughout.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Draw a toothpick through the surface to release large air bubbles. Pour hot water into the outer pans and nestle the 8-inch cake pans inside ensuring no water can enter the cake batter. Bake at 300°F for 25 to 30 minutes until the center bounces back very gently when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Flip the pans very gently, remove, and cool on wire racks before handling.
For the whipped cream frosting, add heavy cream and sugar to a bowl and whip to soft peak for the final coat. Whip a portion separately to a stiffer consistency for the crumb coat which needs more structure to support the cake layers.
To assemble, spread jam on the first layer leaving half an inch from the edge. Place fresh strawberry pieces over the jam. Drop scoops of whipped cream onto the strawberries and spread gently to fill all gaps. Place the second layer on top browned side down. Apply the stiffer whipped cream crumb coat. Chill briefly. Apply the final soft peak whipped cream coat and decorate with fresh strawberries.
How to Serve This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
Serve this cake chilled from the refrigerator, sliced with a sharp serrated knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry between each cut for the cleanest and most beautiful slices that show the distinct layers of sponge, jam, cream, and strawberry filling in every cross-section.
For the most beautiful presentation, arrange fresh whole and halved strawberries across the top of the frosted cake just before serving. Powdered sugar dusted lightly over the strawberries adds an elegantly simple finishing touch. Our Raspberry Tiramisu makes a beautifully light and elegant companion for a complete and stunning summer celebration dessert table alongside this extraordinary strawberry cream cake.
How to Store This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
Store the assembled cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. The chiffon sponge actually stays soft and moist in the refrigerator for longer than many other sponge types because of its oil-based batter. Bring out of the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes before serving for the best cream texture and the most vibrant strawberry flavor.
The undecorated chiffon cake layers can be wrapped carefully and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembly. Handle the delicate layers with great care as chiffon is more fragile than a conventional pound-style cake. The strawberry jam stores covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Tips to Make This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
The bowl, whisk, and any utensil that touches the egg whites must be completely free of any fat, oil, or egg yolk before whipping begins. Even a trace of fat prevents the egg white proteins from forming a stable foam. A stainless steel or glass bowl is the safest choice. Plastic bowls retain microscopic traces of fat even after washing and are not recommended for whipping egg whites.
Make the yolk batter first and completely before beginning the meringue. The meringue begins to deflate and separate from the moment it reaches soft peaks and must be folded into the batter immediately. If the yolk batter is not ready before the meringue is completed the air will escape before it is folded in and the cake layers will not achieve the extraordinary lightness that makes this cake so completely unique.
Helpful Notes for This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
The water bath baking environment is essential for this chiffon cake and should not be skipped or substituted with a lower oven temperature alone. The moist heat of the water bath prevents the formation of a thick and dry outer crust that would prevent the delicate chiffon interior from rising properly. It also helps the center cook through completely and gently without the exterior overcooking first.
The chiffon cake will deflate slightly when it comes out of the oven. This is completely normal and expected behavior for chiffon cakes baked in round pans rather than traditional tube pans. The slight deflation does not indicate failure and the crumb will still be beautifully soft and fluffy. Do not be discouraged by the visual.
Variation of This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
Maria made a version using homemade blueberry jam in place of the strawberry jam for a blueberry cream cake that was completely extraordinary and deeply beautiful with the purple jam against the white cream layers and fresh blueberry decoration on top. Teresa tried adding a layer of very thinly sliced fresh mango between the strawberry jam and fresh strawberry layer for a tropical strawberry mango cream cake that was unlike anything else she had ever tasted.
For a winter version when fresh strawberries are not in season, substitute good quality store-bought strawberry jam for the homemade and top with raspberries or fresh citrus segments for equally vibrant and beautiful decoration. Our Heaven on Earth Cake makes a wonderfully indulgent and creamy companion celebration cake for a complete and spectacular summer dessert table.
FAQs About This Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe
Why does the chiffon cake deflate after coming out of the oven?
Chiffon cakes baked in round pans rather than traditional tube pans deflate slightly after baking because the delicate airy structure lacks the central tube to grip and support the center of the cake as it cools. This deflation is completely expected and normal and does not indicate a failure. The crumb will still be beautifully soft, light, and moist. The slight concavity in the top of each layer actually makes assembly easier as the cream filling fills it naturally.
Why must I use regular aluminum pans and not non-stick for chiffon?
Chiffon cake batter needs to grip the sides of the pan as it rises during baking, using the pan walls as a structural support to climb against during baking. Non-stick surfaces prevent this gripping and the delicate chiffon structure collapses during or after baking without the wall support. Regular unlined aluminum pans that the batter can adhere to are essential for a properly risen and structurally sound chiffon cake layer.
Can I use store-bought strawberry jam instead of making my own?
Yes. Good quality store-bought strawberry jam works well in this recipe and produces a delicious result. The key requirement for the jam is that it is thick enough not to seep out from between the layers during assembly and serving. If the store-bought jam seems very fluid or loose, heat briefly in a saucepan to reduce slightly and cool before using. A properly thick jam that does not run when spread is essential for a clean and beautiful finished cake.
Conclusion
This Strawberry Cream Cake is the summer dessert that makes everyone who encounters it pause for a moment after the first bite and then immediately reach for another slice because the combination of that impossibly light and fluffy chiffon sponge, the vibrant homemade jam, the fresh strawberries, and the billowy cream is one of the most genuinely extraordinary and memorable eating experiences any of us have ever had in a cake.
We hope it brings the same magical silence after the first bite and the same deeply happy gathering to your table that it has always brought to ours. Make it, share it, and come back to tell us all about it. With all our love, Maria, Lucia, and Teresa.
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Strawberry Cream Cake The Most Fluffy Cloud Like Summer Cake You Will Ever Make
- Total Time: 2 hours including cooling
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
The most fluffy and cloud-like Strawberry Cream Cake made with a delicate Japanese-style chiffon sponge baked in a water bath for extraordinary lightness layered with thick homemade strawberry jam fresh strawberries and a billowy softly whipped cream frosting. A completely beautiful and ethereally light summer celebration cake.
Ingredients
Egg Yolks for chiffon
Granulated Sugar divided for yolks and meringue
Salt
Whole Milk
Neutral Oil
Pure Vanilla Extract
Cake Flour sifted
Egg Whites for meringue
Fresh Strawberries for jam
Granulated Sugar for jam
Fresh Lemon Juice
Heavy Cream 40 to 45% fat
Granulated Sugar for whipped cream
Fresh Strawberries for filling and decoration
Instructions
1. Make strawberry jam by cooking fresh berries with sugar and lemon juice until thick. Cool completely.
2. Set cake liners in two 8-inch round aluminum pans. Do not use non-stick.
3. Prepare outer pans for water bath. Preheat oven to 300°F.
4. Beat egg yolks with sugar and salt until pale. Add milk, oil, and vanilla. Blend.
5. Add sifted cake flour and mix until completely smooth with no lumps.
6. Whip egg whites until very foamy. Add sugar and whip to soft peak meringue. Use immediately.
7. Fold half meringue into yolk batter until 50% incorporated. Add rest and fold until 75%.
8. Switch to spatula and fold gently until evenly incorporated.
9. Pour into prepared pans. Draw toothpick through surface to release bubbles.
10. Fill outer pans with hot water. Nest 8-inch pans inside without water entering batter.
11. Bake at 300°F 25 to 30 minutes until center bounces back gently and toothpick is clean.
12. Flip pans gently to remove. Cool completely on wire racks.
13. Whip heavy cream and sugar to soft peak for final coat. Whip a portion to stiffer peak for crumb coat.
14. Spread jam on first layer. Add fresh strawberries. Add whipped cream and spread.
15. Place second layer on top browned side down. Apply crumb coat. Chill briefly.
16. Apply final whipped cream coat. Decorate with fresh strawberries.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: strawberry cream cake, fluffy strawberry cream cake, chiffon strawberry cake, cloud cake with strawberries and cream
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