Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly flour the sides and tap out excess.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: in a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

Add eggs and flavor: Reduce mixer to low. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Scrape the bowl. Mix in vanilla extract and vegetable oil until combined.

Alternate dry and wet: With the mixer on low, add the dry flour mixture in three additions alternately with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined—do not overmix.

Divide and bake: Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans (about 1 1/3 cups batter per pan). Smooth tops and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the tops spring back.

Cool: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges, invert onto wire racks, remove parchment, and cool completely before filling (at least 1 hour). If cakes dome, level with a serrated knife once cooled.

Prepare strawberries: Reserve 1/2 cup chopped strawberries for garnish if desired. Place remaining chopped strawberries in a medium saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Cook filling: Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries release juices and begin to break down, about 6–8 minutes.

Thicken: In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Stir slurry into the simmering strawberries; cook 1–2 minutes more until mixture thickens. Taste and add more sugar or lemon if needed.

Cool completely: Transfer the strawberry filling to a bowl, cover with plastic touching the surface to prevent a skin, and refrigerate until completely cooled before assembling, at least 1 hour. The filling should be spreadable, not runny.

Prepare strawberry puree: Puree 1 cup fresh strawberries in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds and pulp, reserving 1/2 cup of the strained puree for the buttercream. Chill briefly if warm.

Beat butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes.

Add sugar and liquids: Gradually add sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low until incorporated. Add the strained strawberry puree, vanilla extract, salt, and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. If buttercream is too stiff, add remaining heavy cream 1 teaspoon at a time until desired spreading consistency is reached. If too thin, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.

Taste and adjust: Taste the buttercream and adjust strawberry intensity (with more puree) or sweetness (with more sugar) as desired. Keep refrigerated briefly if it gets too soft, then bring back to spreading temperature before assembling.

Level and stack: If necessary, level cake layers. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake turntable. Spread about 3/4 cup of the buttercream in an even layer. Spoon and spread about 1/3 of the cooled strawberry filling over the buttercream, leaving a 1/2-inch border so filling doesn’t ooze.

Repeat layers: Place the second cake layer on top and repeat: 3/4 cup buttercream, 1/3 of the filling. Top with the final layer and apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Chill 20–30 minutes to set the crumb coat.

Final frosting: Apply the remaining buttercream evenly over the top and sides. Smooth with a spatula or create swirls. If desired, warm 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam and brush lightly over the top center for shine, or mix jam with a little water and brush the halved strawberries to glaze them.

Decorate: Arrange reserved halved fresh strawberries around the top edge or in a pattern. Optionally pipe extra buttercream rosettes. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set, then bring to room temperature 30–60 minutes before serving for best texture.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze (well wrapped) up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before serving.