Instead of making my usual Olive Oil Cake with nectarines or plums, I decided to use a fruit that was actually in season…strawberries! This Strawberries & Cream Cake is a combination of the olive oil cake (sans olive oil) and a filling and topping from Chowhound that can be made with mascarpone or cream cheese. I've updated it quite a bit since posting and have added some new photos.
Olive Oil Cake in a Springform Pan
It only took me 16 years, but I finally put this recipe into recipe card form. The cake component is an old favorite. It's a basic sponge, but with a little oil added for richness. You bake it as one thick layer in a 9-inch springform pan, then split it and fill it with whatever type of fruit you like. If you have time to bake the cake ahead of time and freeze, it will be much easier to split while partially frozen.
Mascarpone Filling
The filling is called Mascarpone Filling, but cream cheese makes a good substitute. You combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, then add fold in sweetened whipped cream. Spread it over the split cake, then pipe a border with sweetened whipped cream. Put sweetened strawberries in the center and cap with cake top.
Sweetened Whipped Cream Topping
Part of your sweetened whipped topping is folded in with the cheese mixture and the rest is spread and piped on the cake. The recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of cream to be whipped and sweetened to taste. I originally had 1 to 2 ½ tablespoons of sugar, but I re-wrote the recipe and while tasting, it came to 4 tablespoons or ¼ cup. So you can start with 1 tablespoon and use up to ¼ cup. You'll have to find your own "sweet spot". Maybe that's where the term came from? Here's the old photo. More to come.
Strawberries and Cream Cake Tips
- When picking out strawberries, try to find large ones so that you can slice them and stick them on the side of the cake as shown in the photo.
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before making the cake.
- Having a stand mixer and two stand mixer bowls really makes things easier! You'll need one for the egg whites and another for the batter.
- An electric handheld mixer is just fine, though.
- For the buttermilk, you can substitute milk mixed with ½ tablespoon lemon juice if needed.
- If you're out of lemon, you can use lime zest! Lime goes so well with strawberries, though it does change the flavor of the cake.
Recipe
Strawberries and Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups cake flour (140 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (divided use) (150 grams)
- ½ cup buttermilk (120 grams)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, separated and at room temperature separated – room temp if possible
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Berries
- 6-8 large whole strawberries that are about the same size
- 1 pint strawberries
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Cream Cheese Mixture & Sweetened Whipped CReam
- 3 oz cream cheese or mascarpone, softened
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar**
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. No need to flour, just lightly grease.
- Combine the cake flour, baking soda, salt and ½ cup of the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and stir well.
- Whisk the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and egg yolks together in a second bowl, then add to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well.
- Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the reserved ¼ cup sugar to the whites. Fold together the beaten egg whites and the cake batter. It's okay if the egg whites deflate somewhat, but try to keep them as light as you can.
- Set the springform on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on center rack for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes. Carefully pry the cake away from the side of the pan and remove the ring. Let cool completely, then split in half to make two layers.
- Note: You can make the cake ahead of time and freeze it before splitting if you like. It makes the process a little easier.
Strawberry Mixture
- While cake is baking, set aside the 6 to 8 large strawberries that you'll be using as garnish. Slice the rest of the strawberries and toss with the sugar and lemon juice
Cream Cheese and Whipped Cream
- Prepare the cheese mixture. Combine the softened cream cheese or mascarpone, sugar and vanilla in a medium size bowl and beat (by hand is okay for this part) until creamy. Set aside.
- Prepare the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, Beat 1 ½ cups cream until stiff peaks begin to form. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Start with a tablespoon of sugar and add more to taste. I've used up to ¼ cup.
- Fold about ¾ cup of the sweetened whipped cream into the cheese mixture, then spread all of this mixture over the split cake.
- Put the remaining sweetened whipped cream into a large piping bag with a star tip and pipe a border around the perimeter of the layer you just spread with cheese mixture. Spoon strawberries over the cheese mixture, letting the border contain them.
- Cap the cake with the top half and spread whipped cream all over, covering the cake completely. Pipe a border around the top (or wait and do this after you've stuck the strawberries on the side, it doesn't matter).
- Take 6 to 8 of the nicest, largest, strawberries and cut them lengthwise. Stick cut strawberry pieces around the side of the cake.
- Garnish with graham cracker crumbs (optional)
Lara says
Mmmmm! I may even make this for an Easter dessert!
Alexandra Bruskoff says
Seriously, this looks like my favorite type of cake!
unconfidentialcook.com says
We're inundated here in Southern California with strawberries...and this recipe looks like a keeper! That middle looks irresitable.
Hendria says
that looks yummy.... 🙂
Katrina says
Mmmm, I'll take a piece. Even if it's a day old, without drooping cream! 😉 Looks great, Anna.
Carol A, says
Oh, man, that photo just makes my mouth water. What a great filling, and everything else. Waiting for our awesome local strawberry stand to open here - should be soon! I'm making this for sure.
Janet says
I found Whip It at Fresh Market...do you have one where you live? It works great just as Louise mentions above. I like the firmness of the whipped cream when using the piping bag/tips.
Karen says
Looks gorgeous, I was in strawberry mode today, too, I have a strawberry-rhubarb pie ready to bring to friend's house tonight.
Christine says
That's a lovely looking cake, Anna. Organic strawberries are just coming into the stores here in No. Cal. Bought a basket yesterday but darned if it didn't disappear almost immediately! 🙂
dawn says
that middle is the best part
Elyse says
Yum, Anna! What a perfect spring time treat. I love the use of strawberries. In fact, I just went to my local market this morning and got a basket of the most beautiful strawberries. I might just have to make this cake now...I think your post is totally a sign!
Louise says
Whip-It comes in little bags, like when you buy seeds. It's Oetker's and it's a light blue and white bag. Maybe two shrink wrapped together.
Claire says
This looks AWESOME! I love strawberries and cream cheese just make them even better. 🙂
Anna says
Sue, pack your bags. Strawberries are pretty cheap here. Unfortunately, blueberries are $4.00 per 1/2 pint.
Louise, I've never tried Whip-It. I'll look for it.
What's funny is this cake has been in the refrigerator for almost a day and a half and the cream isn't droopy at all. I didn't add gelatin or anything and it's holding up great! I suspect it will droop by tonight.
Brenda says
I came her yesterday looking for a strawberry cake recipe...lol! My sister's birthday is today and she requested a strawbery cake but wanted one similar to one our uncle used to make. I finally found a recipe I was happy with and made it this morning. Yours looks yummy!
Pearl says
strawberries are in season here - that looks like such a great dessert to use the fresh fruits!
Janet says
Yum!
sizzle says
I tend to like chocolate in my dessert but this looks fantastic. I will definitely try it out when Seattle decides to stop raining. 🙂
thebunettebaker says
For a real summer treat, use softened vanilla ice cream instead of the topping & cheese mixtures...set up in a parchment or plastic-lined springform pan. Freeze till firm. It's delish!
VeggieGirl says
Oooh, PERFECT!! Love strawberries 🙂
Louise says
Do you ever use Whip-It in whipped cream? It's great for when you are frosting a cake or making a trifle. It's just gelatin without the fuss. As for fruit "in season", the plums and grapes from Chile, blackberries and blueberries from Mexico have been excellent. The Florida strawberries have been sweet. I buy lots of fruit and vegetables. I "buy local" when it's in season, but don't follow the whole "buy local" theory as then you shouldn't eat bananas, mangoes, or papaya as they are never in season in Pennsylvania. 🙂
Sue says
If strawberries are in season in Texas I'm booking a flight!! (Don't I wish!!) We still have snow on the ground and a chance of snow in the forecast. 🙁 I'm so sick of winter. Strawberry season can't come soon enough. Enjoy! Your cake looks marvelous.