This recipe was inspired by the strawberry shortcake served at Disney's Sunshine Seasons restaurants. They call is shortcake, but it's not the biscuit type common in the South. Disney's is a sponge cake with layers of cream and strawberries. I do not really know much about Fraisier Cakes, but Disney's seems to be more of a Fraisier Cake than a shortcake.
Sunshine Seasons Strawberry Shortcake
The Sunshine Seasons strawberry shortcake has a base consisting of two very thin cake layers sandwiching a layer of strawberry glaze. On top of the two thin layers rests a layer of whipped cream and strawberries, a thicker layer of cake, more glaze, another layer of whipped cream and strawberries, and a final layer of cake.
The top layer of whipped cream seemed a little thicker than the whipped cream that was between the layers so they must combine the top layer of whipped cream with cream cheese. I also noticed the middle layer of cake seemed like a different kind of cake than the top and bottom layers, but now I think it's just because the middle layer absorbed more moisture.
I made three versions of the cake this weekend -- two adapted from recipes that people said were from Disney and one using one of my favorite sponge cakes with oil. The one we liked the best was one of the supposed Disney versions, only the recipe clone didn't give all the steps on assembly so I had to come up with my own method. By the time I got to this version of the cake, I was a little slap happy with carving and this piece isn't the greatest representation, but I am going to stick with the method I used for all future versions of this cake.
Update
This cake was good when I first made it, but I've decided there are better ones out there which are less work. I'm going to come up with a more streamlined version, but until then I recommend the Strawberry and Cream Layer Cake from The New York Times. It already has a lot of good reviews so you can't go wrong.
Anna
It was ridiculous. I spent a whole day making cakes and thinking "what am I doing with my life spending a whole day baking cakes". I didn't assemble the full cakes, though. For instance, I would bake a cake, do the carving, then assemble fractions so that I didn't have to use all the full amounts.
Adam
This looks ridiculous. And three cakes in one weekend is also ridiculous, but sounds so very delicious :).
Anna
Sue, it almost looks like pound cake, doesn't it? Or it could have been frozen and thawed. Or maybe they used some special commercial grade cake mix. I'm not sure, but I promise you that the recipe above is still really good.
I tried making another batch today using a richer sponge cake -- one with butter in it. That version was also very good, but I kind of like how the fat free sponge in this recipe really absorbs the moisture and makes for a lighter dessert.
Sue
Yum! I'm glad you found a version you like even if it isn't exactly like the Disney version. I think in the photo you took at Disney the middle layer does look like it has a different crumb than the other two layers. I might be seeing things.
d
Looks wonderful! Need to try it next time I have a crowd.
Anna
Hope your friend has fun at Disney!
Chewthefat
Wow, that must be quite a cake if there are so many copycats out there for a non-chain restaurant cake!
Thank you for giving the Disney advice to my friend--she is very excited since it will be her first trip with her little girl!