Description
This Naked Strawberry Birthday Cake is the perfect celebration dessert—fresh, elegant, and full of strawberry goodness. With tender vanilla cake layers, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and juicy strawberries, this cake brings a rustic-chic look to the table. Ideal for birthdays, spring parties, or any festive occasion. The “naked” style keeps it simple and stunning.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- For the Vanilla Cake Layers
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- For the Whipped Cream Frosting
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the Filling and Decoration
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- Whole strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.
- Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 22–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- In a cold bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of whipped cream and add a generous layer of sliced strawberries. Repeat with remaining layers.
- Top the cake with a final layer of whipped cream and decorate with whole strawberries. Leave the sides of the cake “naked” to show the layers. Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- For added flavor, macerate the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar before layering. Cake layers can be made one day in advance and stored wrapped at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
