Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe

This Strawberry Cream Cake is a soft, layered vanilla cake filled with macerated strawberries and a rich cream cheese frosting. It’s inspired by the one you’d get at Olive Garden and works great for holidays, birthdays, or just when you want something chill and fruity. Comes together easy — boxed cake mix, basic frosting, no weird steps.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 30 mins
• Cook time: 25 mins
• Flavor: creamy, fruity, light
• Great for: after dinner, holidays, people who hate dry cake

Why I Like This Recipe

Honestly? I just wanted something not heavy. This cake’s light but still sweet, not super dense. I used a box mix because I didn’t wanna deal with from-scratch drama — and it turned out great. The strawberry thing in the middle isn’t even fancy, just sugar + lemon. And the cream cheese frosting? Yeah. That’s what makes it.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water

Filling:

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

How To Make Strawberry Cream Cake

1. Bake the cake: 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch pans. Mix the cake batter like the box says — eggs, oil, water, done. Pour into the pans, try to make it even. Bake 25–30 mins. Toothpick test. Let it cool in the pans a bit, then move to wire rack.
2. Prep the strawberries: Slice ’em up. Mix with sugar + lemon juice in a bowl. Let them sit while everything else cools. They’ll get soft and juicy.
3. Make your frosting: Cream cheese + butter — beat it smooth. Add powdered sugar a bit at a time or it’ll poof. Stir in vanilla. Done.
4. Stack it up: First cake layer down. Frost it. Add half the strawberries (and some of that juice if you’re wild). Top with second cake layer. Frost again. More strawberries. Chill for at least an hour before slicing. Makes it hold better.

Tips for Success

• Don’t frost warm cake — it’ll melt.
• Room temp butter and cream cheese = no lumps.
• Use a serrated knife for cleaner slices.
• Want extra strawberry flavor? Spoon a little of the strawberry juice over the layers.
• Keep it chilled before serving — frosting sets better that way.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Covers well and lasts 2–3 days. Strawberries might bleed color but flavor stays good.
• Freezer: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers. Not great with strawberries though — they get weird.
• Reheating: Don’t. Just eat it cold or room temp. It’s not that kind of dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use frozen strawberries?
  Not really. They get too wet and mushy once thawed. Fresh is better here.
• What kind of vanilla cake mix?
  Any basic one. Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker is fine.
• Is this overly sweet?
  Not really. The lemon and strawberries keep it balanced.
• Do I have to use cream cheese frosting?
  It’s kinda the point — but buttercream works in a pinch.
• Can I make it in advance?
  Yep. Just keep it in the fridge, covered.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Frosting warm cake: Just… don’t. It melts, slides, looks sad. Let it cool first. Fully.
• Not letting strawberries macerate: They need time to get juicy. Rushing it makes the filling dry.
• Uneven cake layers; Use a scale if you want it even. Or eyeball it and don’t stress.
• Overbeating the frosting: Cream cheese frosting breaks if you go too far. Mix till smooth, not fluffy.
• Not chilling the final cake: Refrigerating helps it set and slice clean. Skipping that makes it squish.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 400 kcal
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Cholesterol: 70mg
• Sodium: 300mg
• Potassium: 100mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 55g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 40g
• Protein: 4g