Strawberry ‘Shortcake’ Layer Cake

It doesn’t get better than whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and cake!  This gorgeous cake is basically Strawberry Shortcake but in layer cake format! The Strawberry ‘Shortcake’ Layer Cake features 2 buttery and tender Victorian sponge cake layers that are sandwiched over a thick layer of mascarpone whipped cream and juicy, fresh macerated strawberries! The Strawberry ‘Shortcake’ Layer Cake is finished off with more mascarpone whipped cream and strawberries, creating a dessert that is both delicious and stop-in-your-tracks gorgeous!

Please note that Victorian Sponge Cake is not a typical ‘sponge’ cake – it’s texture is buttery, tender, with a fine crumb (like a lighter pound cake).

Making the Sponge Cake

1.Combine butter and sugar: Add butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer, and beat until smooth, combined, and fluffy.

2. Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs, one at a time, ensuring that you fully incorporate each before adding the next one. Add vanilla and incorporate fully.

3. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients, and beat until just combined.

5. Bake: Add the batter to the 2 prepared cake pans, smoothing it out evenly, then place into the oven to bake. I prefer to use light colored baking pans, as it reduces the likelihood that the outside of the sponge cake overbakes!

What is mascarpone?

Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese. It is smooth in texture, like cream cheese, but is rather neutral in flavor, unlike tangy cream cheese. Mascarpone is high in butterfat which gives in a creamy, buttery texture and flavor. I like to think of mascarpone as basically super thick cream, and as such it works well in a variety of way and recipes. It can be added to pasta, to provide creaminess and thickening, or it can be added in place of whipped cream in a dessert – truly so versatile! In this Strawberry Shortcake Cake recipe, the mascarpone is used in conjunction with whipped cream to make the filling. Whipped cream, by itself, is very fragile and will begin to weep after only a few hours and completely lose it’s shape and structure very quickly. Whipped cream, therefore needs a friend of some sort, to keep it rigid and in shape, so to say. That is where mascarpone comes in. Mascarpone acts as a stabilizer for the whipped cream, providing it structure and therefore longevity.

How to make the mascarpone whipped cream for the Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Making the mascarpone whipped cream topping for the Strawberry Shortcake Cake is super simple! Start by adding the cold heavy cream to a bowl or stand mixer, then throw in the confectioners sugar and vanilla. Beat this mixture until the whipped cream has formed stiff peaks. Then simply add in the mascarpone, and continue to beat until the mascarpone is well incorporated and the texture is smooth.

It should be noted, however, that you will need to keep this Strawberry Shortcake Cake needs refrigerated once the Mascarone Whipped Cream is added. Whipped cream does not like heat of any sort, and will VERY quickly melt (even after being stabilized by the mascarpone) if any heat is present!

What is and how to macerate strawberries?

Macerating strawberries is a process used to soften strawberries, as well as pull their liquid out slightly to create a syrup. The process of macerating strawberries sounds a lot fancier and more complicated than it actually is – to put it simply, macerating strawberries really only involves sprinkling sugar over cut strawberries and letting them sit for 15 minutes to half an hour! After this time the strawberries will be sweet, slightly softened, and will be sitting in their own strawberry syrup! These macerated strawberries can then be layered into the Strawberry Shortcake Cake and the accompanying syrup can be drizzled over top of them, as well!

How Much Flour?

As this Victorian sponge cake does not have any liquid in the batter to help hydrate it, it is extremely crucial that the flour is measured properly. Too much flour in the batter will result in a cake that is dry, hard, and doesn’t rise well. I prefer to measure the flour in grams on a kitchen scale rather than volumetrically. Volumetric measurement is wildly inaccurate and can have a huge variance, and therefore a ton of room for error – which can effectively ruin any baked good!

If you do not own a kitchen scale, ensure you are using proper volumetric measuring practices. To measure flour correctly, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then level off with a straight edge. Do not pack the flour into the cup, or scoop with the measuring cup straight from the bag/container.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry ‘Shortcake’ Layer Cake

4.95 stars (17 reviews)

Fresh juicy strawberries, mascarpone whipped cream, and light Victorian sponge cake come together in this easy Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake!

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

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Ingredients

 

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Victorian Sponge Cake

• 1 cup (227g) Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups (250g) White Sugar
• 4 Large Eggs,, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 cups (240g) All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly * (very important to measure correctly, or preferably to weigh it, as too much flour will lead to a dense cake)
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1-2 cups Fresh Strawberries,, for decorating top of cake

Macerated Strawberries

• 1 ½ cups (250g) Hulled and Sliced Strawberries
• 1 tbsp (13g) White Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

• 2 cups (480ml) Heavy Cream,, cold
• 6 oz (170g) Mascarpone
• 2/3 cup (80g) Confectioners Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla

Instructions

 

Victorian Sponge Cake

• Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare two 8” springform cake pans (preferably a light colored pan) with cooking spray and parchment rounds. Meanwhile, add flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk together to combine. Set aside.
• In a large bowl or a stand mixer, add butter and sugar, then beat until well-combined, smooth, and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well until each is well-incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and beat again.
• Add flour mixture to the large bowl/stand mixer and beat until just combined – ensuring that you do not over beat.
• Evenly divide the batter between both cake pans, then use a spatula to spread the batter into the pan. Place into the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes (if using a dark pan, check at 20 min to avoid overbaking), or until the edges begin to pull away from the pan and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before topping and stacking.

Macerated Strawberries

• Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss to evenly coat the strawberries. Allow strawberries to sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

• Add whipping cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla, to a large bowl, beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks have formed. Add mascarpone and continue to beat, just until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat.

Topping, Layering & Stacking the Cake

• Level off each of the cake layers to remove any doming from the cakes.
• Place one cake layer onto your serving plate or onto a cardboard cake circle. Spread an even layer of mascarpone whipped cream, about 1″ to 1 ½” thick, across the top of the layer. Add all of the macerated strawberries and their juices on top of the whipped cream in an even layer.
• Add the second cake layer on top, remaining mascarpone whipped cream, then decorate the top with fresh strawberries.

Notes

† to measure flour correctly, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then level off with a straight edge. Do not pack the flour into the cup, or scoop with the measuring cup straight from the bag/container. Alternatively, weigh the flour (1 cup = 120g or 4oz)

Cuisine: American, British

Course: Baking

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