Name: FRESH STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE LAYER CAKE
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 large eggs; 1 cup buttermilk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Let Me Tell You About This Cake

Okay, so you know how some recipes just stick in your memory (and possibly your waistline)? Well, this fresh strawberry shortcake layer cake is the one I make when the weather gets warm and the strawberries at the farmers’ market taste like actual strawberries instead of pink cardboard. I first made it for my mum’s birthday—she’s the type who’s suspicious of anything that’s not ‘from scratch’—and, not to brag, but she went back for seconds (which is really saying something, because she’s usually a one-slice-and-done kind of lady).

Once, I dropped half the whipped cream on the floor by accident and had to start over. I may have said a few words that weren’t exactly fit for a family gathering. But hey, stuff happens in real kitchens, right? Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff.

Why I Keep Making This (And You Probably Will Too)

I make this when there’s more strawberries in the fridge than room for tomorrow’s groceries. You know that feeling?
My family goes crazy for this because it’s not too sweet – more like those classic British cakes than the sugar bombs you sometimes find at bakeries. (But if you do like things tooth-achingly sweet, I won’t judge. Well, maybe a little bit.)
Honestly, sometimes the layers look wonky, but it still tastes amazing. You rescue it with a bit more whipped cream and a sprig of mint and no one’s the wiser.
Once I tried to use frozen berries (don’t recommend, unless you like pink soup between your layers.)

What You’ll Need (or What I Usually Use, Anyway)

2 cups all-purpose flour (or swap in cake flour for a lighter crumb; my granny swore by King Arthur, but I’ve used the store brand and lived to tell the tale)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp (sometimes I use salted in a pinch and just skip the extra salt—don’t @ me)
1 cup granulated sugar (but I’ve done half white, half brown when I was low and it turned out fine)
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract (or sub in almond extract if you want things fancier)
1/2 cup milk (whole is best, but I’ve used oat milk once and, honestly, not bad)
1 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (save a few for looking pretty on top)
2 cups heavy cream (if you can get double cream, lucky you!)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (sometimes I just eyeball it, to be honest)

How I Actually Make It (With Occasional Chaos)

Prep the oven and pans. Preheat to 350°F (that’s about 175°C for my metric mates). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans—or, if you only have one, just bake in two rounds. Line the bottoms with parchment if you have it, but not the end of the world if you don’t. (I sometimes forget and everything’s fine, most the time.)
Mix the dry stuff. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. Nothing fancy; just enough so it all looks kind of blended.
Cream butter and sugar. Use a mixer if you have one, or a sturdy whisk and some elbow grease if not. Should look fluffy-ish. Add eggs one at a time and beat after each, then pour in vanilla.
Combine it all. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour. Don’t overthink it; if it’s a bit lumpy, it’ll sort itself out in the oven. (This is where I usually sneak a taste. Raw eggs be damned.)
Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 22-26 minutes (though my oven sometimes decides it wants to go rogue, so check with a toothpick—if it comes out mostly clean, you’re golden.)
Cool. Let them sit in the pans for 10 minutes, then flip onto racks. If they split, just call them “rustic”.
Strawberry time. Toss your sliced berries with a spoonful of sugar if you like them juicy. Or skip it if your berries are sweet enough. Let them hang out while you make the whipped cream.
Whip the cream. Beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar together till soft peaks form. Don’t walk away or you’ll end up with butter. (Ask me how I know.)
Assemble. Place one cake layer on a plate. Slap on half the cream, pile on half the berries. Top with the next cake, then the rest of the cream and berries. (If it towers a bit, that’s half the fun. Don’t stress if some berries slide out—just eat the evidence.)

Stuff I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)

If you assemble when the cakes are warm, you’ll have strawberry soup. Trust me, patience is a virtue here.
I once tried making this with coconut whipped cream. It was…weird. Not bad, just kind of a different vibe. Probably stick with the regular stuff unless you’re dairy-free.
If you want neat slices, chill the cake for an hour before cutting. But, honestly, who has that kind of willpower?

If You Feel Like Mixing Things Up

Sometimes I add a layer of lemon curd between the strawberries and cream—tangy and sweet, but not everyone’s cup of tea.
I tried throwing in blueberries once because I had some leftover. Pretty, but the flavor kind of got lost. Strawberries really are the star here.
Short on strawberries? Raspberries are nice, but on second thought, they make the cake a bit tart, so only if you really love raspberries.

Kitchen Tools (And Workarounds If You Don’t Have ‘Em)

Two 8-inch cake pans (or just reuse the same one, though it takes longer and I always forget to re-grease…)
Electric mixer is handy for cream, but a whisk works if you don’t mind a workout. Or, honestly, I’ve used a clean jar and shaken it—works in a pinch, your arms might protest though.
Mixing bowls
Cooling rack is nice, but I’ve used the grates from my toaster oven before (don’t tell anyone)

How to Store (If It Lasts, Which It Probably Won’t)

Technically, you should keep it in the fridge, lightly covered, for up to two days. But honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If you do manage to save some, the cake softens up and, I think, tastes even better the next day—just a bit squishier.

Serving It Up (My Way)

I like to serve this with a mug of milky tea (Irish breakfast, thanks very much) but my kids always demand a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. We’ve even done it for brunch, with some yogurt instead of ice cream, if you can believe it.

Things I Wish I’d Known Earlier

I once tried to rush the cooling step and ended up with melting whipped cream running down the sides – not cute. Let the cakes cool, friend.
If you overwhip the cream and it gets grainy, stir in a splash of liquid cream to fix it. Works like magic. Well, almost.
Don’t be tempted to stack more than two layers unless you want a leaning tower of Pisa cake. It gets wobbly fast.

Questions People Have Actually Asked Me

Can I use store-bought whipped cream?: Sure, if you’re in a rush. But making it from scratch really does taste better (and takes, like, five minutes).
What about using gluten-free flour?: I haven’t tried it myself, but my friend Jane swears by Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 for cakes like this. Here’s a guide to gluten-free blends I sometimes reference.
Any good tips for making this ahead?: Bake the cakes a day ahead, wrap ‘em up, and store at room temp. Assemble just before serving so the cream and berries stay fresh. I learned the hard way that fully assembled cake gets soggy after a night in the fridge.
Can I use this recipe as cupcakes?: You bet! Just bake in lined muffin tins for about 15-18 minutes. They’re cute for parties (and less messy, unless you overfill like I do.)
What if I don’t have parchment paper?: Just grease the pan extra-well and cross your fingers. Most times, it comes out fine—if not, use a spatula to patch things up. No one’s judging.

Oh, and if you want to geek out on cake science, I love these tips from Sally’s Baking Addiction. They’re oddly reassuring when you’re mid-bake and doubting everything.

I think that’s everything. Or, wait, did I forget something? Oh, if you make this, let me know how it goes! And if you mess it up, just pile on extra cream and call it a trifle. Works every time.