Strawberries and Cream Sponge Cake (Printable)
Light sponge layers with whipped cream and ripe strawberries, chilled and finished with mint.
# What You Need:
→ Sponge Cake
01 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Filling and Topping
06 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
07 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 14 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
10 - 2 tablespoons strawberry jam (optional)
11 - Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 5–7 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and has tripled in volume.
03 - Gently fold in flour and vanilla extract with a spatula, taking care not to deflate the airy batter.
04 - Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and cakes spring back when lightly pressed.
05 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
06 - While the cakes cool, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until soft peaks form.
07 - If desired, spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over one cooled cake layer for extra flavor.
08 - Spread half of the whipped cream onto the base cake layer and arrange half the sliced strawberries over the cream. Place the second sponge layer on top.
09 - Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top, arrange remaining strawberries, and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.
10 - Refrigerate assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean, neat portions.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- You get perfect bites that balance luscious cream, sun-kissed strawberries, and soft sponge layers, and it somehow tastes like spring even in the dead of winter.
- It looks elegant but comes together with kindness and forgiving details, so even kitchen mishaps tend to vanish under a swirl of cream.
02 -
- If your sponge layers cool in the pans too long, they sweat and stick, making assembly a delicate rescue mission.
- Layering strawberries with a dry cloth before using keeps them from weeping into the cream, stopping a soggy, sad cake in its tracks.
03 -
- Whip the cream by hand for the last minute to catch the perfect soft peak—no over-whipping disasters.
- Sliding a thin knife around the pan edge once the cakes come out keeps the sponge from tearing later.