Sometimes you just need a showstopper that doesn’t require three days of fiddly frosting work, right? If you agree, then you absolutely need this Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake in your baking rotation. It’s the perfect blend of elegance and simplicity, featuring a super light vanilla cake that practically melts in your mouth, crowned with the freshest, brightest fruit you can find. Decorating this cake with fresh fruit always feels like the final joyful step of the process. It reminds me of how food becomes even more meaningful when it’s meant to be shared at the table.
I spent ages perfecting a cake that keeps its fluffiness even under heavy toppings, and this recipe nailed it. We’re ditching heavy buttercream for a whisper-light whipped cream, making the sweet-tart strawberries the real star of the show. Trust me, this is the kind of cake that looks like it belongs on the cover of a magazine but takes less than an hour of active work!
Why This Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake Recipe Works So Well
This recipe is a winner because it keeps things bright and easy. We aren’t fighting heavy frostings here! It’s all about balance, which is what makes it one of my go-to fresh strawberry desserts when the fruit is perfect.
- The cake structure is tender but sturdy enough to hold all that gorgeous fruit without collapsing.
- We skip complicated fillings for a simple whipped cream that tastes incredible.
- The fruit glaze is my secret weapon—it gives you that gorgeous shine without adding any heavy alcohol like some other recipes do.
- It leans into that beautiful Strawberry Shortcake Aesthetic perfectly!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake
Okay, friend, let’s talk supplies! Getting those basic components ready is half the battle won. Since this cake relies heavily on fresh flavor, make sure everything is up to snuff. Don’t be tempted to skip the chilling time for the cream—it’s non-negotiable for fluffy results! Before you start mixing, you might want to check out my guide on making homemade fruit roll-ups for snacks later!
For the Vanilla Cake Base
This is what holds our fruit mountain up, so we need a sturdy yet tender foundation. You’ll use every single ingredient listed here to get that beautiful, light crumb.
- 3 large eggs
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 120 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the Light Frosting
This is where the magic happens before we even touch the fruit. Remember, for this whipped cream to get stiff peaks, everything needs to be seriously cold.
- 200 ml cold whipping cream (Emphasize ‘cold’!)
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
For the Fresh Fruit Topping
Choose the absolute best berries you can find. The look and taste of this cake hinges on how vibrant your fruit is!
- 250 g fresh strawberries, sliced (Make sure those slices are pretty!)
- 1 small bowl mixed fruits (kiwi, peach, blueberries) – this part is optional, but I love the color contrast!
For the Fruit Glaze (No Alcohol)
This glaze doesn’t need any fancy liqueurs; just sweet jam and bright acidity to make those strawberries *pop*. It seals in the moisture beautifully.
- 3 tbsp strawberry jam
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake
Now for the fun part! Remember, the cooling steps are honestly as important as the mixing steps if you want a beautiful final result. If you follow these steps closely—especially timing the glaze—you won’t have any trouble. For all my best tricks on getting flaky textures, check out my guide on secrets to perfect scones, because structure matters!
Baking the Vanilla Cake Layers
First things first: fire up that oven to 180\u00b0C (350\u00b0F) and get that 22 cm pan greased and lined—you don’t want sticking issues! In one bowl, whisk your 3 eggs and sugar until they balloon up pale and fluffy, then mix in the oil, milk, and vanilla. In another bowl, toss your dry stuff: flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry mix into the wet until it’s just smooth—don’t overdo it! Pour it in and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. Test it with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, we are golden! Let it cool completely on a rack; this is crucial before frosting.
Preparing the Whipped Cream Frosting
This step requires patience and cold equipment! You need that 200 ml of whipping cream to be icy cold, along with your bowl. Toss the cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into your stand mixer or use a hand mixer. Beat it until you see soft, fluffy peaks forming. Stop just before it gets too firm, or you might accidentally make butter! This light frosting is the perfect anchor for our fruit.
Making the Fruit Glaze
This simple glaze adds the shine; don’t skip it! In a tiny saucepan, mix the strawberry jam, water, and lemon juice. Heat it for just 2 or 3 minutes until it’s fully dissolved and liquidy. Once smooth, pull it off the heat and let it cool completely to room temperature. If you put warm glaze on cold cream, well, we’ll have soup, and nobody wants that! You can check out a neat alternative strawberry cake recipe here if you want to compare methods.
Assembling Your Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake
Once the cake is totally cool, spread that gorgeous whipped cream lightly over the top. Now, arrange your beautiful sliced strawberries and any optional mixed fruits artistically across the cream. This is where your unique Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake design comes to life! Finally, take your cooled fruit glaze and gently brush it over the fruit arrangement. This gives it a professional, glossy finish and keeps those lovely berries looking their best.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake Presentation
Making this cake look as good as it tastes is all about timing and technique. For the ultimate Strawberry Cake Design, I always slice my strawberries just before I plan to decorate. If they sit around too long, they start weeping juice, and that messes up our pristine whipped cream!
When arranging them, try to create some height, rather than just laying them flat. A slightly overlapping pattern gives you that lovely texture you see in professional work. Think about achieving that perfect Strawberry Shortcake Aesthetic, keeping the colors vibrant and clean!
The absolute best time to brush on that shiny glaze is right before you serve it. If you glaze too early, the fruit can get sticky sitting in the fridge. For more ideas on combining fruit and cream beautifully, you might want to look at my strawberry banana cream dessert post!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Strawberry Baking
When we talk about truly great Strawberry Baking, sometimes the little ingredient choices make the biggest difference. Let’s chat about substitutions quickly, because I know we all run out of things!
If you are totally out of vegetable oil for the cake base, you can use melted, cooled coconut oil, though it will slightly change the neutral flavor. For the whipped cream, don’t try to use heavy cream unless you know how to add stabilizers—it whips differently than heavy whipping cream. For salt, never substitute if you can help it; I even have a whole breakdown on why the right salt matters, see my notes on kosher salt vs sea salt.
The key takeaway is: the fresh strawberries and the jam for the glaze are the flavors we must protect!
Storing Your Fresh Strawberry Desserts
Because this cake is all about that fresh, delicate contrast between the light vanilla cake and the juicy berries, we need to be smart about storage. You absolutely must keep your gorgeous Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake refrigerated. It’s definitely not a cake meant to sit out on the counter for a day!
I’ve found the quality holds up best if we serve it within about 12 hours of assembly. If you have leftovers, cover them loosely. The whipped cream will weep a little bit after a full day, but it’s still delicious! For even more fun ways to use strawberries, check out my easy recipe for strawberry pudding. These fresh strawberry desserts are best enjoyed fresh!
Making Variations of the Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake
This vanilla base is so wonderfully neutral that you can absolutely play around with it! If you want a little zing, toss a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest right into the batter when you mix in the oil and milk. It really brightens up those surrounding flavors. You can also swap out the strawberries entirely, though that changes the whole vibe.
If berries are scarce, try using peaches or a mix of stone fruit for a seasonal treat. And for those who love the biscuit versions, you can easily turn this into a layered Strawberry Shortcake Cake aesthetic by using this light sponge instead of traditional shortcake layers. For tons of inspiration on how to handle those layers, take a peek at my favorite strawberry shortcake recipes!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake
I know when you’re ready to bake, you need answers fast! I always get a few questions about using fresh fruit versus pantry staples, especially for something that is meant to be one of those Easy Strawberry Desserts. Here are the most common things readers ask me about this recipe!
Can I use frozen strawberries for this Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake?
Honestly, for the actual topping arrangement? No, dear, I really wouldn’t recommend it. Frozen strawberries release so much water when they thaw that they will instantly turn your gorgeous whipped cream into a soupy puddle. That’s a disaster! However, if frozen strawberries are all you have on hand, you can cook them down significantly with a little sugar in a saucepan until they become thick like jam. That cooked mixture would only be suitable for swirling into the glaze, not piling on top.
How do I prevent the whipped cream from deflating?
This is all about temperature, darling! You want your whipping cream, your mixing bowl, and even your whisk attachments to be super cold—stick them in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you start whipping. I’m very particular about this step. Whip until you get firm peaks, but stop right as they stiffen up. If you keep going, you are heading straight for butter country, and we need that light, airy topping for our Strawberry Desserts Recipes.
What makes this recipe a great option for quick Fresh Strawberry Recipes?
It’s fantastic for quick baking because the cake itself is a super speedy dump-and-whisk vanilla base. There’s no complicated layering of butter or chilling, and crucially, the topping is all assembly—no cooking required outside of the short bake time! If you’re looking for more quick wins, check out my entire collection of strawberry recipes. You can usually have this cake assembled and ready to go in under an hour and fifteen minutes!
Sharing Your Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake Experience
I absolutely love seeing how you all bring this cake to life!
Once you’ve finished decorating your beautiful Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake, please hop back down here and leave me a star rating. Did you manage that perfect glossy finish or did you get creative with your strawberry waffles-inspired topping pattern?
Tell me how your family loved the fresh fruit; your feedback truly helps us all bake better!
Strawberry Fruit Topped Cake
Equipment
- 22 cm cake pan
- Oven
- Whisk
- small saucepan
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake
- 3 large eggs
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 120 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the Light Frosting
- 200 ml cold whipping cream
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
For the Fruit Topping
- 250 g fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 small bowl mixed fruits (kiwi, peach, blueberries) optional
For the Fruit Glaze (No Alcohol)
- 3 tbsp strawberry jam
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Grease and line a 22 cm cake pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while whisking until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely on a rack before decorating.
- In a cold bowl, whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft, fluffy peaks form.
- In a small saucepan, heat strawberry jam, water, and lemon juice for 2–3 minutes until slightly fluid.
- Let the glaze cool to room temperature.
- Spread a light layer of whipped cream over the cooled cake.
- Arrange strawberries and mixed fruits beautifully on top.
- Brush fruit gently with the cooled glaze for shine and protection.