Strawberry Sponge Cake (Print Version)

Three-layer sponge cake with fresh strawberry filling, made with just 4 ingredients, and topped with whipped cream cheese frosting.

# Ingredients:

→ For the Strawberry Filling

01 - 3 cups fresh strawberries, diced
02 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
04 - 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Sponge Cake Layers

06 - 6 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

→ For the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

10 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
11 - 16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
13 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
14 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ For Decoration

15 - About 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

# Instructions:

01 - In a heavy saucepan, combine half of the diced fresh strawberries and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes until the strawberries burst and release their juice.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine the light brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir this mixture into the strawberry mixture. Add the remaining diced strawberries and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
03 - Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease with baking spray and set aside. If you have baking stripes, use them to ensure the cake layers bake flat without doming.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
05 - Beat the 6 room-temperature eggs on high speed for 1 minute.
06 - With the mixer running on high speed, gradually add the sugar and continue beating for about 8 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and fluffy. This is the secret to a light, airy sponge cake!
07 - Sift the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Fold gently with a spatula between each addition, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to eliminate any pockets of flour. Do not overmix or you'll deflate the batter.
08 - Divide the batter equally between the three prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops.
09 - Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops are golden and spring back when poked slightly.
10 - Slide a knife around the edges of each cake and remove from the pans. Cool to room temperature, then carefully peel back the parchment paper.
11 - In a bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
12 - In another bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla extract for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until creamy.
13 - Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. This creates a light, fluffy frosting that's perfect for this delicate cake.
14 - Place the first cake layer on your serving plate. Spread half of the cooled strawberry filling on top, leaving about a 1/2 inch rim around the edges without filling.
15 - Spread about 1/2 cup of frosting on the second cake layer. Invert it and place it filled-side down over the strawberry filling on the first layer.
16 - Spread the remaining half of strawberry filling over the second layer. Spread about 1/2 cup of frosting on the third cake layer, invert it, and place it filled-side down over the strawberry filling. Reserve 1 cup of frosting for decoration.
17 - Spread the remaining frosting over the outside of the cake. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to set and chill completely.
18 - Pipe the reserved frosting around the top and sides of the cake for decoration. Arrange sliced fresh strawberries on top for a beautiful presentation.

# Notes:

01 - This sponge cake is incredibly light and airy thanks to the long beating time - don't skip those 8 minutes of beating!
02 - Room-temperature ingredients mix together better and create a fluffier batter than cold ingredients.
03 - The strawberry filling needs to cool completely before assembly or it will melt the frosting.
04 - Using baking stripes or cake levelers ensures the layers bake flat, making assembly much easier.
05 - The whipped cream folded into the cream cheese frosting makes it light and fluffy - perfect for this delicate cake.
06 - Chilling overnight actually helps the flavors meld and makes the cake easier to slice cleanly.

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