Strawberry cake

I have tried many fruit dessert recipes, but this strawberry cake remains among those I repeat. The first time I made it was from a recipe cut out from a magazine. The sponge cake comes out airy effortlessly, and the combination of cream with fresh fruit and melted chocolate is simple yet not boring. You don't need complicated techniques. I like that it fits both festive days and when I want something special at home.

Quick Info

Total time: approximately 2 hours (includes cooling the sponge and cream)
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 40-45 minutes
Servings: 10-12
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade fruit cake, suitable for birthdays or family occasions

Ingredients

Sponge
7 eggs
7 tablespoons sugar
7 tablespoons flour
half a packet of baking powder
grated zest of one orange or lemon
orange or lemon essence (I use lemon essence)

Cream
500 g strawberries
200 g butter (or margarine for baking)
200 g sugar
50 ml water
2 packets vanilla sugar
the juice of one orange or lemon
1 packet vanilla pudding
500 ml milk

For decoration
bitter or milk chocolate (for melting and decorating)

Preparation method

1. Sponge
Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form.
Gradually add the sugar, continuing to mix.
Incorporate the egg yolks, then pour in the oil.
Add the flour mixed with baking powder. Gently fold in from the bottom to avoid losing air from the egg whites.
Finally, add the grated zest of the orange or lemon and your preferred essence.
Pour the mixture into a round cake pan lined with butter and flour.
Bake in a preheated oven at medium temperature for 40-45 minutes. Check with a toothpick.
Remove the sponge onto a rack and let it cool completely before cutting.

2. Cream
Prepare the vanilla pudding according to the instructions on the packet, using 500 ml of milk. Let the pudding cool completely.
Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved, add the juice of the orange or lemon. Boil until a thick syrup forms. Remove from heat and let it cool.
Beat the butter with the vanilla sugar until creamy.
Gradually incorporate the cooled syrup, mixing after each spoonful added.
Then add the cooled pudding in small portions, continuing to mix. Finally, the cream should be smooth and fluffy.

3. Assembly and finishing
Cut the completely cooled sponge horizontally into two or three layers.
Place the first layer on a serving platter and spread a layer of cream.
Add slices of strawberries as evenly as possible.
Place the next layer of sponge, spread with cream, then more sliced strawberries.
Continue this way until the last layer.
Cover the outside of the cake with the remaining cream.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Pour over the cake or decorate as preferred.
Finally, you can place a few whole strawberries on top and a drizzle of melted chocolate.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s easy to work with and uses accessible ingredients. The sponge consistently turns out well, and the combination with cream and strawberries is balanced, not overly sweet. It can be adapted according to the season. It stays fresh for a few days in the fridge.

Tips and variations

Tips
To prevent the sponge from sinking, do not open the oven door in the first 25 minutes.
The strawberries should be well drained before adding them to the cream to avoid making the cake soggy.
Let the cream reach room temperature before assembling the cake for easier spreading.

Substitutions
You can use margarine for baking instead of butter if you prefer.
The orange can be substituted with lemon, depending on what you have or the flavor you want to emphasize.

Variations
For other fruits, you can also try raspberries or blueberries.
The cream can be additionally flavored with a little grated citrus zest.
If you don’t want a chocolate glaze, you can leave it with just cream and fresh fruit on top.

Serving ideas
The cake is good cold from the fridge, especially in summer.
It can be decorated with mint leaves or mixed fruits for a more colorful appearance.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use other fruits instead of strawberries?
Yes, other fresh fruits like raspberries, blueberries, or peaches work too, but strawberries are the best for the texture and freshness of the cream.

2. What type of chocolate is best for decoration?
You can use either dark or milk chocolate, depending on your preference. I most often use dark chocolate because it doesn’t make the cake too sweet.

3. My sponge sinks. What am I doing wrong?
This usually happens if you open the oven too early or if the mixture is over-mixed after adding the flour. Mix gently and do not open the oven door before it has risen well.

4. Can the cake be prepared a day in advance?
Yes, it actually tastes better the next day after being refrigerated, as the flavors blend better and the sponge softens slightly.

5. How do I cut the cake so it doesn’t crumble?
Use a long, sharp knife. If it’s cold from the fridge, cut with firm motions without pressing too hard.

Nutritional values

The values are estimated for a slice from 12:
Calories: approximately 340 kcal
Protein: 5-6 g
Carbohydrates: 38-40 g
Fats: 18-20 g

The cream with butter and sugar raises the calorie count, while the sponge contains eggs and flour, adding both protein and carbohydrates. If you use margarine instead of butter, the values may vary slightly. The fruits reduce the heaviness of the dessert, but at the caloric level, it’s mainly the cream and chocolate that count.

Storage and reheating

The cake can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. I do not recommend reheating it; it is served cold. The sponge remains soft even after two days, and the cream does not change texture if kept cold. If you use fresh fruits with a lot of juice, drain them well so they don’t moisten the sponge after the first day.

The base: We beat the egg whites, then add the sugar, the egg yolks, the oil, the flour together with the baking powder, the grated orange/lemon zest, and finally the orange/lemon essence. We line the tray with butter and flour and bake it in the oven for about 40-45 minutes. Cream: Prepare the pudding according to the instructions on the package and let it cool, then boil the sugar with water and orange/lemon juice until it results in a thick syrup, remove from heat and let it cool while whipping the butter and vanilla sugar until fluffy. When all ingredients have cooled, we add a tablespoon of syrup over the butter and mix, and when we finish adding the syrup, we add the pudding in the same way. When the base has cooled, it is cut and filled with cream and sliced strawberries. The outside of the cake is covered with cream, over which we add melted chocolate in a steam bath. Decorate to your liking; I left a few whole strawberries on top and added chocolate!

 Ingredients: Base: 7 eggs, 7 tablespoons of sugar, 7 tablespoons of flour, half a packet of baking powder, grated zest of an orange or lemon, essence of orange or lemon (I personally preferred lemon essence). Cream: 500g strawberries, 200g butter/margarine for pastries, 200g sugar, 50ml water, 2 packets of vanilla sugar, juice from an orange/lemon, 1 vanilla pudding, 500ml milk, dark/milk chocolate.

 Tags:  strawberry cake