This Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake is loaded with fresh strawberries and vegan chantilly cream instead of buttercream. Its light, delicious makes the perfect Spring or Summer dessert.
Strawberry shortcake is a Spring and Summer classic. And this Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake keeps all of those same classic flavors, while dressing the format up a bit. Soft cake layers are layered with vegan chantilly cream and plenty of fresh strawberries- the perfect, fancier summer dessert!
Ingredients for Making Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cake
This cake is super easy to make and uses simple ingredients and methods. Here is what you will need:
Granulated Sugar: For sweetness and texture.
Vegan Milk: I used So Delicious Plain Unsweetened Coconut Milk. But any vegan milk will work!
Canola Oil: Canola oil keeps the cake soft and moist.
Lemon Juice: To activate the leaveners.
Vanilla Extract: For a background flavor.
Lemon Zest: I love the combination of lemon and strawberry. If you don't love the flavor of lemon in your baked goods, skip it!
Flour: Regular all purpose.
Leaveners: A combination of baking powder and baking soda to help this cake rise evenly.
Salt: For balance.
Strawberry Preserves: I recommend strawberry preserves because preserves tends to be a bit runnier than jam, and will be easier to swirl into the cake. If you use jam, take more care distributing it evenly on top of the batter.
How to Make Vegan Chantilly Cream
This cake uses vegan chantilly cream instead of buttercream for frosting. Chantilly cream is simply lightly sweetened whipped cream.
To make it, add vegan heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. I LOVE the Silk Heavy Whipping Cream.
Then, add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
Finally, whip on high until stiff peaks are formed. This only takes about 1-2 minutes.
Thats it!
Cutting the Strawberries
This recipe uses an entire pound of strawberries. Here is how you will use them:
First, cut the strawberries for the perimeter of the middle of the Strawberry Shortcake Cake. Pick 6 of the bigger strawberries in the container. Slice the tops off and slice them in half long ways. Then, test if you have enough. Place them, top side facing out, around the perimeter of one of the cake layers. They should make a complete circle. If you don't have quite enough, cut 1-2 more strawberries this way as needed.
Next, chop the strawberries for the center of the cake. This only requires 2-3 strawberries. Pick any strawberries with scarring or bruising. Hull them and chop them.
You should be left with the smaller, pretty strawberries from the container. These are for garnishing the top of the finished cake.
How to Build the Strawberry Shortcake Cake
To build the cake, place the first cake layer top side down on a cake board or cake stand.
Next, line the perimeter of the cake with the halved strawberries.
Then, add half of the whipped cream into the center of the cake. Gently spread it out, the top it with the chopped strawberries.
Next, top with the second layer of cake, top side up this time. Add the remaining whipped cream to the top and garnish with as many strawberries as you like.
Looking for More Cake Recipes?
Vegan Vanilla Cake by Loving it Vegan
📖 Recipe
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Equipment
- 2 8" Round Cake Pans
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Spatula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 Stand or Hand Mixer
- 1 Cake Stand
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cup Plant Based Milk
- ⅓ Cup Canola Oil
- 2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Zest approximately the zest of ¼ of a lemon
- 1 ½ Cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt ¼ teaspoon if using fine grain/table salt
- 6 tablespoon Strawberry Preserves or Jam
For the Chantilly Cream
- 2 Cups Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream I recommend Silk Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
To Decorate
- 6-7 Strawberries, tops removed and sliced in half Enough to line the circumference of one cake layer
- 2-3 Strawberries, Chopped About ⅓ Cup
- 5-6 Additional Strawberries to Garnish
Instructions
First Bake the Cakes
- Prepare 2 8" round cake pans by greasing and inserting a parchment circle into the bottom of each pan. Preheat oven to 350*F.
- In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, plant milk, canola oil, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk well to combine.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
- Divide the cake batter between the two prepared pans and spread out evenly with a spatula.
- Top each pan of batter with 3 tablespoons of strawberry preserves. Try to distribute it evenly across the batter. Then use a knife to gently swirl the preserves into the batter.
- Bake in a 350* oven for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Allow to cool COMPLETELY before decorating.
To make the Chantilly Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment or using a hand mixer, combine vegan heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Set aside.
To Build and Decorate the Cake
- Onto a cake stand or serving platter, place one layer of cake upside down. You want the flat bottom of the cake facing up to work on.
- Place the strawberry halves around the perimeter of the cake. Make sure they are right next to each other.
- Dollop half of the whipped cream into the canter of the cake layer. Spread out with the back of a spoon or a mini offset spatula, then add the chipped strawberries on top of the whipped cream.
- Top with the second cake layer, this time right side up, and top with the remaining whipped cream. Spread the whipped cream out and garnish with as many strawberries as you wish.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Rhiannon Davis
I was nervous to try this recipe because I’m not confident with baking, but I made it today and it was PERFECT. It was so easy, looked beautiful, and was absolutely delicious. I’ll definitely make it again.
Megan Calipari
Im so happy you liked this recipe- it really is a show stopper!
Elizabeth Cline
My daughter was home visiting and I wanted to make this cake for her. The recipe instructions were clear and the result was both beautiful and delicious! Thank you for another recipe that pleased my entire family.
Megan Calipari
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for the comment.
Klaudia
Can I leave out the lemon zest and lemon juice?
Megan Calipari
Hi! You can leave out the lemon zest, but the acid from the juice helps activate the baking soda, so if you don't have lemon juice on hand, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Klaudia Gogishvili
Thank you!
Second question, can this cake be made the day before?
Megan Calipari
If using the Silk brand heavy whipping cream, yes! It holds up really nicely in the refrigerator.
If you use the country crock plant cream, or even regular whipping cream, I'd say bake the cakes the day ahead and wrap them, prep all the strawberries, then whip the cream and build the cake the day you plan to serve it!
Klaudia
Thanks so much!
Adina
Is the texture supposed to be very liquidy and not like usual cake batter texture? Should I add more flour? Thanks!
Megan Calipari
Hi! As long as you have made the cake as the recipe is written it will be fine. Its hard to say without seeing your batter, but as long as there was no scaling mistake, the cake will turn out great!
Imna
Can it be used other type of oil instead of canola?
Megan Calipari
Yes! Any neutral oil will work here. Grape seed or vegetable oil would be great, for example.
Sandra
Can I use gluten free flour?
Megan Calipari
I haven't tested it, so I'd actually recommend baking your favorite GF vanilla cake recipe with some strawberry jam swirled into the batter, then using the rest of the method of this cake!
Jamie
Hello! Can this be converted into cupcakes? ☺️
Megan Calipari
It will work as cupcakes! You could core the cupcakes and put some chopped strawberries in the middle. But, I also have a strawberries and cream cupcake recipe that has a strawberry cupcake with whipped topping herehttps://earthly-provisions.com/vegan-strawberry-and-cream-cupcakes/
Susan
Can you replace canola with coconut oil? Trying to steer clear of inflammatory oils.
Megan Calipari
My top recommendation would be avocado oil. Coconut oil bakes a little differently than oils that are liquid at room temp!