Vanilla Strawberry Heart Cake Recipe
This cake has classic vanilla cake layers filled with fresh strawberry goodness and frosted with silky strawberry buttercream. Sweet, simple, and perfect for Valentine’s!
I don’t know why it took me so long to finally get my own set of heart-shaped cake pans! For months, I’d been seeing these charming cakes all over my feed, and while I’ve always been smitten with my classic round pans, I realized that heart cakes have a timeless elegance I couldn’t resist. So, when my new pans were marked out for delivery, I was practically pacing the driveway—kids in tow—waiting for the mailman to arrive.
With all the excitement, I knew I wanted to keep this cake simple. My Classic Vanilla Cake is a staple in my kitchen, adaptable through every season and flavor pairing. Lately, I’ve been on a big strawberry kick (Valentine’s Day does that to me!), and what better way to celebrate than with both fresh and freeze-dried strawberries?
The filling is pure nostalgia—just fresh strawberries sprinkled with a little sugar, coaxing out their natural juices. It reminds me of childhood, when we’d slice berries into whipped cream for the simplest, most delicious treat. And then there’s the frosting—light, luscious, and bursting with strawberry flavor, all thanks to the magic of freeze-dried strawberries. They might just be the star of the whole cake!
Here’s a list of equipment you may need for this cake recipe:
*these are affiliate links and I may receive commission any purchase of these items
Stand Mixer
Spatula or Wooden Spoon
Kitchen Towel
Off-set Spatula
Size 8 Heart Shaped Pans
Oven Gloves (Use CAKEJOIE15 for 15% off)
Mixing Bowls
Plastic Wrap
Fine Mesh Sieve
Whisk
Rotating Cake Stand
Cake Dome
Oh, and speaking of baking—if you’ve ever wanted to build your cake skills from the ground up, my ebook, Cake for Beginners: Lessons in Learning to Bake Cake From Scratch, is packed with everything I wish I had known when I first started —from essential techniques to practical tips that will set you up for success. Whether you're a total beginner or just looking to refine your skills, this resource is designed to help you bake with confidence.
Hope you enjoy!
Vanilla Strawberry Heart Cake
Ingredients
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour / 420 g
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder / 13 g
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt / 7 g
- 1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter (room temperature) / 225g
- 1 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar / 370 g
- 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil / 70 g
- 3 Whole Eggs / 150 g
- 3 Egg Whites / 95 g
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract / 10 g
- 1 Cup Buttermilk / 210 g
- 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt / 50 g
- 3 Cups Sliced Fresh Strawberries, Sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 5 Cups Powdered Sugar / 680 g
- 2 Cups Unsalted Butter (4 sticks, room temperature) / 450 g
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream / 60 g
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste / 20 g
- 1 Pinch of Salt (heaping) / 3 - 5 g
- 1/2 Cup Freeze Dried Strawberries, Crushed/Blended 85g
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and line three 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, oil, and Biscoff spread together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until paste-like, then increase to medium-high and mix for 4–6 minutes until the color changes from yellow to white.
- While mixing, sift the powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve or sifter into a separate bowl.
- Crush or blend Freeze-dried Strawberries
- Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar in 1–2 cup increments, mixing on low speed after each addition until fully incorporated. This prevents a sugar cloud.
- Add the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract and freeze-dried strawberries. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds to incorporate.
- Increase to medium-high speed and mix for 5–10 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the bowl.
- Remove any air bubbles by pressing and smoothing the frosting with a spatula or wooden spoon in a zig-zag motion prior to frosting your cake.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top and pipe a border around the perimeter and add roughly 1/2 of the fresh strawberries.
- Repeat with the second and third layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Decorate with additional fresh or freeze-dried strawberries, if desired.
