This strawberry vanilla chiffon cake is light and airy, with fluffy moist cake layers, macerated juicy sweet strawberries, and creamy, cloud-like whipped yogurt frosting. The syrup from the macerated strawberries soak right into the chiffon cake, keeping them extra moist and flavorful. And the slightly tangy yogurt whipped cream frosting is the perfect stable whipped cream that holds it all together. It's the ultimate spring and summer cake!
If you love light and airy, not overly sweet cakes, you'll love my blackberry caramel cake.
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🍰 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Chiffon cake layers: soft, moist, tender as a cloud. This vanilla chiffon cake is a must make!
- Macerated fresh strawberries: So easy to make, and turns the strawberries into the most juicy, sweet morsels that are perfect paired with chiffon cake.
- Strawberry syrup: The syrup from the macerated strawberries gets drizzled over the cake layers, keeping them extra moist and flavorful.
- Yogurt whipped cream: Greek yogurt stabilizes the whipped cream, making it perfect for holding up a layer cake. It's barely sweet, and the slight tang helps balance out the cake flavors. It's so complementary to the strawberry filling.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
Fresh strawberries: The strawberry vanilla cake is filled and topped with loads of fresh strawberries. They're really the star of the show! I don't recommend using frozen strawberries because once they defrost, they will get soggy and sad. Don't worry if the strawberries aren't as sweet as you'd like. By macerating them, they will become even sweeter and more flavorful.
Plain Greek yogurt: This adds a delightful tang into the frosting and stabilizes it. I don't recommend using flavored or sweetened Greek yogurt, or even regular yogurt. Greek yogurt is much thicker than regular yogurt and will create a beautiful, stiff frosting.
Heavy whipping cream: I used 35% cream to get a gorgeous, stiff and fluffy frosting. Keep it ice cold right up until you use it so that it whips up to beautiful, stiff peaks.
Powdered sugar: This dissolves easier into the frosting than granulated sugar. You can add more for an even sweeter frosting. I liked mine not overly sweet so I didn't add much.
Eggs: The cake is a chiffon cake, so it needs quite a few eggs to give it that gorgeous, fluffy texture. Divide the yolks from the whites before starting. Make sure that there aren't any yolk bits in the egg whites! If there are bits of egg whites in the yolks, that's totally ok.
Cream of tartar: This helps stabilize the meringue, keeping it beautiful and stiff and preventing it from deflating as it gets folded into the cake batter and baked. If you don't have cream of tartar, you can use white vinegar or lemon juice but cream of tartar works best.
Olive oil: I used a cooking olive oil and you could barely taste it. Use a more robust olive oil for more olive oil flavor or a light olive oil for less flavor. Alternatively, you can use your favorite vegetable oil.
All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Cornstarch: This makes the chiffon cake layers extra light and fluffy! I highly recommend adding cornstarch. You can substitute it with arrowroot starch if you prefer.
👩🍳 How to make strawberry vanilla cake
Macerated strawberries step by step
Step 1: Start with macerating the strawberries: Trim the tops off the strawberries and cut them into slices or quarter them like I did for chunkier pieces. Don't cut the slices too thin because the pieces will shrink as they sit in the sugar.
Pour sugar, lemon juice, and salt over the macerated strawberries. Use a spoon to toss the strawberries so that they're evenly coated.
Step 2: Cover and place the berries in the fridge to macerate while you work on the rest of the cake.
In about 30 minutes they will be surrounded in a gorgeous red strawberry syrup.
Vanilla chiffon cake step by step
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of three 8" round baking pans with parchment paper. Don't line or grease the sides of the pans!
Step 2: In a large, clean bowl or stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft medium peaks.
Step 3: Then, gradually pour in half a cup of sugar. Whisk with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Step 4: Set the whisked egg whites aside, or transfer them into a different bowl while you work on the egg whites.
Step 5: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar (1 cup). You can reuse the bowl and whisk from the egg whites without washing. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color and they fall off the whisk in ribbons.
Step 6: Add the oil, milk, vanilla extract, and salt into the egg yolks. Mix to incorporate them.
Step 7: Then, sift flour, baking powder, and cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture. Fold the mixture with a wire whisk, being very gentle.
Step 8: Add a large scoop of whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the mixture with a wire whisk (by hand) until evenly mixed. Add the rest of the egg whites and fold until evenly mixed. Stop folding as soon as the batter looks nice and even!
Step 9: Divide the batter evenly amongst the baking pans. Use a large ice cream scoop or a scale to make sure that each layer is even.
Bake the layers in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached.
Step 10: Remove the baked layers from the oven and immediately flip them upside down to cool. The cake layers should stick to the sides of the pan. This helps the chiffon cake from collapsing as it cools.
Once cooled, run a spatula along the edges of each cake pan to release the layers. Flip the pan over and the layer should fall out easily.
Yogurt whipped cream frosting step by step
Step 1: Add the heavy whipping cream into a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar. Use a whisk attachment to whip the cream to medium peaks.
Step 2: Add yogurt, salt, and vanilla extract into the whipped cream and continue whipping until it gets ultra thick and creamy. Don't over whip or else it will be grainy!
Transfer whipped frosting to a piping bag.
Assembling layered strawberry chiffon cake step by step
Step 1: Pipe a dollop of frosting onto a plate or cake stand. Place the first cake layer down. Pipe a thick border of frosting over the first layer.
Step 2: Fill the center with the juicy, macerated strawberries. Drizzle some of the strawberry juice on top.
Step 3: Seal the strawberries in with a generous dollop of frosting and spread it out in an even layer.
Place the next layer of cake on top and repeat with the frosting ring, macerated strawberries, and more frosting to seal it in. Place the last cake layer on top, flipped upside down.
Step 4: Cover the whole cake with the rest of the frosting in an even, smooth layer. Use a long, straight spatula for this. To get smooth sides and top, scrape the spatula clean against the edge of the bowl after each swipe.
Pop the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes to set the frosting if enjoying immediately, or for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Step 5: Before serving, pile on loads of fresh, washed, whole strawberries on top of the strawberry vanilla cake. Drizzle a bit of the strawberry juice from the macerated strawberries over top. Slice and serve with any leftover macerated strawberries, and enjoy!
✔️ Expert layered chiffon cake tips
- Gently add the whipped egg whites into the chiffon batter: Adding it in stages helps prevent deflating the batter too much, keeping the chiffon extra light and fluffy.
- Flip the cake layers upside down right out of the oven: Gravity helps prevent the layers from collapsing too much.
- Whip the frosting to stiff peaks but don't over whip: This creates a stiff, stable frosting that's perfect for frosting an airy chiffon cake.
- Wait for the cake layers to cool: Before removing the cake layers from the pan and stacking and filling the cake, it's important to let the chiffon cake to cool to room temperature.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
Store the assembled and frosted strawberry vanilla cake in a cake carrier in the fridge. Since it's filled with fresh berries and frosted with a whipped cream frosting, it's important to keep it refrigerated and serve cold or at room temperature. Leftover slices can be stored in a container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
The cake is best served the day it's made or within 24 hours of assembling it because of the fresh strawberries. You can prepare different parts of it ahead of time - here's how:
Cake layers: These can be made a day or two ahead of time. Cover the pans with wrap and store them in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Macerated strawberries: The strawberries can be macerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours ahead of time (stored in the fridge). You don't want to leave them to macerate too long because they'll lose too much juice and texture.
Yogurt Frosting: This needs to be whipped up right before assembling the cake and cannot be made ahead. If you make it ahead of time, it can set before you frost the cake. It'll appear grainy and stiff if you try to frost the cake after it sets in the bowl.
☀️ Why I love yogurt whipped cream for summer cakes
Yogurt whipped cream frosting makes the most perfect, not too rich, not too sweet, balanced frosting. It's perfect for filling and frosting light and fluffy summer cakes like this strawberry vanilla cake. The frosting has a slight tang that balances the richness of the whipped cream. It's also super silky smooth and thick.
Because the acidity of the Greek yogurt sets and thickens the whipped cream, it can hold up a layered cake pretty well. I went with a chiffon cake since it's a lighter, fluffier cake than the typical buttery, denser, yellow cake.
Since this type of frosting doesn't need a large amount of sugar to thicken it, you can adjust the sweetness to your liking without impacting the structural integrity of the frosting. I erred on the less sweet side, you can try the frosting with the level of sweetness that I used, and add more powdered sugar to your liking. That way you can really customize the strawberry vanilla cake to your sugar preferences.
📖 Recipe FAQs
This helps prevent them from deflating down into the pans as they cool. Gravity helps! They will still deflate a bit, that's totally ok and to be expected.
I don't recommend skipping that part. Macerating the strawberries makes them sweeter, more flavorful, and releases the juices to create a sweet strawberry syrup that is SO delicious drizzled and soaked into the chiffon cake.
I haven't tried it, but 1:1 gluten free flour in place of regular flour should work.
I highly recommend you still try the frosting because it's just so delightfully creamy and the tangy yogurt balances the richness of the cream. Alternatively you could make a cream cheese stabilized whipped cream. Regular whipped cream is too soft and doesn't have enough structure to hold up the cake layers and filling.
Yes you can! Adjust the sugar and acidity when macerating the berries, and give them a slight mash if you're not going to cut them into pieces. This will help them release their juices and create that lovely, flavored syrup.
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Vanilla Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Macerated Strawberry Cake Filling
- 4 cups fresh strawberries about 1 lb or 454 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Vanilla Chiffon Cake Layers
- 7 large eggs separated, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour 150g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Whipped Yogurt Frosting
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream 35%, cold
- 1 cup powdered sugar add more to taste for sweeter frosting
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt cold
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Macerated Strawberry Filling
- Start with macerating the strawberries: Trim the tops off the strawberries and cut them into slices or quarter them like I did for chunkier pieces. Don't cut the slices too thin because the pieces will shrink as they sit in the sugar.4 cups fresh strawberries
- Pour sugar, lemon juice, and salt over the macerated strawberries. Use a spoon to toss the strawberries so that they're evenly coated.½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Cover and place the berries in the fridge to macerate while you work on the rest of the cake. The strawberries need at least 30 minutes.
Vanilla Chiffon Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of three 8" round baking pans with parchment paper. Don't line or grease the sides of the pans!
- In a large, clean bowl or stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft medium peaks.7 large eggs, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Then, gradually pour in a half cup (½ cup) of sugar, whisking until stiff peaks form. Set the whisked egg whites aside, or transfer them into a different bowl while you work on the egg whites.1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar (1 cup). You can reuse the bowl and whisk from the egg whites without washing. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until lightened in color and they fall off the whisk in ribbons.
- Add the oil, milk, vanilla extract, and salt into the egg yolks. Mix to incorporate them.½ cup olive oil, ½ cup milk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Then, sift flour, baking powder, and cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture. Fold the mixture with a wire whisk, being very gentle.1 ¼ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add a large scoop of whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the mixture with a wire whisk (by hand) until evenly mixed. Add the rest of the egg whites and fold until evenly mixed. Stop folding as soon as the batter looks nice and even!
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the baking pans. Use a large ice cream scoop or a scale to make sure that each layer is even.
- Bake the layers in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached.
- Remove the baked layers from the oven and immediately flip them upside down to cool. The cake layers should stick to the sides of the pan. This helps the chiffon cake from collapsing as it cools.
- Once cooled, run a spatula along the edges of each cake pan to release the layers. Flip the pan over and the layer should fall out easily.
Whipped Yogurt Frosting
- Add the heavy whipping cream into a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar. Use a whisk attachment to whip the cream to medium peaks.2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Add yogurt, salt, and vanilla extract into the whipped cream and continue whipping until it gets ultra thick and creamy. Don't over whip or else it will be grainy!2 cups plain Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Transfer whipped frosting to a piping bag.
Assembly
- Pipe a dollop of frosting onto a plate or cake stand. Place the first cake layer down. Pipe a thick border of frosting over the first layer.
- Fill the center with the juicy, macerated strawberries. Drizzle some of the strawberry syrup on top.
- Seal the strawberries in with a generous dollop of frosting and spread it out in an even layer.
- Place the next layer of cake on top and repeat with the frosting ring, macerated strawberries, and more frosting to seal it in. Place the last cake layer on top, flipped upside down.
- Cover the whole cake with the rest of the frosting in an even, smooth layer. Use a long, straight spatula for this. To get smooth sides and top, scrape the spatula clean against the edge of the bowl after each swipe.
- Pop the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes to set the frosting if enjoying immediately, or for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Before serving, pile on loads of fresh, washed, whole strawberries on top. Drizzle a bit of the strawberry syrup from the macerated strawberries over top. Slice and serve with any leftover macerated strawberries, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Gently add the whipped egg whites into the chiffon batter: Adding it in stages helps prevent deflating the batter too much, keeping the chiffon extra light and fluffy.
- Flip the cake layers upside down right out of the oven: Gravity helps prevent the layers from collapsing too much.
- Whip the frosting to stiff peaks but don't over whip: This creates a stiff, stable frosting that's perfect for frosting an airy chiffon cake.
- Wait for the cake layers to cool: Before removing the cake layers from the pan and stacking and filling the cake, it's important to let the chiffon cake to cool to room temperature.
Megan
Made it and it was the softest cake I’ve ever made!! Delicious
Zoe
Hi there! Looking to bake this for a friend's bday, but I only have two 9-inch pans. If I use those instead, what should the baking time be? Will it come out okay? Thanks!
Mary
It should still work out really well! You may need to add a few more minutes onto the baking time because they'll be a touch thicker.
Evi
I made this for my grandmas birthday! Everyone loved it. It’s such a fluffy and light cake. Not too sweet and the yoghurt in the whipped cream adds a nice little sour taste! Amazing recipe!