Baked with Love by Sevara – Easy Strawberry Cream Cake

Picture this: the kitchen window is fogged with oven warmth, a bowl of whipped cream is fluffing into clouds, and someone just slid a pan of pale gold sponge onto the counter. That is the exact moment this cake was born, and that is exactly the moment you are about to recreate.

Baked with love by Sevara is a soft vanilla sponge soaked lightly with strawberry syrup, stacked with barely sweet whipped cream, and crowned with glossy fresh berries. Think of it as a pillow fort for strawberries: cozy, a little messy, and completely irresistible.

If your frosting swoops are lopsided, congratulations, you are doing it right. This is a cake that rewards enthusiasm over precision, and every imperfect swirl tastes like a Sunday afternoon.

About the Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour

Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off rather than scooping, or the sponge turns dense. Swap in cake flour (250g) for an even more tender crumb.

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Check the date on the can, since older baking powder loses lift and leaves a flat cake. If you only have baking soda, use 3/4 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salt rounds out the sweetness and keeps the vanilla from tasting flat. Kosher salt works if you use a slightly heaped 1/2 teaspoon.

1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar

Caster sugar dissolves fastest, but regular granulated is fine. Do not cut the sugar below 1 cup, because it also holds moisture in the crumb.

4 large eggs, room temperature

Room-temperature eggs whip into a much fluffier batter, so set them in warm water for 10 minutes if you forgot. Large eggs are about 50g each in the shell.

3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk

Whole milk gives the richest crumb; 2% works with a slightly lighter result. For dairy-free, use oat milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Cool the butter to lukewarm or it will cook the eggs on contact. Salted butter is fine, just drop the added salt to a pinch.

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Real extract beats imitation here because the flavor is front and center. Vanilla bean paste adds lovely flecks if you have it.

1 1/2 pounds (680g) fresh strawberries, hulled

Look for deep red berries with a sweet smell at the stem end, since pale berries taste watery. Frozen strawberries work for the syrup only, not the topping.

2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, very cold

Cold cream whips faster and holds peaks longer, so chill the bowl too. Do not substitute half-and-half, which will not whip.

3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

Powdered sugar stabilizes the cream and sweetens it without grit. Sift it first to avoid lumps in your frosting.

Tips & Tricks

• Do not overmix the batter once the flour goes in. Fold gently just until the streaks disappear, because gluten development is what turns a soft sponge into a rubbery one.
• Cool the cakes completely before stacking. Even slightly warm sponge will melt the cream and cause the layers to slide.
• Pat the sliced strawberries dry with paper towel before layering. Surface moisture is the number one cause of a weeping, soggy cake.
• Whip the cream to medium peaks, not stiff ones. Medium peaks spread smoothly and stay creamy, while stiff peaks turn grainy when you frost.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round pans with parchment, greasing the sides. A properly preheated oven gives an even rise instead of a domed, cracked top.

2. Whisk the dry mix

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl for 30 seconds so the leavener is evenly distributed. Set it aside near your work area.

3. Beat eggs and sugar

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick, and falls in a ribbon that holds for a second.

4. Fold in the wet and dry

Whisk the milk, melted butter, and vanilla into the egg mixture, then fold in the dry ingredients in two additions with a spatula. Stop the moment no dry flour remains, and the batter should look glossy and pourable.

5. Bake the layers

Divide the batter between the pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 24 to 28 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean. The edges should be just pulling from the pan and lightly golden.

6. Cool and make syrup

Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool fully, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, mash 1 cup of the strawberries with 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar to make a loose syrup.

7. Whip the cream

Whip the cold heavy cream with the remaining powdered sugar on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, until it holds medium peaks and looks like soft clouds. Stop before it stiffens, or it will look curdled.

8. Layer and decorate

Place one cake on a plate, brush with half the strawberry syrup, spread with a third of the cream, and scatter a third of the sliced berries. Top with the second cake, brush with the remaining syrup, then frost the top and sides with the rest of the cream and pile the remaining berries in the center.

9. Chill before serving

Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes so the layers settle and the cream firms. Dust with powdered sugar just before slicing with a hot, dry knife.

Delicious Variations

Chocolate Strawberry Swap

Replace 1/2 cup of the flour with cocoa powder and add 2 extra tablespoons of milk for a cocoa sponge that plays beautifully against the berries.

Lemon Berry Version

Add the zest of one lemon to the batter and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the cream for a brighter, tangier cake.

Mixed Berry Crown

Use half raspberries and half strawberries on top, keeping the strawberry syrup as written so the layers stay cohesive.

How to Store ✿•Baked with love by Sevara•🍓

Frequently Asked Questions

Now go preheat that oven and let your first attempt be gloriously lopsided. Snap a photo of your berry crown, tag it with your own little signature, and share it with someone who needs a slice of Sunday. Keep your pen dancing.

✿•Baked with love by Sevara•🍓

Baked with love by Sevara is a tender vanilla sponge layered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, an easy showstopper cake for birthdays and cozy weekends.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

25 minPrep time28 minCook time10Servings412 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 pounds (680g) fresh strawberries, hulled
• 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, very cold
• 3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

📋 Instructions

1. 1Heat the oven — Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round pans with parchment, greasing the sides. A properly preheated oven gives an even rise instead of a domed, cracked top.
2. 2Whisk the dry mix — Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl for 30 seconds so the leavener is evenly distributed. Set it aside near your work area.
3. 3Beat eggs and sugar — In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick, and falls in a ribbon that holds for a second.
4. 4Fold in the wet and dry — Whisk the milk, melted butter, and vanilla into the egg mixture, then fold in the dry ingredients in two additions with a spatula. Stop the moment no dry flour remains, and the batter should look glossy and pourable.
5. 5Bake the layers — Divide the batter between the pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 24 to 28 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean. The edges should be just pulling from the pan and lightly golden.
6. 6Cool and make syrup — Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool fully, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, mash 1 cup of the strawberries with 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar to make a loose syrup.
7. 7Whip the cream — Whip the cold heavy cream with the remaining powdered sugar on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, until it holds medium peaks and looks like soft clouds. Stop before it stiffens, or it will look curdled.
8. 8Layer and decorate — Place one cake on a plate, brush with half the strawberry syrup, spread with a third of the cream, and scatter a third of the sliced berries. Top with the second cake, brush with the remaining syrup, then frost the top and sides with the rest of the cream and pile the remaining berries in the center.
9. 9Chill before serving — Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes so the layers settle and the cream firms. Dust with powdered sugar just before slicing with a hot, dry knife.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your kitchen runs warm, chill the bowl and beaters for the cream and work quickly, because warm cream refuses to hold its shape.

Servings: 10

Cuisine: European

Course: Dessert

Nutrition (per serving): 412 kcal · 6g protein · 45g carbs · 24g fat

Written by Priya Sharma

Priya explores creative writing prompts and storytelling techniques for aspiring authors. She shares exercises to spark imagination and build narrative confidence, drawn from her own writing practice.