This strawberry layer cake is perfect for a birthday cake, and it would also be great for a tea party any time of the year, Mothers Day or even for Easter. Any event which requires cake will be fine!
When you are about to turn three and are asked what birthday cake you would like, it seems that a one-word answer is all you need to give – pink!
That is what my youngest told me she would like for her birthday last month, so I did my best to meet the brief.
The strawberry cake was three layers of soft sponge flavoured with some strawberry milkshake icing sugar (picked up from a cake show, from Sugar and Crumbs) and the frosting was thick cream cheese frosting coloured baby pink.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need for the cake, quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post:
- butter
- caster sugar
- strawberry milkshake icing sugar
- eggs
- self-raising flour
- milk
- vanilla bean paste – or extract
- cream cheese
- icing sugar – plain, for the icing
- lemon juice
Method
- Cream the butter with the caster sugar until it is soft and no longer grainy.
- Add the icing sugar and mix well.
- Add the eggs one by one, and again mix well.
- Add the vanilla bean paste to the milk, stir, and then add some of the milk, followed by some of the flour, to the mixture, and combine as you go.
- If you have three of the same size tins (20 cm, 8 inch), prepare them now either by greasing and lining or by using cake release spray. I only have two 20 cm tins so I baked two of the layers first, then the third afterwards.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 15-20 minutes, or until the cakes shrink away from the edge of the tins.
- While the cakes are baking, prepare the frosting.
- For the cream cheese frosting I used this great recipe from Kerry at Kerry Cooks.
The key to its success has a lot to do I think with draining the cream cheese and making sure the butter is in liquid form to prevent lumps. You can find the recipe here. This worked even better than other cream cheese frosting I’ve tried in the past. - Add a little pink colouring to the frosting to reach the desired shade.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool. Pop in the third layer once one of the cakes has cooled enough to be removed from the tin, if you only had two tins like me.
- Once completely cool, place the first layer where you want to construct the cake. If needed, tidy up the edges of the cakes.
- Spread a little of the frosting on top, then top it with the next layer, and repeat until you have three layers stacked.
- Using a pallet knife or spatula, smooth the frosting all over the sides and top of the cake. Wet the knife or spatula with hot water and then dry it, to get a smooth finish.
- Pipe decoration on the top using a piping bag.
- Place the cake in the fridge to set.
- Sprinkle with chocolate curls, if you are using them, and enjoy!
Finished off with some scattered strawberry chocolate curls, from Iced Jems, that my girls kept stealing when my back was turned.
A strawberry triple layer cake fit for a princess!
More layer cakes
For more fabulous layer cakes, check these out from fellow bloggers:
- The ultimate Super Mario Bros cake from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Moist chocolate After Eight cake from Tinned Tomatoes
- Chocolate chestnut layer cake from Maison Cupcake
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Recipe
Strawberry Triple Layer Cake
A strawberry cake with pink cream cheese frosting, perfect for parties
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Servings: 10
Calories: 774kcal
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 225 g unsalted butter softened
- 280 g caster sugar (superfine sugar) I used golden
- 100 g strawberry milkshake flavoured icing sugar
- 4 eggs
- 300 g self-raising flour
- 250 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the frosting:
- 250 g cream cheese
- 100 g unsalted butter softened
- 400-600 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cream the butter with the caster sugar until it is soft and no longer grainy.225 g unsalted butter, 280 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Add the icing sugar and mix well.100 g strawberry milkshake flavoured icing sugar
- Add the eggs one by one, and again mix well.4 eggs
- Add the vanilla bean paste to the milk, stir, and then add some of the milk, followed by some of the flour, to the mixture, and combine as you go.250 ml semi-skimmed milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 300 g self-raising flour
- If you have three of the same size tins (20 cm, 8 inch), prepare them now either by greasing and lining or by using cake release spray. I only have two 20 cm tins so I baked two of the layers first, then the third afterwards.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for around 15-20 minutes, or until the cakes shrink away from the edge of the tins.
- While the cakes are baking, prepare the frosting.
- For the cream cheese frosting I used this great recipe from Kerry at Kerry Cooks. The key to its success has a lot to do I think with draining the cream cheese and making sure the butter is in liquid form to prevent lumps. You can find the recipe here. This worked even better than other cream cheese frosting I've tried in the past.250 g cream cheese, 100 g unsalted butter, 400-600 g icing sugar, 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Add a little pink colouring to the frosting to reach the desired shade.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool. Pop in the third layer once one of the cakes has cooled enough to be removed from the tin, if you only had two tins like me.
- Once completely cool, place the first layer where you want to construct the cake. If needed, tidy up the edges of the cakes.
- Spread a little of the frosting on top, then top it with the next layer, and repeat until you have three layers stacked.
- Using a pallet knife or spatula, smooth the frosting all over the sides and top of the cake. Wet the knife or spatula with hot water and then dry it, to get a smooth finish.
- Pipe decoration on the top using a piping bag.
- Place the cake in the fridge to set.
- Sprinkle with chocolate curls, if you are using them, and enjoy!
Did you try and love this recipe?Then please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you got on!
Sarah @tamingtwins says
This looks and sounds so delicious Lucy! Have pinned it and will definitely add it to my to be baked list. Lovely to meet you (very briefly!) at the weekend! Thanks for linking with #CakeClub for September.
Steph @MisplacedBrit says
ABSOLUTELY stunning. Yes please & YUM!
I can’t look at this any more right now!! Pinned 😀
bakingqueen74 says
So kind Steph, thank you! 🙂
lucyparissi says
This looks incredible! I would have loved a slice (or two). Strawberry milkshake icing sugar sounds very intriguing! I bet your daughter was over the moon with this cake. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Lucy; she was happy as it was pink! Lots of icing was licked off thats for sure. Look forward to linking up with you again this week
Baking In Pyjamas says
I would love for you to stop by and share this and other recipes with us over at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. Have a great day! Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Laura, I will do! 🙂
Baking In Pyjamas says
Such a pretty cake, I can imagine it tastes wonderful. Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas
Honest Mum says
Wow now that is a pretty cake! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Sarah James says
Such a beautiful cake Lucy, I love the sound of strawberry milkshake icing 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Sarah! It was tasty 🙂
My Little Italian Kitchen says
Looks great! This is a lovely birthday cake and really well decorated as well 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Thank you Alida, I was pleased with it!
Chantelle Hazelden (@MamaMummyMum) says
ooooo this sounds so good, I think I’d find it hard to have just one slice #tastytuesdays
bakingqueen74 says
It was rather tricky Chantelle! Thanks for visiting
Eileen Teo (@etspeaksfrom) says
Happy belated to your daughter! She must be very happy with her three layer cake. They look gorgeous and delicious!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks so much Eileen!
Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms) says
It looks gorgeous, I bet she loved it. Liking the sound of the milkshake icing. Nice! Thanks for linking to my cake 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
You’re welcome Jac, it looks delicious!
munchiesandmunchkins says
Oh Lucy this looks incredible. Sounds delicious too.x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Becky x
Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade says
Oh gosh Lucy this is amazing! Looks absolutely beautiful! x
bakingqueen74 says
That’s so kind Silvia! 🙂 my little girl was pleased which is the main thing, though I did have to take some photos before she could get her hands on it!
sarah says
Strawberry milkshake flavoured icing? Sounds heavenly good. lucky girl! can you bake me a cake for my birthday?!
bakingqueen74 says
Cheers Sarah! I can if you’re turning three! 😉
patisseriemakesperfect says
That looks like a delicious cake Lucy. I love the colour amazing and thanks for cream cheese tips as lumps are so annoying.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Angela! Yes, cream cheese icing can be so annoying when it goes wrong.
Elizabeth says
So pretty! What a lucky little girl to have a cake like that for her birthday 🙂 Where do you get strawberry milkshake flavoured icing sugar? I’ve never seen that before…
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Elizabeth! I got it from a cake show, from Sugar and Crumbs. Thanks for the reminder, I’ll mention that in the post!