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Home » Recipes

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling (Swedish Midsummer Cake)

Published: May 6, 2022 · Modified: Jun 11, 2022 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling topped with strawberries.

Elegant and bursting with true strawberry flavor, this Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling is the perfect way to celebrate any summer occasion.

Rich pastry cream and a luscious roasted strawberry filling are sandwiched between two layers of tender vanilla cake and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries....it's the perfect show-stopping dessert for any summer celebration, gathering or weekend dinner that you have coming up in the next few months.

So what are we waiting for? Let me introduce you to this delicious (and surprisingly easy) homemade Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling.

Layer cake topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries next to flowers and strawberries.

Why This Recipe Works

  • The vanilla cake layers are tender, moist and light in texture....the perfect compliment to the strawberries and cream.
  • The simple strawberry filling is roasted in the oven to create a delicious jam-like concoction that tastes deeply of strawberries.
  • In addition to the roasted strawberry filling, there is also a layer of rich vanilla pastry cream sandwiched between the cake layers, which provides a luxurious strawberries-and-cream flavor.
  • The assembled cake is downright stunning and so easy to put together!

The Ingredients

There are essentially four components to this cake: The cake layers, the roasted strawberry filling, the pastry cream and the whipped cream and fresh strawberries that finish the cake.

For the Cake:

For the Pastry Cream:

Labeled ingredients for pastry cream.

For the Filling:

Labeled ingredients for Roasted Strawberry filling.

To Assemble the Cake:

Labeled ingredients for assembling strawberry cake.

A few ingredients that are worth noting:

  • Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour (and therefore less gluten) and creates an exceptionally tender, delicate crumb in this cake.
  • A mixture of canola oil (or another type of neutral vegetable oil) and butter gives this cake both delicious flavor and a moist, tender texture.
  • I use half and half (A mixture of whole milk and cream) to make my pastry cream. You can certainly use just milk or just cream, but I really like the balanced richness that comes from a mix of the two. If you don't want to buy half and half in addition to the other dairy products called for in this recipe, you can simply make your own by combining 1 part whole milk with 1 part cream.

Equipment Needed

  • 2 9-inch round cake pans
  • parchment paper
  • heavy-duty stand mixer or hand mixer
  • pastry bag with a large pastry tip or a gallon-sized plastic Ziploc bag

How to Make This Recipe

  • Begin by roasting the strawberries for the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss 1 pound of quartered strawberries with ¼ cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in a square baking dish. Stir to combine. Roast for 20 minutes, and then give the strawberries a stir. Roast for 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and mash the strawberries with a fork or potato masher until they are a jam-like consistency. Set aside to cool.
Strawberries and sugar in a glass baking dish with a rubber spatula.
Roasted strawberries in a glass baking dish.
Mashed roasted strawberries in a glass dish with a potato masher.
  • Make the cake layers. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut out two 9-inch rounds from a piece of parchment paper. Butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of the cake pans with the parchment rounds. Butter the parchment. Dust the inside of the cake pans with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
  • Whisk the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together on medium-high speed until light in texture and pale yellow in color, about 2-3 minutes.
Flour in a glass bowl with a whisk.
Whipped sugar and eggs in a metal bowl with a whisk attachment.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Add the butter and oil and stir until the butter has melted completely.
  • Return the mixer to low speed and slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the batter. Mix until just smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the whisk as necessary.
  • Remove the bowl for the mixer and scrape the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until cakes are golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean.
Cake batter in a metal bowl with a spatula.
Two cake pans filled with vanilla cake batter.
Two baked vanilla cakes in cake pans.
  • While the cake is baking, make the pastry cream. Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, half and half and sugar together in a medium saucepan. Add the butter (it will melt once we start the cooking process).  Place pan over medium low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture is smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes.  Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the pastry cream, followed by a layer of plastic wrap (this prevents it from forming a skin).  Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Eggs, milk and butter in a pan with a whisk.
Pastry cream in a glass bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Once everything has cooled to room temperature, make the whipped cream and assemble the cake. Place the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high to high speed until the cream can hold relatively firm medium peaks.
  • Spoon ½ a cup of the whipped cream into the bowl with the cooled pastry cream. Whisk to combine. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip (or simply use a gallon storage bag with ½ inch size hole cut out of one of the corners) with the remaining whipped cream.
  • Place one cake layer on the bottom of a serving plate.  Make a border of alternating dollops of whipped cream and halved strawberries, cut side down. Spread some of the pastry cream evenly in the center of the border (you will have some pastry cream leftover). Using a slotted spoon, top the pastry cream with some of the roasted strawberries, taking care to leave most of the juices behind in the bowl (again, you will have some roasted strawberries left over).
Cake with a whipped cream and strawberry border next to a bowl of strawberries an a pastry bag filled with whipped cream.
Cake topped with strawberries, whipped cream, pastry cream and roasted strawberries.
  • Place the second cake layer on top of the strawberry filling layer.  Create dollops of whipped cream over the top of the cake and arrange fresh strawberries over the top, finishing with a whole strawberry for garnish.  Serve immediately or cover carefully with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve (up to a few hours ahead).
Two layers of cake with whipped cream and strawberries in the middle.
Vanilla layer cake topped with dollops of whipped cream.
Layer cake topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries next to flowers and strawberries.

Expert Tips

  • Be sure to gently spoon and level the cake flour when measuring your ingredients. Or better yet, weigh the flour for the most accurate measurement. 2 cups of cake flour should weigh 240 grams.
  • Don't overmix the cake batter. Mix at a low speed and just until everything is smooth and comes together. This helps our cake to be tender in texture rather than tough.
  • Be sure to strain the pastry cream. Pastry cream contains egg yolks, and even if we are stirring it constantly as it cooks, it's quite likely you might have small bits of cooked egg in the final result. Straining the pastry cream removes any unsightly bits of egg and produces a perfectly smooth and luxurious final result.
  • Don't over whip the whipped cream. Whipped cream can go from perfectly billowy to curdled in appearance VERY quickly. Keep a close eye on it as it whips. You want it to hold medium-stiff peaks and not be overly stiff.
  • Use a serrated knife to cut the cake. This will create cleaner slices.
Upright slice of vanilla cake with strawberry filling next to a fork.

FAQs

What makes this cake Swedish/Scandinavian?

The Nordic countries are known for their wild summer berries so it's not surprising that strawberry cake is a classic warm weather dessert all over the region. In Norway this cake is known as Bløtkake and is a popular dessert for Syttende Mai (May 17, Norwegian Constitution Day). In Sweden it is called Midsommartårta and is customarily enjoyed for Swedish Midsummer celebrations in June. The summer strawberry cake is a Scandinavian classic and one that anyone interested in Nordic baking should have in their repertoire.

Can I make this cake in advance?

Most of the components can be made in advance, but it's best to assemble the cake right before serving. The pastry cream can be stored, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The roasted strawberry filling can be stored, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to a week. The cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours. The cake layers can also be frozen for up to 6 weeks (wrapped in plastic and tightly sealed inside a freezer bag). Wait to make the whipped cream at the time you assemble the cake.

Overhead view of a cake topped with strawberries.

Elegant and bursting with true strawberry and cream flavor, this easy cake is the perfect way to celebrate summer and impress your guests with what is a surprisingly easy baking project. Looking for more Scandinavian-inspired recipes for strawberries? Give these a try:

  • Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb Rye Galette
  • Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart
  • Strawberry Roll Cake (Swedish Rulltårta)
  • Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Featured image shot of Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling.

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling (Swedish Midsummer Cake)

A show-stopping celebration cake filled with roasted strawberries and pastry cream and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.  Perfect for any summer occasion!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: Nordic, Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish
Keyword: easy strawberry cake, strawberry cake recipe, strawberry cream cake recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings (one 9-inch layer cake)
Calories: 574kcal
Author: Kristi

Equipment

  • 2 9 inch round cake pans
  • Parchment paper
  • Stand or hand mixer
  • Pastry bag with large tip or gallon-sized plastic storage bag

Ingredients

For the Roasted Strawberry Filling:

  • 1 pound strawberries quartered
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of fine salt

For the Cake Layers:

  • 2 cups cake flour spooned and leveled (240 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
  • ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil

For the Pastry Cream Filling:

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of fine salt

For the Whipped Cream:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Assemble the Cake:

  • Roasted Strawberry Filling
  • Cake Layers
  • Pastry Cream Filling
  • Whipped Cream
  • 2-3 cups strawberries halved

Instructions

  • Make the Roasted Strawberry Filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine strawberries, sugar and salt in an 8 inch square baking dish.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir briefly.  Return to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.  Mash mixture with the back of a fork until it is a jam-like texture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Filling should be completely cool before assembling the cake.  (Filling can be made up to a week in advance).  
  • Make the Cake Layers:  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9 inch cake rounds. Place a 9 inch circle of parchment paper on the bottom of each pan.  Butter the parchment paper. Flour the inside of the pans. Set aside.
  • Whisk the cake flour, salt and baking powder together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
  • Combine sugar, eggs and extracts in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the whisk attachment, mix on medium high until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until just simmering.  Turn off the heat and add the butter and oil and stir until the butter has melted completely.
  • Return the mixer to low speed and slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the batter. Mix until just smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl and whisk as necessary.
  • Divide the cake batter equally between the prepared pans.  Bake until golden brown and a tester poked into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Set cakes aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, make the Pastry Cream Filling:  Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, half and half, salt and sugar together in a medium saucepan. Add the butter.  Place the pan over medium low heat and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes.  Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the pastry cream, followed by a layer of plastic wrap (this prevents the custard from forming a skin).  Refrigerate until you are ready to use. Pastry cream should be completely cool before assembling the cake. (Pastry Cream Filling can be made up to 2 days in advance.)
  • When you are ready to assemble the cake, make the Whipped Cream:  Place the cream, powderer sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high to high speed until the cream can hold relatively stiff medium peaks. Spoon ½ a cup of the whipped cream into the bowl with the cooled pastry cream. Whisk to combine. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip (or simply use a gallon storage bag with ½ inch size hole cut out of one of the corners) with the remaining whipped cream.
  • Assemble the cake:  Place one cake layer on the bottom of a serving plate.  Make a border of alternating dollops of whipped cream and halved strawberries, cut side down. Spread some pastry cream evenly in the center of the border (you will have some pastry cream leftover). Using a slotted spoon, top the pastry cream with some of the roasted strawberries, taking care to leave most of the juices behind in the bowl (again, you will have some roasted strawberries left over).
  • Place the second cake layer on top of the strawberry filling layer.  Pipe dollops of whipped cream over the top of the cake and arrange fresh strawberries over the top, finishing with a whole strawberry for garnish.  Serve immediately or cover carefully with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve (up to a few hours ahead).

Notes

Be sure to gently spoon and level your cake flour when measuring.  Or better yet, weigh the flour instead.  2 cups of cake flour should weigh 240 grams.
Most of the cake components can be made in advance, but it's best to assemble the cake no more than a few hours before serving.  The pastry cream can be stored, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The roasted strawberry filling can be stored, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to a week. The cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours. The cake layers can also be frozen for up to 6 weeks (wrapped in plastic and tightly sealed inside a freezer bag). Wait to make the whipped cream at the time you assemble the cake.  Once the cake is assembled, lightly (and carefully) cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Using a serrated knife will help make clean cake slices.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 281mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 1152IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 1mg

If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Filling and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.

More Nordic/Scandinavian Recipes

  • Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cinnamon
  • White Swedish Glögg with Elderflower Liqueur (Mulled White Wine)
  • Homemade Pickled Mustard Seeds
  • Danish Apple Trifle

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie

    May 26, 2019 at 11:24 pm

    I love strawberry desserts! This cake looks and sounds so delicious!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 27, 2019 at 10:13 pm

      Thank you, Natalie! I love strawberry desserts, too. I've got another one coming later this week so stay tuned!

      Reply
  2. HollyC

    May 14, 2020 at 6:51 pm

    Thank you! I will try this recipe and I love that your roasted the strawberries.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 14, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      Hi Holly! I tried several different fillings before landing on the roasted strawberries. They are SO delicious and worth a little extra effort. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  3. Carol

    September 30, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    I made this for a bunch of Swedes lol and they loved it ! I made a 9" and an 8" because I thought the 9" so thin and they both came out beautiful except the pastry cream I could not get it right and just the butter just solidifies
    on top I don't know what I was doing wrong but I used a different pastry cream recipe and it worked great. I'm going to try it again to see what I did wrong lol.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 01, 2020 at 7:55 am

      Hi Carol,
      I'm so glad you enjoyed the cake! Thanks for taking the time to let me know how it turned out. That's interesting about the pastry cream....I wonder what happened? I will double check my recipe instructions and make sure I haven't missed something on my end. Happy baking to you!
      Kristi

      Reply
  4. Lynn

    April 28, 2021 at 9:49 pm

    Hi, if I can’t find fresh strawberries, can I use whole thawed frozen strawberries? Thank you. I want to make this for my granddaughter’s birthday.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 29, 2021 at 3:10 pm

      Hi Lynn!
      You can definitely use frozen strawberries for the filling. Sometimes once they are defrosted, frozen berries don't "look" as nice as fresh berries so I'm not sure if they will work as well for the top. But they will still taste great either way!

      Kristi

      Reply
      • Lynn

        May 12, 2021 at 8:29 pm

        Perfect! Thank you! I’m making it this weekend for my granddaughters birthday.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          May 13, 2021 at 10:45 am

          Hi Lynn!

          Enjoy the cake! It's so perfect for any celebration. And happy birthday to your granddaughter!

          Kristi

          Reply
  5. Lynn

    May 16, 2021 at 3:44 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you, thank you! The cake for my granddaughter’s birthday was a success! It was absolutely delicious and enjoyed by all. I only had 8 inch rounds so I used those instead of the 9 inch and it was wonderful. Looking forward to more of your delicious recipes!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 17, 2021 at 8:39 am

      Hi Lynn,
      Yay! I'm so glad the cake was a big hit. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me your feedback! It is greatly appreciated.
      Kristi

      Reply
  6. Kristi

    June 05, 2022 at 11:26 am

    5 stars
    An easy, elegant summertime cake!

    Reply
  7. Steph

    June 11, 2022 at 1:14 pm

    The salt was not mentioned in the pastry cream. The batter is very liquid— is that right?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 11, 2022 at 6:06 pm

      Hi Steph,
      Thanks for letting me know! I edited the recipe just now. The batter should be pourable.
      Kristi

      Reply

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