Delicious Strawberry Gateau from scratch! This gorgeous vanilla cake layered with fresh cream and strawberries is perfect for special celebrations and easy to make.
You will also love my Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure
Have you ever looked longingly through a patisserie window at all the wonderful creations within? I used to go to Patisserie Valerie as a special treat back in my student days and their Strawberry Gateau was always a favourite.
In fact layered vanilla sponge with lashings of fresh cream and ripe strawberries was one of the earliest cakes I attempted, as the centerpiece for my daughter’s first birthday. That was 15 years ago 🙂
What is the difference between a cake and a gateau?
If you are wondering what on earth a “gateau” is then let me lay it out for you. A gateau is typically a layered confection that combines layers of sponge with fresh cream and fruit.
Unlike (some) cakes, Gateaux need to be eaten fresh as the cream and fresh fruit don’t have lasting power.Take a look at my Black Forest Gateau as another example of this genre!
Breaking down the elements in Strawberry Gateau
This dessert looks very impressive but it is not that hard to make from scratch.
You will need to bake two (or three) layers of soft vanilla sponge cake and brush them with vanilla syrup or a liqueur to add extra flavour. This also helps keep the layers moist and extra special!
The vanilla layers are sandwiched together with whipped cream and fresh strawberries or strawberry compote. I also like to add a layer of strawberry jam!
In order for the cream to support the gateau layers it is important to stabilise it by adding gelatine or cornflour, especially if the weather’s hot!
Finally the Strawberry Gateau is finished with a coating of toasted flaked almonds and more fresh strawberries. Delicious or what?
How to make Strawberry Gateau
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Start by baking the cake. Add the flour, sugar, cornflour, baking powder and soda in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Stir to combine the dry ingredients.
Add the butter, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla extract and beat together until the batter is smooth and lump free.
Divide the batter between two 20cm (8inch) cake pans misted with cake release and lined with baking paper and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Level the layers if needed and brush with a simple vanilla syrup or limoncello, Cointreau or Kirch so that it sinks into the sponge.
Sprinkle two teaspoons of powdered gelatine over four tablespoons of cold water. Leave to stand until the gelatine swells. Microwave for 10 second or less or heat in a saucepan until the gelatine melts. Cool before adding to the cream.
Add the COLD cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat together on low speed until the cream starts to thicken. Add the cooled gelatine and continue to whip until the cream holds peaks. Keep in the fridge unless you are using it immediately.
Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a ring of cream around the edge of the bottom cake layer. Fill inside the ring with softened strawberry jam and then add sliced strawberries.
Pipe cream over the strawberries and level. Top with the second sponge layer. Smooth cream over the entire cake, reserving some cream to pipe over the gateau.
Press toasted flaked almonds over the side of the cake and chill in the fridge.
Pipe rosettes of the cream over the perimeter of the cake and fill the middle with sliced fresh strawberries. Serve immediately.
Tips and FAQs
- You can bake three 20cm (8inch) layers if you like, the layers will just be a bit thinner. Bake for 25-28 minutes.
- The sponge layers can be baked up to two days in advance. Wrap them in clingfilm and store at room temperature.
- Once the cake is assembled it really needs to be eaten as soon as possible. It will keep for up to a day in the fridge (always keep it chilled) but it tastes best when it is fresh.
- Toast the flaked almonds in a non stick frying pan over medium heat, tossing or stirring often until lightly coloured.
- The gateau is easier to slice when chilled – allow for the cake to chill in the fridge for an hour or longer before serving.
STRAWBERRY DELICIOUSNESS! Try my other strawberry recipes!
Strawberry rose bundt cake with lemon glaze
No-bake strawberry cheesecake
Chocolate Strawberry Cake
HAVE YOU MADE MY STRAWBERRY GATEAU RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Strawberry Gateau
Ingredients
For the cake
- 340 g ( 1 ¾ cups) caster sugar
- 330 g ( 2 ½ cups MINUS two tbsp) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tbsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 large eggs
- 150 g (⅔ cups) softened unsalted butter or baking spread (Stork)
- 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
- 180 ml (¾ cup) whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla bean extract
Syrup to brush on cake
- 5 tbsp simple syrup or limoncello / your favourite liquer
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Whipped cream
- 2 tsp sachet powdered gelatine
- 4 tbsp cold water for the gelatine
- 600 ml (2 ½ cups) COLD heavy cream
- 125 g (1 cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
To fill and decorate
- 85 g (1 cup) toasted flaked almonds for side of gateau
- 5 tbsp strawberry jam
- 150 g (1 cup) fresh strawberries divided
Instructions
Make the sponge layers
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Mist 2 x 20cm (8 inch) cake pans with cake release and line with baking parchment. Spray the parchment too.
- Put the flour, sugar, cornflour, baking powder, soda in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, butter and oil.
- Start beating at lowest speed setting until ingredients come together. Increase the speed to maximum and beat until the batter is completely smooth – about 30 seconds to one minute.
- Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake for 28-30 minutes or until the cakes are risen and coming away from the edges of the tin. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.
- Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Level the cake layers if needed and brush with the liquer or simple syrup.
Make the whipped cream
- Sprinkle the gelatine powder over the water in a bowl. Leave it to swell (or "bloom"). Heat in the microwave (or a saucepan) for 5-10 seconds until liquid and cool.
- Whisk the cold cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until you have soft peaks.
- Add the gelatine into the cream once it reaches soft peaks and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Don’t over whip the cream or it might curdle. Put the whipped cream in the fridge for 20 minutes before using.
Assemble the gateau
- Slice half the strawberries into thin rounds to fill the cake and reserve the rest for the top. Stir the jam to soften.
- Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a ring of cream around the edge of the bottom cake layer.
- Fill inside the ring with softened strawberry jam and then top with the sliced strawberries.
- Pipe another layer of cream over the strawberries and level. Top with the second sponge layer. Smooth cream over the entire cake, reserving some cream to pipe over the gateau.
- Press toasted flaked almonds over the side of the cake and chill in the fridge.
- Pipe rosettes of the cream over the perimeter of the cake and fill the middle with sliced fresh strawberries. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This cake is best eaten on the day it is assembled but will keep in the fridge for another day.
- The gateau is easier to slice when chilled – allow for the cake to chill in the fridge for an hour or longer before serving.
Matthew G says
Looks absolutely wonderful, but a bit puzzled by the cornflour. Article says it can be used to stabilise the whipped cream; the instructions though say to put it in the cake mix, but don’t explain at what point to add to the cream. Can you clarify?
Lucy Parissi says
You can sift some in when whisking it