Vanilla Cake with Fresh Strawberry Whipped Cream

I'm a sucker for fresh strawberries. They're not even my favorite fruit, but when I see a random spring strawberry stand bursting with little red gems, I want to stop every time (fortunately, I don't).


This past weekend my friend Julia and I went to Manassero Farms (an adorable local farm in Irvine) for Breakfast in the Barn. Breakfast in the Barn is a special event they host about once a month where they invite a guest chef to prepare a meal for dozens of eager and hungry guests. The guest chef sources many of the ingredients from the farm, so the dishes not only vary by chef but also by season. It was such a beautiful way to spend our Saturday mornings, and we're already planning on going to the next one.

When the event ended we were told that we would get 10 percent off any purchase. If I wasn't planning on buying strawberries before the meal (I was), this notice made it impossible to walk away without them. Julia and I both left a little bit fuller and a little bit happier with fresh strawberries in hand. And then we made this cake.

We used this Fluffy Vanilla Cake recipe, and I came up with my own simple fresh strawberry whipped cream recipe. My goal was for the cake to come out light and fluffy to complement the airy strawberry whipped cream. I let the natural flavor of the strawberries steal the show for the perfect spring or summer dessert.

Strawberry Whipped Cream
- 6-8 whole strawberries
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 2 cups of heavy whipping cream

In a food processor, pulse the strawberries until they become a liquid. Transfer to a bowl and add the sugar and heavy whipping cream. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. We wanted it to taste not too sweet, but with lots of strawberry flavor. Adjust ingredients according to your taste.

If you don't already, follow me on Snapchat for inside looks at my life, like the making of this cake or my morning at the farm. You can find me at ShaeRoderick across social media.