Summer brings an abundance of fresh fruits and berries, and there is no better way to showcase them than with this elegant white chocolate strawberry cake.
White Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Finding a good vegan white chocolate can be challenging, but once you have one that melts and tastes great, it opens up many possibilities for baking and decorating.
This cake is a showstopper—moist white chocolate layers filled with a fresh strawberry compote, finished with a white chocolate strawberry buttercream and delicate white chocolate drips.
King David vegan white chocolate is my preferred option for both melting and baking (not sponsored). If you like a luxurious finish, you can garnish white chocolate–dipped strawberries with edible gold leaf for a striking presentation, though that is purely optional.
Moist cake layers filled with strawberry compote
The cake layers are rich and slightly dense thanks to the cocoa butter in white chocolate, giving the cake a pound-cake–style texture that holds up beautifully to a chunky fruit filling and generous buttercream.
If you prefer an intense strawberry flavor in buttercream without adding extra liquid, using freeze-dried strawberry powder is a smart option. It gives concentrated flavor and vibrant color without thinning the frosting.
Although I don’t always favor white chocolate on its own because it can be very sweet, I love how it performs in recipes like this—baked into the cake, folded into a mousse, or melted for dipping and drips.
Why this cake works
The added fat from white chocolate contributes to the cake’s tender, moist crumb, making it sturdy enough for thick fillings. Combining white chocolate with a bright strawberry compote and a creamy strawberry-infused buttercream balances sweetness with fresh fruit acidity.
This project is best approached in stages. Many elements can be prepared ahead of time: the cake layers, the strawberry compote, the white chocolate drip ganache, and even the buttercream. Chilling components makes assembly faster and less stressful.
Tips for best results
– Use cake flour for the lightest texture. If you are unfamiliar with cake flour, look for resources that explain its properties and substitutes.
– For the most intense strawberry buttercream flavor, use freeze-dried strawberry powder. It adds color and concentrated flavor without extra liquid.
– The Grand Marnier in the compote and buttercream is optional; omit it if you prefer an alcohol-free recipe.
– This cake uses a reverse-creaming method—follow the mixing directions carefully for the best crumb and structure.
– Weighing dry ingredients helps avoid over-measuring flour, which can make the cake dense.
– I recommend using fresh strawberries for the compote, reserving about one cup of chopped fresh berries to stir into the cooked compote so the filling has both cooked jammy texture and fresh fruit pieces. Frozen berries can be used if preferred, but fresh gives a nicer texture for a layered cake.
About the egg replacer
I used Ener-G Egg replacer added to the dry ingredients in this recipe, but you can use any egg replacer following the package directions to replace two eggs.
Watch a full video tutorial if you prefer a step-by-step visual guide—this can be especially helpful for the assembly and drip technique.
Quick recipe notes: Reserve six of the best-looking strawberries for garnish. In addition to the white chocolate used in the cake and buttercream, you will need about 4 ounces more for dipping strawberries and shaving over the finished cake. Keep the cake refrigerated, but serve it at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
- Blueberry Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Mousse Latte
- White Chocolate Cranberry
Other white chocolate recipes you might enjoy include no-bake white chocolate blueberry cheesecake, white chocolate pumpkin mousse latte, and white chocolate cranberry cake. These feature similar flavor pairings and techniques for working with vegan white chocolate.
- For the Cake:
- Cake flour 3 cups (360g)
- Granulated sugar 1½ cups (300g)
- Baking powder 3 teaspoons (15g)
- Ener-G egg replacer 3 teaspoons (10g) or equivalent per package directions
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
- Vegan butter 9 tablespoons (126g)
- Plant milk 1 cup (237ml) – soy milk works well
- Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons (10ml)
- Vegan white chocolate 6 ounces (about 1 cup chopped, 168g)
- 1 recipe buttercream of your choice (I use a vegan American-style buttercream)
- Grand Marnier – optional, 2 tablespoons
- Vegan white chocolate 3 ounces (for buttercream)
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder ½ cup
- For the Strawberry Filling:
- 2 lbs fresh strawberries
- Sugar – optional, to taste
- Grand Marnier – optional, 2 tablespoons
- For the White Chocolate Drip:
- Vegan white chocolate 2 ounces
- Coconut oil 2 teaspoons
- For the cake:
- Melt the white chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder, egg replacer, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low to combine.
- Add the softened vegan butter and beat for about 1 minute until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and is evenly incorporated.
- Add vanilla, then slowly pour in the plant milk while mixing on low to medium speed until combined. Increase speed to medium-high for 1 minute to develop the batter.
- Stir in the melted white chocolate until evenly distributed.
- Divide batter into greased and parchment-lined cake pans (7″ pans are used here; 8″ pans work as well).
- Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and bake another 10–15 minutes, or until the centers are springy to the touch.
- Cool cake layers completely while preparing the strawberry compote.
- Reserve about 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries. Cook the remaining strawberries over medium heat, stirring often, until they break down and release their juices. Add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture seems dry to prevent scorching. Add sugar if desired to help the berries break down.
- Remove from heat, stir in the reserved fresh chopped strawberries and Grand Marnier if using. Cool completely before using as a filling.
- Prepare your chosen buttercream according to its recipe. Fold in 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional), 3 ounces melted and cooled white chocolate, and freeze-dried strawberry powder to taste.
- Make the white drip ganache by melting white chocolate with a small amount of coconut oil until smooth. Keep warm and rewarm gently if needed to reach a drippable consistency.
- Assemble the cake: layer cake, spread a portion of the strawberry compote, add buttercream between layers, and crumb-coat before finishing with a smooth outer layer of buttercream.
- Make the final drip by warming the white chocolate ganache to a pourable consistency and applying it around the cake edge so it drips decoratively down the sides. Cool to set.
- Decorate with dipped strawberries, white chocolate shavings, and edible gold leaf if desired.