My favorite summer dessert is strawberry shortcake—hands down. I love its simplicity: a light vanilla cake layered with dairy-free whipped cream and fresh strawberries. I’m not a big frosting person, so a straightforward cake topped with whipped coconut cream and ripe fruit is perfection to me. When I picture the ideal strawberry shortcake, it’s classic and elegant on a cake stand.
So Delicious is running a fun summer campaign called “Save Summer,” featuring a weekly photo challenge on Instagram. Each week has a new theme, and participants can post photos for a chance to win prizes. If you join in, be sure to tag your photos with #savemysummer for a chance to be featured. It’s the perfect seasonal activity—easy, social, and sweet.
The current theme is “build it,” so I built a three-layer gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free strawberry shortcake especially for this challenge. The cake has three layers of fluffy vanilla cake, three layers of macerated strawberries, and three layers of whipped coconut cream. Every forkful is better than the last. Don’t be intimidated by the finished cake—this recipe is straightforward to assemble and doesn’t require perfection. The point is to build something delicious and enjoy the process.
- vanilla cake
- 2 1/2 cups Sarah’s gluten free flour blend*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- whipped coconut cream
- 3 (11 oz) containers full-fat culinary coconut milk, refrigerated overnight*
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups sliced strawberries
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
- Sift together the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, water, and vinegar and stir until the mixture appears slightly curdled.
- Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract to the liquid mixture. Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until combined. Beat the batter for 1 minute to incorporate air. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert them onto racks to cool completely.
- To make the whipped coconut cream, remove the chilled coconut milk containers from the refrigerator. Open the tops and scoop out only the solidified coconut cream, leaving the coconut water behind (reserve the liquid for another use).
- Place the coconut cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high for 3–5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and whip briefly to combine.
- Assemble the cake immediately after the coconut cream is whipped. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and top with an even layer of sliced strawberries.
- Spread one third of the whipped coconut cream over the strawberries. Add the second cake layer, repeat with another even layer of strawberries and one third of the cream.
- Top with the final cake layer, arrange the remaining strawberries, and spread the remaining whipped coconut cream evenly over the top. Garnish with a few whole strawberries if desired.
- Serve the cake immediately or chill briefly in the refrigerator. Best enjoyed the same day.