This golden strawberry cake is packed with real strawberry flavor! It’s made with tender golden cake layers and frosted with delicious strawberry buttercream.

This post is sponsored by Domino® Sugar, but all opinions are my own.

What is Golden Sugar?

The secret ingredient in this cake is Domino® Golden Sugar, which is less-processed than granulated sugar. It’s used to make both the cake layers and the frosting!

Domino® Golden Sugar is made from pure cane sugar and works cup-for-cup just like white sugar. The main difference is that it has a beautiful golden color and a distinct hint of molasses flavor.

It pairs so well with the strawberries in this recipe and totally takes this cake to the next level.

How to Make This Golden Strawberry Cake

To make sure your cake turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together!

I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below.

Step 1: Bake and Level the Golden Cake Layers

The first step is to make the delicious golden cake layers.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 33-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.

Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them, then flip them into wire racks to finish cooling.

Once the cake layers have cooled to room temperature, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer.

It makes the cake so much easier to stack and assemble!!

If you’re making these in advance, you can wrap and freeze them at this point.

Step 2: Make the Strawberry Buttercream

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the strawberry buttercream.

Be sure to mix in on a low speed with a paddle attachment once it’s made to push out any excess air. This will help make the frosting silky smooth, and easier to smooth onto your cake.

This frosting can also be made in advance if needed and kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Step 3: Stack and Fill the Cake Layers

Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board. Use a dab of strawberry buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

Pipe a ring of buttercream around the perimeter of each cake layer, then spread an even layer of strawberry jam inside the ring.

Repeat with the remaining cake layers, then spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. This is called a crumb coat.

Smooth the frosting around the cake with a bench scraper, then freeze the cake for about 10 minutes in the freezer.

This will help the buttercream between the cake layers firm up and make the cake way easier to frost.

If you find your cake layers are sliding around as you try to frost the cake, you can insert a chopstick or wooden dowel into the center to keep the cake from sliding.

Step 4: Spread on a Thick, Second Layer of Frosting

Add a second, thicker layer of strawberry frosting to the cake, then use a large offset spatula to give the frosting a textured look.

I chose to add buttercream swirls piped with a large open star frosting tip and top them with little strawberry cutouts, but you can decorate your however you like!

Substitutions & Swaps

While I love this strawberry cake just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:

• Domino® Golden Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture and flavor of the cake layers and the frosting.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Cake Flour – This recipe turns out best with cake flour. If you can’t find cake flour, you can make your own makeshift cake flour using this method. You can also swap in a good gluten free flour blend (like this) if needed. Just be sure to stir the batter longer than normal to help give the cake proper structure, and let the batter sit for about 20 minutes before baking it if you opt to make a gluten free version.
• Egg whites – This recipe uses large egg whites. I like to use the type that come in a carton so that I don’t have to separate my eggs, but you can also use fresh egg whites. If you have an egg allergy you can try using a vegan egg replacer in the cake batter.
• Sour Cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat).
• Vegetable Oil – Use any flavorless oil can in this recipe. Canola, vegetable, or even sunflower oil would all work great. I don’t recommend olive oil though, as it has a strong flavor and will change the taste of the cake.

Tips for Making the Best Golden Strawberry Cake

• Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Mix the cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
• Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
• Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any big air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
• Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
• Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making This Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your strawberry frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

You can also store this frosting in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to make it nice and smooth again. This cake can last in the fridge for up to a week.

Let Me Know What You Think

If you try this golden strawberry cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating below and comment below.

Please tag me @chelsweets and @dominosugar and use #dominosugar and #chelsweets on social media so we can see your amazing creations!

You can learn more about Domino® Golden Sugar and find more great recipes that use Domino® Golden Sugar here.