Olive Garden Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe [Copycat]

The Olive Garden Strawberry Cream Cake is so easy to make and it tastes just like the restaurant version! It’s a perfect dessert for any occasion.

If you’re looking for an impressive but easy dessert to make for a special occasion, look no further than this one. This cake is sure to impress your guests and leave them asking for seconds. 

It is a delicious combination of spongy cake and light, sweet homemade whip cream. All of that is topped with strawberries and served with a glass of milk or tea. The Olive Garden Strawberry Cream Cake is a great dessert for any occasion, but I love to serve it on my wedding anniversary.

This is a day where we celebrate love, and what better way to show your loved ones how much you care than by making them a delicious cake? It’ll be sure to show your loved ones how much you care.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe is fairly easy to make. I know cakes intimidate a lot of home cooks but not to worry! This cake recipe is very straightforward and quick to make. Here are all ingredients you will need. 

– Whole Milk 

– Egg Whites

– Vanilla Extract 

– Cake Flour

– Sugar

– Baking Powder

– Salt 

– Butter – best unsalted. 

For the homemade whipped cream:

– Fresh Strawberries – strawberry preserves will work as well. 

– Heavy Whipping Cream 

– Sugar

– Vanilla Extract

– Cream of tartar – this ingredient is optional. You will use it only if the whipping cream does not form stiff peaks. Sometimes this happens if your kitchen is too hot or if it is too humid where you are. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

This recipe is easy and quick to follow. Make sure all ingredients are out and measured before cooking. Also, room temperature ingredients are key. See more detailed instructions in the recipe card below. 

STEP ONE: Make The Cake Batter

Preheat the oven and prepare the cake pan by greasing a 9-inch round baking pan. Line it with parchment paper and set it aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a second mixing bowl, combine the milk and egg whites. Whisk until smooth. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth with an electric mixer with the whisk attachment on. Add the butter and continue mixing until smooth. 

STEP TWO: Bake The Cake

When the mix is smooth, scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir with the spatula so everything is well incorporated. Transfer to the pan and bake in the oven until golden brown. You will know the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. 

Take out the pan and let it cool enough to be able to transfer the cake to a cooling rack. Finish cooling it completely until it reaches room temperature. 

STEP THREE: Make The Homemade Whipped Cream

To make the whipped cream, beat the heavy whipped cream until it thickens. Add the sugar and the vanilla extract. Beat until stiff peaks are formed when you remove the mixer. Using a handheld mixer is going to give you the best results. 

Add the cream of tartar if you are not able to form the stiff peaks. Sometimes that happens for various reasons. The cream of tartar will help the mix to stiffen. Use very little at a time so the cream doesn’t turn into butter. 

STEP FOUR: Make The Strawberry Sauce

In a saucepan combine strawberries, sugar, and water. Stir to combine and bring to boil. Then simmer for about half an hour or until the strawberries start to release their juices and become soft.

STEP FOUR: Arrange The Cake

To make the entire cake, cut the cooled-off cake into two thinner pieces. Spread the whipped cream on top of one piece and add the strawberry sauce on top of it. Top with the other piece of cake and spread more of the whipped cream on top. Repeat with the strawberries. 

Optional Modification/ Toppings / Substitutes 

The recipe is pretty forgiving. If you want to make a chocolate version of it, simply add cocoa powder to the flour mix. Follow the recipe as is. You can also use a store-bought chocolate cake mix. For the whipped cream, you can use store-bought whipped cream as well.

If you do that I would recommend not adding any sugar to it as the cake is already sweet enough. With this cake, you can get creative with the toppings. You can use different kinds of fruits, chocolate shavings, or even a caramel or chocolate sauce.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! If you try it out please tag me on social media so I can see your beautiful results.

Proper Storage

This cake is pretty sturdy and can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you live in a hot climate I would recommend storing it in the fridge for up to a week. The whipped cream can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To enjoy after freezing, thaw before serving. It is best served chilled. In any case, store the cake in an air-tight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. 

Other Options/ Versions of This Recipe

As I mentioned before you can make a chocolate version of this cake simply by adding cocoa powder to the flour. You could also experiment with adding different kinds of extracts to the cake batter or the whipped cream for different flavors.

For the cake batter, you could try adding coconut extract, orange extract, lemon extract, or almond extract. For the whipped cream, you could try adding coffee extract, raspberry extract, or strawberry extract. 

If you want to make this recipe gluten-free use gluten-free flour. You can mix chickpea and almond flour for the best results. If you prefer vegan whipped cream you can use aquafaba (chickpea water) and a little extra cream of tartar. 

Other Tips & Tricks 

If your cake is too dry you can try adding some milk to the batter. To make sure your cake is cooked through use a toothpick to test it. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready. If you want a stronger strawberry flavor you can add a little strawberry extract to the whipped cream. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. 

Olive Garden Strawberry Cream Cake (Copycat)

Yield: 12 Servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

The Olive Garden Strawberry Cream Cake is so easy to make and it tastes just like the restaurant version! It's a perfect dessert for any occasion. If you're looking for an impressive but easy dessert to make for a special occasion, look no further than this one. This cake is sure to impress your guests and leave them asking for seconds. 

Print

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 Cup Whole Milk, room temperature
• 6 Large Eggwhites
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 1/4 Cups Cake Flour
• 1 1/3 Cups Sugar
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature

For the whipped cream and strawberries filling:

• 2 Cups Strawberries, cut into quarters or thin slices.
• 2 16 oz Heavy Whipping Cream Cartons
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar (optional)
• 1 Cup Chopped strawberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a cake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl combine the milk, and egg whites, and whisk until smooth and well incorporated.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat until smooth and well mixed. Add the butter and continue mixing until smooth.
4. Transfer the cake mix to the baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes. You can check the doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean you can take out the cake from the oven.
5. Let the cake cool off completely before slicing it into two pieces.
6. Meanwhile, make the cream. In a mixing bowl using a handheld mixer whisk the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks are formed.
7. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to whisk. If the soft peeks are not forming, add the cream of tartar.
8. To make the strawberry sauce combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Stir to combine and heat until the strawberries have released their juices and are soft.
9. Spread the cream between the two cake layers and spread the strawberry sauce on top of the cream. Place the second layer on top of the strawberries and repeat with the cream. Garnish with more strawberries and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 674Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 320mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 1gSugar: 50gProtein: 7g

Keren Tayler

My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms.  Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.