Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printable)
Moist tangy cake with fresh strawberries and zesty lemon, topped with cream cheese frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
07 - ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
08 - 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
09 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
11 - ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
12 - ½ cup (120 ml) mashed fresh strawberries (about 1 cup whole), well-drained
→ Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
13 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
14 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
15 - ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh strawberry puree, strained to remove seeds
16 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
17 - 2 tsp lemon zest
18 - 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
19 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish (Optional)
20 - Sliced fresh strawberries
21 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
22 - Edible flowers
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until fully incorporated.
05 - Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
06 - Gently fold the well-drained mashed strawberries into the batter using a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops and tap the pans gently on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Add the strained strawberry puree, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable.
10 - Once the cake layers are completely cool, spread an even layer of frosting between the two layers, then cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, lemon wheels, and edible flowers as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tang from fresh lemon juice cuts through the sweetness perfectly so even people who say they do not like dessert come back for seconds.
- Those ruby streaks of real strawberry running through each slice look stunning without any fancy decorating skills required.
02 -
- Draining the mashed strawberries thoroughly is the single step that determines whether your cake sinks in the middle or stands proud.
- Frosting a warm cake will cause it to melt and slide right off so patience here saves you from a delicious but tragic mess.
03 -
- The cake layers actually taste better on day two when the lemon and strawberry flavors have had time to mingle and deepen throughout the crumb.
- Putting the frosted cake in the fridge for fifteen minutes before slicing gives you clean beautiful edges that photograph beautifully.