Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printable)
Moist citrus cake loaded with fresh strawberries and topped with tangy lemonade frosting. A bright summer dessert.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
09 - ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup buttermilk
12 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
→ Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
13 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - ¼ cup lemon juice
16 - 2 tablespoons strawberry purée
17 - Pinch of salt
18 - Lemon zest and sliced fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until incorporated.
04 - Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Gently fold the diced fresh strawberries into the batter using a spatula, distributing them evenly throughout.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
07 - Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and let them cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat the softened butter until creamy using an electric mixer. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, then pour in the lemon juice and strawberry purée. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add a pinch of salt to taste.
09 - Place the first cake layer on a serving plate and spread one-third of the frosting evenly across the top. Position the second layer on top, then frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with lemon zest and fresh strawberry slices if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The frosting gets its color and flavor entirely from real strawberry puree, no artificial anything needed.
- It stays incredibly moist for days thanks to the buttermilk and fresh lemon juice working together.
- You can freeze the cake layers a month ahead, making it perfect for stress free entertaining.
02 -
- Pat the diced strawberries dry with a paper towel before folding them in, excess moisture will make the cake layers dense and soggy.
- The frosting will be softer than a standard buttercream because of the lemon juice, so if your kitchen is hot, pop the frosted cake into the fridge for twenty minutes before serving.
- Do not rush the cooling step, even slightly warm cake layers will melt the frosting into a puddle.
03 -
- Use a microplane to zest your lemons, it catches only the fragrant outer layer and none of the bitter white pith underneath.
- For a naturally pinker frosting without food coloring, add an extra tablespoon of strawberry puree and reduce the lemon juice by half a tablespoon to keep the consistency right.