Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printable)
Moist, tangy cake bursting with fresh strawberry and zesty lemon flavors, 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 purée, 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
20 - Sliced fresh strawberries
21 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
22 - Edible flowers
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, then 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, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until fully combined.
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 — do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold the well-drained mashed strawberries into the batter using a spatula, taking care not to overmix.
07 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 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 cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire cooling racks and allow to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Add the strained strawberry purée, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar and pinch of salt until the frosting is light and fluffy.
10 - Once the cake layers are completely cool, spread frosting between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with sliced strawberries, lemon wheels, and edible flowers as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tang from fresh lemon and the sweetness of real strawberries balance each other so perfectly that even people who claim they do not like fruity desserts come back for seconds.
- That cream cheese frosting swirled with strawberry puree is the kind of thing you will catch yourself eating straight from the bowl with a spoon.
02 -
- If you rush the cooling step and try to frost warm layers, the cream cheese will soften into a puddle and slide right off the cake.
- Strained strawberry puree in the frosting is the discovery that changed everything for me, because whole puree leaves seeds that catch in your teeth and look speckled.
03 -
- Set out every cold ingredient the night before so butter, eggs, buttermilk, and cream cheese all reach true room temperature, which is the single biggest factor in getting a smooth batter and fluffy frosting.
- Tapping the filled cake pans firmly on the counter before baking knocks out hidden air pockets that would otherwise leave ugly tunnels through your crumb.