Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printer-friendly)
Moist, tangy cake with fresh strawberry and zesty lemon, finished with cream cheese frosting.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
07 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
08 - 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
09 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
12 - ½ cup mashed fresh strawberries (about 1 cup whole), well-drained
→ Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
13 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - ⅓ cup fresh strawberry purée, strained to remove seeds
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
17 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
18 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish (Optional)
20 - Sliced fresh strawberries
21 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
22 - Edible flowers
# How-To Guide:
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 combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 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 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.
06 - Gently fold the mashed, well-drained strawberries into the batter using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a tender crumb.
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 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert 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 purée, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar and salt until the frosting is light and fluffy.
10 - Once the cake layers are completely cool, spread frosting evenly 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 combination of fresh strawberries and bright lemon creates an incredibly moist crumb that stays soft for days
- People always ask for the recipe because the flavors are unexpected but absolutely perfect together
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable for this recipe because cold butter or eggs will ruin the texture
- Strawberries release a lot of liquid so mash and drain them thoroughly before adding to the batter
03 -
- Use the freshest strawberries you can find because they make a noticeable difference in both flavor and color
- Zest your lemons before cutting them open to juice so you do not lose any of those aromatic oils