Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printable)
Moist citrus cake loaded with fresh strawberries and tangy lemon frosting.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 2 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 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
09 - ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
12 - 1 cup (170 g) fresh strawberries, diced
→ Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
13 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
14 - 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted
15 - ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
16 - 2 tbsp strawberry purée (blended fresh strawberries)
17 - Pinch of salt
18 - Lemon zest and sliced strawberries for garnish (optional)
# 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 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. Blend in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
04 - Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Gently fold the diced strawberries into the batter using a spatula, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 25–30 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 cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, then mix in the lemon juice and strawberry purée. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add a pinch of salt to taste.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread approximately one-third of the frosting evenly across the top. Set the second layer on top and frost the sides and top of the cake. Garnish with lemon zest and fresh strawberry slices if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tang from fresh lemon juice cuts through the sweetness perfectly, so even folks who say they do not like sweet desserts come back for seconds.
- Those little pockets of diced strawberry burst with juice inside the crumb, making every slice a tiny surprise.
- It looks fancy enough for a birthday but comes together with nothing more than an electric mixer and two round pans.
02 -
- I once tried to frost this cake while the layers were still warm and watched the whole thing slide apart like a slow-motion disaster, so patience during cooling is truly non-negotiable.
- Tossing the diced strawberries in a tiny pinch of flour before folding them in keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking.
03 -
- The strawberry puree in the frosting is what makes it taste like strawberry lemonade rather than just lemon buttercream, so do not skip it or skimp on it.
- A pinch of salt in the frosting balances the sweetness and makes the fruit flavors pop in a way that surprises people every single time.