Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Print View)
Moist citrus cake loaded with fresh strawberries and topped with tangy lemonade frosting.
# Ingredient List:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
09 - ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp 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 tbsp strawberry purée (blend fresh strawberries)
17 - Pinch of salt
18 - Lemon zest and sliced strawberries for garnish (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. 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 creamed butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Gently fold the diced fresh strawberries into the batter using a spatula, taking care not to crush the pieces.
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 the 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 roughly a 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 strawberry lemonade flavor combo tastes like summer in every single bite and people always ask for the recipe.
- It looks impressive but the steps are surprisingly straightforward once you get the rhythm down.
02 -
- Patting the diced strawberries completely dry before folding them in prevents soggy pockets and uneven baking.
- Room temperature buttermilk and eggs blend much more smoothly than cold ones and give you a lighter crumb.
03 -
- Sifting the powdered sugar for the frosting is not optional because even tiny lumps will show up and ruin the smooth texture.
- Cooling the cake layers completely before frosting is the single most important step because warm cake will melt the frosting into a puddle.