Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printable Version)
Moist strawberry-lemon cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, bursting with fresh berry and citrus flavors.
# 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 puree, 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
20 - Sliced fresh strawberries
21 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
22 - Edible flowers
# Directions:
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 mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until well blended.
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 to avoid developing excess gluten.
06 - Gently fold the well-drained mashed strawberries into the batter using a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops and tap the pans gently on the counter to release trapped air bubbles. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Blend in the strawberry puree, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and salt, beating 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. Garnish with sliced strawberries, lemon wheels, and edible flowers as desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The tang from fresh lemon and the sweetness of real strawberries balance each other so perfectly that even people who skip dessert will come back for a second slice.
- The cream cheese frosting gets a pink blush from actual strawberry puree, no food coloring needed, and it tastes like something you would find at a bakery that actually cares.
02 -
- Do not frost a warm cake under any circumstances because the frosting will melt into a puddle and slide right off in a heartbreaking mess.
- Draining the mashed strawberries is the step most people skip and the reason their cake sinks in the middle or turns gummy at the bottom.
03 -
- Sifting the powdered sugar for the frosting is the one step you should never skip because a single lump will smear across your beautiful cake and ruin the finish.
- Tap the filled cake pans firmly on the counter before baking to knock out hidden air pockets that cause uneven doming and cracked tops.