Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake (Printable)
Fluffy strawberry-lemon layers with tangy buttercream frosting, ideal for summer celebrations and sunny afternoons.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Strawberry Lemon Cake
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tbsp lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
09 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
10 - ½ cup milk, room temperature
11 - ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
12 - ⅔ cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Optional: pink or red food coloring
→ For the Creamy Lemon Buttercream
15 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
16 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 2 tbsp lemon zest
18 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
19 - 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
20 - ¼ tsp salt
→ For Decoration
21 - Fresh strawberries, halved
22 - Lemon slices or zest curls
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, lining bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate measuring cup, whisk together lemon juice, milk, and sour cream.
06 - With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and lemon-milk mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold in chopped strawberries. Add food coloring if desired for a pink hue.
08 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
10 - Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and 2 tbsp cream. Beat until fluffy, 3-5 minutes, adding more cream if needed for desired consistency.
11 - Once cakes are completely cool, level tops if needed. Spread a layer of buttercream between the cakes, then frost the top and sides.
12 - Decorate with fresh strawberries and lemon slices or zest curls.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The buttercream is shockingly good straight off the spatula
- Strawberries stay tender inside without making the cake soggy
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable for this recipe
- Sifting powdered sugar seems tedious but prevents gritty frosting
03 -
- Chill your cake layers for 30 minutes before frosting to reduce crumbs
- Add a tablespoon of strawberry jam between layers for extra fruit flavor