Description
Strawberry lemonade cake brings summer sunshine right to your dessert plate, with zesty citrus and sweet berry flavors dancing together in perfect harmony. Baking this refreshing treat means creating a memorable slice that connects family and friends around the table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layers:
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (243g) strawberry puree
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese
- 1 ½ sticks (168g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- 2 teaspoons (8g) strawberry extract
- ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- A touch of pink coloring gel
Lemon Simple Syrup:
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 7 ½ cups (863g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese
- ¼ cup (57g) lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) lemon extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
Decoration:
- 10 fresh strawberries
- Thinly sliced wedges of lemon
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans with butter, dust with flour, and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Whisk 3 cups cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl for 30 seconds.
- Combine ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup strawberry puree, and 2 teaspoons strawberry extract in a separate bowl.
- Beat 8 oz cream cheese and 1½ sticks butter in a mixer until smooth and creamy at medium speed.
- Gradually add 2 cups sugar to the butter mixture. Mix for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add 4 eggs one at a time, mixing until each yolk disappears completely. Stir in pink gel coloring if desired.
- Slowly mix dry ingredients and strawberry mixture into the batter. Start and end with flour, making 3 dry and 2 wet additions. Mix until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly across three prepared pans. Bake at 325°F for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove cakes from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Create lemon syrup by boiling ½ cup sugar and ⅓ cup water. Remove from heat, add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and zest. Let cool.
- Prepare frosting by blending 3 sticks softened butter until smooth. Gradually add 8 oz cream cheese and 7½ cups confectioners’ sugar.
- Mix in ¼ cup lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons lemon extract, and lemon zest to the frosting. Refrigerate if it becomes too soft.
- Place first cake layer on a serving plate. Brush with cooled lemon syrup.
- Spread frosting over the first layer. Arrange thinly sliced strawberries on top.
- Repeat layering process with second and third cake layers.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over entire cake. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Frost cake completely, using piping tips or a cake comb for decorative texture.
- Garnish with fresh strawberries and lemon wedges. Refrigerate until serving, then bring to room temperature.
Notes
- Check strawberry puree consistency before mixing, ensuring it’s smooth and free of large chunks for an even cake texture.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more evenly, so let eggs, butter, and cream cheese sit out 30-45 minutes before starting.
- For gluten-free adaptation, swap cake flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for better structure.
- When slicing fresh strawberries for layering, use a sharp knife and pat berries dry to prevent excess moisture from making cake layers soggy.
- Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time: 28-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 513 kcal
- Sugar: 48 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg