Strawberry Lemonade Cake

If spring and summer had a signature dessert, strawberry lemonade cake would be it. This cheery layer cake starts with a rich butter batter scented with lemon zest and juice for an unmistakable citrus pop. Each layer is stacked high and swirled with a strawberry cream cheese frosting that incorporates fresh strawberries for a natural fruit flavor and hue (but it’s OK to add a few drops of red food coloring to really give it that pretty-in-pink look). With the lemon and the berries, it’s genuinely like sipping a strawberry lemonade with every bite. Make this vibrant, fruity cake for any Easter celebration, spring brunch, birthday party or summer get-together.

Ingredients for Strawberry Lemonade Cake

• Butter: Unsalted, softened butter is a classic start to this type of recipe. It’s used both in the cake layers and the buttercream frosting.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar adds balanced sweetness to this strawberry and lemonade cake and helps develop a tender texture.
• Eggs: You’ll use whole eggs and extra yolks in this cake batter. The whites help the cake rise, and the extra yolks add color, flavor and tenderness. Bake with room-temperature eggs for the best results.
• Lemon zest and juice: Choose bright yellow lemons that aren’t too stiff. You’ll need the juice for the batter and lemon zest for the frosting.
• Sour cream: Sour cream adds moisture and enhances the texture of this cake.
• Milk: Whole milk adds moisture to the cake batter. If you don’t have whole milk, use 2%.
• All-purpose flour: Flour provides structure in baked good recipes like this one.
• Salt: Just a touch of salt helps balance the sweetness in this cake.
• Leaveners: Both baking powder and baking soda are essential for the cake’s rise and fluffy texture.
• Cream cheese: You’ll want softened cream cheese for the smoothest frosting. Leave it out at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Add sweetness and thicken the structure of the frosting with confectioners’ sugar.
• Crushed strawberries: Crushed strawberries give the frosting its flavor and light pink hue. Incorporate about eight medium crushed berries.
• Red food coloring: A few drops of red food coloring will make the light pink hue pop, but it’s optional.
• Sprinkles: Finish the top of this cake with a beautiful decoration. A simple addition of pink and yellow sprinkles will go a long way.

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep the pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two greased 9-inch round baking pans with parchment. Grease the parchment.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon zest and juice.

Editor’s Tip: Creaming butter and sugar is essential to achieve the best texture. Allow it to cream for at least five minutes. It should look fluffy and pale when ready.

Step 3: Finish the cake batter

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and milk. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, alternating with the sour cream mixture.

Step 4: Bake the cakes

Transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 24 to 28 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks. Remove the parchment and allow the cakes to cool.

Step 5: Make the frosting

For the frosting, in a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and lemon zest until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, crushed strawberries and red food coloring, if desired. Add additional confectioners’ sugar if needed to reach the desired consistency. If necessary, refrigerate until spreadable, up to one hour.

Step 6: Assemble the layer cake

Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with 1 cup of frosting. Repeat layers twice. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Top with sprinkles.

Strawberry Lemonade Cake Variations

• Use another frosting: Instead of a cream cheese frosting, make this strawberry buttercream frosting. This will allow you to leave your strawberry lemonade cake out at room temperature longer.
• Make it berry-licious: Spoon strawberry compote over the top of the frosted cake for even more berry flavor. Or, add a thin layer of strawberry preserves in between the cake layers.
• Top with lemon curd: Add a lemon curd filling for a citrus boost.
• Incorporate coconut: Coconut pairs well with both strawberry and lemon flavors. Stir 1 cup of shredded coconut into the batter before baking or garnish the top of your cake with toasted coconut.

How to Store Strawberry Lemonade Cake

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store this recipe for strawberry lemonade cake in the refrigerator covered, wrapped or in an airtight container. It will last up to one week, but the texture will be best up to five days.

Can you make this strawberry lemonade cake recipe ahead of time?

You can make the strawberry lemonade cake layers ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Cool the cakes, wrap them individually and store them in a zip-top bag. They’ll last in the fridge for up to seven days and in the freezer for up to two months. If freezing cake layers, thaw them in the refrigerator before assembling. It’s best to avoid making the frosting ahead of time because of the fresh strawberries in the mixture. Save that step for the day you plan to serve your cake to avoid a watery frosting.

Strawberry Lemonade Cake Tips

Can you make this strawberry lemonade cake recipe in a different pan size?

You can make this strawberry and lemonade cake in a 13×9-inch cake pan or as 24 cupcakes. You’ll need to adjust the baking time for both; the cupcakes may take less time, closer to 20 minutes.

How do you get a clean slice of cake?

To cut a round cake, use a serrated knife to make the process easier. Chill the cake before you cut it, then run the knife under warm water and wipe it dry between each slice.

What if the frosting for my strawberry lemonade cake is runny?

With fresh strawberries in the frosting, the consistency may be a bit runny, depending on the berries’ moisture content. If the frosting seems too runny, chill it in the refrigerator to help it set. Alternatively, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar to help thicken it. If adding more confectioners’ sugar makes the frosting a bit too sweet, help offset it with additional lemon zest.

How should you decorate a strawberry lemonade cake?

Sprinkles make an easy garnish for a strawberry lemonade cake, but you can do other flourishes for decoration. Frost the cake the easy way: Do a crumb coat, then frost with a swirl pattern. You can also add a border on this cake with a piping tip and piping bag for a more intricate design. Want more fruit? Top the cake with candied lemon slices and additional whole strawberries.

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