Strawberry Lemon Cake

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This elegant and simple Strawberry Lemon Cake is so fresh and delicious! It has delicious layers of moist and fresh lemon cake layered together with smooth strawberry buttercream. A perfect spring and summer cake.

This strawberry lemon layer cake is full of zesty lemon flavor with moist lemon cake layers. It is paired with a strawberry buttercream to perfectly balance the tangy flavors of the lemon. This cake tastes absolutely amazing and is perfect for a party or birthdays!

For more layer cake recipes, try Strawberry and Blueberry Layer Cake, Ultimate S'mores Layer Cake, and Raspberry Pistachio Layer Cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Lemon cake layers: These cake layers are so soft and full of zesty lemon flavor
• Strawberry buttercream: There is freeze dried strawberry in this buttercream for maximum strawberry flavor.
• Fresh flavors: This cake is full of fresh flavors with the zesty lemon and fresh strawberry.
• Showstopper layer cake: The layer cake is a showstoppers and are perfect for a party or birthday.

INGREDIENT NOTES

These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon and lemon zest gives a bright and fresh flavor to the cake.
• Butter: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• Eggs: Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• All-purpose flour: I always use an all-purpose flour that has 10-11% protein. The lower the protein in the flour, the less gluten gets produced, which makes for a soft and tender cupcake.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream makes for a softer and more tender cake. Measure out the sour cream and let it come to room temperature 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• Freeze dried strawberry powder: To give max amount of strawberry flavor and give it as natural red color I added freeze dried strawberry powder.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CAKE LAYERS

Here is how make and bake this strawberry lemon layer cake. This recipe needs stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need 3 x 20 cm baking pan lined with baking paper.

The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.

Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 3 x 20 cm baking pan lined with baking paper.

STEP 1: Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and set it aside.

STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Then add the butter and mix it together on high speed for 3 minutes.

STEP 3: Add the eggs two at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined. Continue by adding half the dry ingredients, on low speed, mixing until just combined. 

STEP 4: Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

STEP 5: Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - BUTTERCREAM AND ASSEMBLING

STEP 1: Sift the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder and set it aside. Mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.

STEP 2: Add the powdered sugar/freeze dried raspberry powder, vanilla extra and milk in 2 parts. Whipping until each addition is fully incorporated.

STEP 3: Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.

STEP 4: Add 2 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and repeat the process. Add the last cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the frosting, using the offset spatula. 

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams as it is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
• Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula, after everything has mixed together, and give it one final gently fold together, to make sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
• Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attracts less heat which means they bake more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a e.g. a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat, which will then give a darker crust, that results in a dryer cake.

FAQ

STORAGE

Store the strawberry lemon cake in the fridge in an airtight container. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a few days.

Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try

Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.

Strawberry Lemon Cake

This elegant and simple Strawberry Lemon Cake is so fresh and delicious! It has delicious layers of moist and fresh lemon cake layered together with smooth strawberry buttercream. A perfect spring and summer cake.

4.95 fra 17 stemmer

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Calories 883 kcal

Equipment

• 3x 20 cm baking pan

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

LEMON CAKE LAYERS

• 340 g all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 300 g granulated sugar
• Zest of one large organic lemon or two small
• 180 g butter room temperature
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 240 g sour cream room temperature
• 60 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

• 400 g butter room temperature
• 660 g powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoon whole milk room temperature

DECORATION

• Fresh strawberries
• Lemon slices

Instructions

 

LEMON CAKE LAYERS

• Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and prepare a 3 x20 cm/8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside.
  340 g all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
• In a large mixing bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Then add the butter and mix it together on high speed for 3 minutes.
  180 g butter, 300 g granulated sugar, Zest of one large organic lemon or two small
• Add the eggs two at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined on low speed.
  4 large eggs
• Continue by adding half the dry ingredients, on low speed, mixing until just combined.
• Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  240 g sour cream, 60 g vegetable oil, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a gentle fold to make sure all of the ingredients have combined.
• Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. They will stay light and won’t brown. 
• Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

• Sift the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder and set it aside.
  660 g powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder
• Mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
  400 g butter
• Add the powdered sugar/freeze dried strawberry powder, vanilla extra and milk in 2 parts. Whipping until each addition is fully incorporated. You can optionally add a tiny bit of red food color if you want the color to be brighter.
  2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-3 tablespoon whole milk
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the buttercream a final mix for 2 minutes at low speed.

ASSEMBLING

• Place the first cake layer on your serving dish on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
• Add 2 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and repeat the process. Add the last cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat.
• Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes to set. Then add the remaining buttercream, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the frosting, using the offset spatula.
• Decorate with fresh strawberries and lemon slices.
  Fresh strawberries, Lemon slices

Notes

This recipe was updated on 5. April changing out the buttermilk for sour cream and making it 3 layers instead of 2 layers.

Nutrition

Calories: 883kcalCarbohydrates: 106gProtein: 6gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 29gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 581mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 1gSugar: 81gVitamin A: 1416IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg

Keyword layer cake, lemon, strawberry

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