This elegant and simple strawberry lemon layer cake is so fresh and delicious! It has fresh and tangy lemon cake layers with a strawberries buttercream. A perfect spring/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. In the buttercream there is both fresh strawberry purée and freeze dried strawberry!
This cake tastes absolutely amazing and I hope you’ll love it too!
For more layer cake recipes, try Strawberry and Blueberry Layer Cake, Ultimate S'mores Layer Cake, and Raspberry Pistachio Layer Cake.
Jump to:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Lemon cake layers: These cake layers are so soft and full of zesty lemon flavor
- Strawberry buttercream: There is both fresh strawberry purée and 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 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.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes for a softer and more tender cupcake. Measure out the buttermilk 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.
- Strawberries: The fresh strawberries are both used as decoration and blended to a purée for extra strawberry flavor in the buttercream.
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 2 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/ 350ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 20x20 cm square pan with parchment paper.
STEP 1: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and set it aside. Mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract and set it aside.
STEP 2: In a mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and rub it together to bring out the flavor of the lemon zest. Use the paddle attachment and add the butter and vegetable oil to the sugar and mix it on high speed for 3 min.
STEP 3: Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined. Add the lemon juice and mix it in.
STEP 4: Continue by alternating between adding ⅓ of the flour mixture and ½ of the milk mixture, ending on the flour mixture. Mixing in each addition until just combined.
STEP 5: Divide the cake batter into the 2 prepared baking tins and bake them for 35-40 min or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 min, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - BUTTERCREAM AND ASSEMBLING
STEP 1: Blend a handful of strawberries into a purée. Sift the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry.
STEP 2: In your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 2 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 min more. Add the strawberry purée and mix until combined.
STEP 3: On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar/freeze dried strawberry in 3 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix it in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 min on low/medium speed.
TIP: If you want it to have a stronger pink/red color you can add a tiny bit of food paste color.
STEP 4: Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream.
STEP 5: 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 6: Add 3 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Add the other cake layer and cover the cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the freezer for 30 min, for the buttercream to set.
STEP 7: Add the remaining buttercream. Scape down the sides of the cake to get smooth sides on the cake. Cut some fresh strawberries in half and decorate on top of the cake.
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
You can buy freeze dried strawberries in supermarkets or online.
Yes, make each element the day before, so you only need to assemble it the next day. Store the cake layers in the freezer well wrapped in plastic wrap, the next day defrost them 1 hour before assembling the cake. Store the strawberry buttercream at room temperature covered by plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
I recommend using a cake tester. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
STORAGE
Store the strawberry and lemon layer 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 Layer Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
LEMON CAKE LAYERS
- 360 g all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 240 g buttermilk room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 330 g granulated sugar
- Zest of one big organic lemon or two small
- 180 g butter room temperature
- 65 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- 500 g powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder
- 200 g butter room temperature
- 3 tablespoon strawberry purée strawberry blended into a purée
- 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
DECORATION
- A pack of fresh strawberries
Instructions
LEMON CAKE LAYERS
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC conventional oven and prepare 2 x 20 cm baking pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and set it aside. Mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract and set it aside.360 g all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 240 g buttermilk, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and rub it together to bring out the flavor of the lemon zest. Use the paddle attachment and add the butter and vegetable oil to the sugar and mix it on high speed for 3 min.330 g granulated sugar, Zest of one big organic lemon or two small, 180 g butter, 65 g vegetable oil
- Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.4 eggs
- Add the lemon juice and mix it in.2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Continue by alternating between adding ⅓ of the flour mixture and ½ of the milk mixture, ending on the flour mixture. Mixing in each addition until just combined.
- Divide the cake batter into the 2 prepared 20 cm baking tins and bake them for 35-40 min or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 min, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- Blend a handfull of strawberries into a purée. Sift the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry.500 g powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder
- In your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 2 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 min more. Add the strawberry purée and mix until combined.200 g butter, 3 tablespoon strawberry purée
- On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar/freeze dried strawberry in 3 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix it in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 min on low/medium speed.2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Optional: If you want it to have a stronger pink/red color you can add a tiny bit of food paste color.
- Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream.
ASSEMBLING
- 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.
- Add 3 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the freezer for 30 min, for the buttercream to set.
- Add the remaining buttercream. Scape down the sides of the cake to get smooth sides on the cake.
- Cut some fresh strawberries in half and decorate on top of the cake.A pack of fresh strawberries
RAD
Baked this for my grandma's 90th birthday and everyone loved it. I do reduce the sugar in most recipes but that's just a personal preference. You're cakes always turn out moist and so flavorful. Thanks for sharing. ❤️