Description
This Strawberry Lemon Cake features moist lemon cake layers paired with a naturally flavored strawberry buttercream. With its fresh, zesty taste and soft texture, it’s a stunning and flavorful dessert perfect for spring and summer occasions.
Ingredients
- Lemon Cake Layers:
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon zest
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Large eggs, room temperature
- Sour cream, room temperature
- Vegetable oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Strawberry Buttercream:
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Powdered sugar
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
- Optional Decoration:
- Fresh strawberries
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170ºC/340ºF. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Rub sugar and lemon zest together until fragrant. Add butter and beat for 3 minutes.
- Add eggs in batches, mixing until combined. Mix in half of the dry ingredients.
- Add sour cream, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix gently, then fold in remaining dry ingredients.
- Divide batter among pans and bake for 20–23 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- For buttercream: sift powdered sugar and strawberry powder. Beat butter for 4 minutes, scrape bowl, and beat for 2 more minutes.
- Add sugar mixture in two parts with vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the cake by layering with buttercream. Apply crumb coat, chill 20 minutes, then frost completely.
- Decorate with fresh strawberries and lemon slices if desired.
Notes
- Add a layer of lemon curd between cake layers for extra tang.
- Use mascarpone whipped cream instead of buttercream for a lighter finish.
- If unavailable, reduce fresh strawberries and use the puree in the frosting.
- Buttercream can be tinted with food coloring for a more vibrant hue.
- Let the cake sit at room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
