Description
A delicious and refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Cake with layers of strawberry-flavored cake, lemon cream cheese frosting, and decorations of fresh strawberries and lemon slices.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ sticks (168g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- 1 cup (243g) strawberry puree
- 2 teaspoons (8g) strawberry extract
- ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil
- A touch of pink coloring gel (optional)
- ½ cup sugar (for lemon syrup)
- ⅓ cup water (for lemon syrup)
- Juice (3 tablespoons) and zest of 1 lemon (for lemon syrup)
- 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened (for frosting)
- ¼ cup (57g) lemon juice (for frosting)
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) lemon extract (for frosting)
- Zest of 1 lemon (for frosting)
- 7 ½ cups (863g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted (for frosting)
- Approximately 10 fresh strawberries (for decoration)
- Thinly sliced wedges of lemon (for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix oil, strawberry puree, and strawberry extract. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing until yolks disappear. Optionally, mix in pink coloring gel.
- With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and strawberry mixture (beginning and ending with flour, in 3 dry and 2 wet additions). Mix until combined and smooth.
- Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in pans before transferring to a wire rack.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. Lower heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and zest, and let cool.
- In a mixer, blend butter until smooth. Gradually add cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Mix in lemon juice, extract, and zest. Refrigerate if frosting softens.
- Place the first cake layer on a plate. Optionally brush with lemon syrup. Spread lemon frosting on top and layer with thinly sliced strawberries. Repeat with the second and final layers.
- Frost the entire cake with a crumb coat and chill for 10-15 minutes before final frosting.
- Decorate cake with frosting using a cake comb or piping tips. Add fresh strawberries and lemon wedges for garnish. Refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- For best flavor, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting.
- For a deeper strawberry flavor, use fresh strawberries for the puree.
- This cake can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 90mg