Save Pin
This eye-catching strawberry lemonade layer cake mixes zesty citrus with ripe, sweet strawberries for a treat that captures summer vibes in every mouthful. Light lemon-infused cake slices sit between fresh strawberry filling and creamy lemon mascarpone mixture, all covered in velvety strawberry frosting and topped with a shiny lemon glaze.
I originally baked this cake for my daughter's birthday in spring, and everyone loved the strawberry-lemon mix so much that my family now asks for it at nearly every get-together. The lovely pink and yellow always gets everyone smiling.
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- Unsalted butter: Makes the cake layers rich and soft
- Powdered sugar: Gives a smoother texture than regular sugar
- Room temperature eggs: Help trap more bubbles for a fluffier cake
- Vanilla extract: Boosts flavor without taking over
- All-purpose flour: Builds the cake's foundation while cornstarch keeps it light
- Baking powder and baking soda: Team up for the best lift
- Salt: Cuts through sweetness and lifts all flavors
- Buttermilk: Keeps everything moist with a slight tang
- Fresh lemon juice and zest: Pack bright citrus punch throughout
Strawberry Filling
- Homemade strawberry compote: Adds rich berry flavor and beautiful color
Strawberry Swiss Buttercream
- Silky smooth buttercream: Packed with real strawberry taste
Lemon Mascarpone Chantilly
- Rich and creamy filling: Featuring subtle lemon hints
Lemon Drizzle
- White chocolate: Forms a creamy foundation for the topping
- Heavy cream: Makes the chocolate flow just right
- Lemon curd: Brings flavor and bright yellow look with added food coloring
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Batter:
- Start by heating your oven to 165°C and putting parchment in three 6-inch cake tins. Mix all dry stuff together so there aren't any clumps. In your mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar and lemon zest until it looks fluffy and pale, about 3-4 minutes on medium. The mix should look bigger and lighter. Add eggs one by one, making sure each one mixes in fully before adding another. Take your time here to stop the mix from splitting. Switch between adding flour mix and buttermilk mix, starting and ending with flour, and mix just enough after each addition. Your final batter should look smooth but don't mix too much.
- Bake the Cake Layers:
- Split the batter evenly into your pans, using a scale if you have one. Each pan should get about the same amount so they bake evenly. Bake in your hot oven for around 30 minutes, but check after 25. Cakes are done when they're golden on top, pulling away from the pan sides a bit, and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out mostly clean with a few moist bits. Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before putting them on a wire rack to cool all the way.
- Prepare the Fillings:
- Cook your strawberry compote by slowly heating fresh or frozen strawberries with sugar until it's thick like jam. Make sure it's totally cool before using it or it'll melt your frosting. Make your strawberry Swiss buttercream following your recipe until it's smooth enough to pipe. Mix the lemon mascarpone chantilly until it forms soft peaks but don't whip it too much or it'll get grainy.
- Assemble the Cake:
- Cut each cake layer flat if needed using a bread knife. Put the first layer on your cake board or plate. Pipe a ring of strawberry buttercream around the edge to make a wall. Inside the wall, put spoonfuls of strawberry compote and lemon mascarpone chantilly, taking turns, and spread them gently to make an even layer. Put the second cake on top and do the same filling again. Add the last cake layer, then spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake. Chill for at least 2 hours or 30 minutes in the freezer until the buttercream feels firm.
- Create the Lemon Drip:
- Make a double boiler with simmering water and melt white chocolate with heavy cream in the top bowl. Keep stirring until it's completely smooth. Take it off the heat and mix in the lemon curd and a tiny bit of yellow food coloring to make it sunny. Let the mix cool to exactly 30°C before putting it on the cake so it drips just right. Too hot and it'll run too fast, too cold and it won't drip nicely.
- Finish and Decorate:
- Take the cold cake from the fridge and pour the lemon drip on top, using a flat knife to gently push it over the edges to make pretty drips. Work fast but carefully. Put the cake back in the fridge for 15 minutes to set the drip. Put leftover buttercream in a piping bag with your favorite tip and pipe swirls on top. Add thin lemon slices or fresh strawberries for decoration. Let the finished cake sit out for 20-30 minutes before serving so it tastes and feels best.
Save Pin
You Must Know
Strawberries and lemons are close to my heart as the first flavors I really got right together. This cake takes me back to afternoons in my grandma's kitchen, where she showed me how to tweak tastes until they worked perfectly. I still get excited every time I watch that lemon drip flow down the sides of the cake.
Save Pin
Common Questions
- → How can I make sure my cake layers are flat?
Pour equal amounts of batter into each tin and cut off any rounded tops with a knife or wire after baking.
- → Can I swap out the buttermilk in this recipe?
You can mix regular milk with a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar as a quick buttermilk stand-in that works just fine.
- → How do I stop the filling from oozing out?
Make a wall of frosting around the edge of each layer before adding your filling. This works like a dam to keep everything in place.
- → What's the best way to keep this cake fresh?
Keep it in your fridge for up to 4 days, or wrap it well and freeze it for up to 3 months if you need it to last longer.
- → What's the trick to a perfect lemon glaze?
Get the cake nice and cold first. Then slowly pour your glaze from the middle and let it run down the sides on its own.
- → Is it okay to use ready-made fillings and frostings?
Sure, grabbing stuff from the store works when you're in a hurry, but making it yourself will give you much better taste and freshness.