Strawberry Lemonade Cake (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Lemon Cake
01 -
Super soft unsalted butter, 150 g
02 -
280 g powdered sugar
03 -
3 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
04 -
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
05 -
260 g plain flour
06 -
10 g cornstarch
07 -
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 -
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 -
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
10 -
210 ml buttermilk
11 -
Juice and grated skin from half a lemon
→ Strawberry Filling
12 -
A layer or two of homemade strawberry jam, use as much as you want
→ Strawberry Swiss Buttercream
13 -
All the Strawberry Swiss Buttercream you’ve prepped
→ Lemon Mascarpone Chantilly
14 -
As much whipped Lemon Mascarpone Chantilly as you can make
→ Lemon Drizzle
15 -
A drop or more of yellow food coloring
16 -
2 teaspoons lemon curd
17 -
50 g white chocolate
18 -
50 g heavy cream
# How to Make It:
01 -
Start the white chocolate and cream melting gently over simmering water—use a heatproof bowl. Drop in the lemon curd and coloring. Wait till it's cooled down to 30°C (86°F). Pour on the cold cake, let it drip around those sides. Decorate the top any way you want with leftover buttercream or a few lemon slices. Set the finished cake out for about half an hour so it’s nice and soft for serving.
02 -
Once your sponge layers are cool, trim the tops if they're uneven. Set down a layer on your turntable. Squeeze out a border of strawberry buttercream. Spoon mascarpone cream and then some compote in the middle. Keep going—layer, buttercream ring, fillings, till you stack them all up. Slap a thin coat of buttercream all over (that’s a crumb coat). Chill for two hours or stick it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
03 -
Grab your Lemon Mascarpone Chantilly and whisk it up till fluffy. Bought it or made it, both work.
04 -
Prepare your Strawberry Swiss Buttercream so it’s spreadable. However you like doing it, just get it ready.
05 -
Whip together your favorite strawberry compote and let it get totally cold before using for the cake.
06 -
Evenly divide the finished cake mix into your pans. Pop them in the oven for around 30 minutes. They're done once golden and a poked skewer in the middle comes out clean. Let cakes sit for a few, turn out onto a rack, and let them cool down all the way.
07 -
Fire up your oven to 165°C (325°F) and grab three 15 cm (6-inch) baking pans—line with parchment. In one bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another, beat the butter with powdered sugar and lemon zest so it looks creamy and pale. Add eggs and vanilla and mix till smooth. Pour in the buttermilk and lemon juice bit by bit, stirring everything together until you can’t see any lumps.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
Leftovers keep in your fridge for about 4 days. You can freeze slices for up to 3 months and they'll still taste great.
02 -
Hold off on frosting or stacking until your cakes are totally cool—unless you want a melty mess.
03 -
Pipe a buttercream border so you don't have jam or cream leaks between cake layers.
04 -
Chill your cake first before pouring the lemon drizzle; it'll set up thick and pretty.