Description
This Strawberry Lemon Layer Cake is a delightful dessert combining moist lemon-flavored cake layers with a fresh strawberry filling and creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for spring and summer celebrations, it offers a balance of tartness and sweetness that’s sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layers
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Filling
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cakes.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This combines the leavening agents evenly throughout the flour.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the unsalted butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which incorporates air for a tender cake.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, followed by the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract, blending until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Divide Batter and Bake: Equally distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before assembling.
- Prepare Strawberry Filling: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine chopped strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the frosting is fluffy.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of strawberry filling followed by a layer of cream cheese frosting. Repeat this layering with the second cake layer and finish with the third layer on top.
- Frost and Garnish: Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting. Optionally, garnish the cake with fresh strawberries and lemon slices for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Allow the strawberry filling to cool completely to prevent melting the cream cheese frosting during assembly.
- Using room temperature ingredients helps achieve a smoother batter and frosting.
- For extra lemon flavor, you can add a teaspoon of lemon extract to the cake batter or frosting.
- Store the cake refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Make sure to sift powdered sugar for a smooth frosting texture.