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Home » Recipes » Layer Cakes

Strawberry Lemon Cake

Published: Feb 14, 2023 · Updated: Jul 15, 2024 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

Jump to Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
5 from 3 votes

This delicious strawberry lemon cake is bursting with flavor from fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and tons of lemon zest and lemon juice. This stunning cake is perfect for any occasion, like Valentine's Day or just a random spring or summer afternoon!

a hand lifting a slice of cake up on a metal server.

This cake is a four-layer cake, so it's definitely an impressive baking feat! Just like a tall glass of strawberry lemonade on a warm summer day, this strawberry lemon cake is sweet yet refreshing.

three grey plates with four-layer cake slices.

Each cake layer is filled with fresh strawberries and strawberry jam for a pop of sweet, fruity flavor in each bite. The cake batter is also flavored with tangy lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, to balance the sweetness with citrus.

The buttercream frosting is flavored with strawberry jam and lemon zest, so it's just as tasty as the cake!

overhead view of a decorated Strawberry Lemon Cake.

This cake is dense and moist, while the fruity and citrus flavors make it feel lighter.

For more summer dessert recipes, try homemade strawberry pie, decadent strawberry crunch cupcakes, a batch of lemon lavender scones, and vanilla cake with strawberry filling.

glass and ceramic bowls of raw ingredients to make a cake.

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • Buttermilk - make your own buttermilk at home by combining 1 tablespoon lemon juice with a scant cup of milk and letting it sit out for 10 minutes to curdle
  • Lemon juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice has a much better taste than bottled lemon juice at the store - please use fresh lemon juice if possible!
  • Lemon zest - use the smallest holes on a cheese grater or use a micro plane to zest your lemon
  • Vegetable oil - hydrates the batter, resulting in a really moist cake
  • Greek yogurt - helps create a super moist cake. Use plain Greek yogurt without any sweetener or flavorings.
  • Eggs - provide structure to the batter
  • Granulated sugar - sweetens the cake
  • Brown sugar - sweetens and moistens the cake
  • Vanilla extract - for a more intense strawberry flavor, substitute strawberry extract
  • All-purpose flour - serves as the base for the batter
  • Baking powder and Baking soda - helps the cake layers rise in the oven
  • Salt - brings out the flavors of all the other ingredients
  • Fresh strawberries - trim the green tops off and dice into small pieces
  • Strawberry jam - adds another strawberry flavor and helps loosen the cake batter

For the Frosting

  • Unsalted butter - leave the butter out overnight to soften to room temperature
  • Powdered sugar - sweetens the frosting and makes it light and airy
  • Lemon zest - enough from about one large lemon
  • Strawberry jam - adds a hint of strawberry flavor and naturally dyes the frosting a very light pink
  • Salt - brings out the flavors of all the other ingredients
a slice of Strawberry Lemon Cake on a grey plate with a silver fork.

How to Make this Strawberry Lemon Cake

Prepare and Bake the Cake Layers

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two or four 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the buttermilk, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
  3. Add in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix it all together with a large spoon or silicon spatula, just until the batter is combined and you don't see any dry flour.
  4. In a small bowl, toss the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
  5. Gently fold the flour-coated diced strawberries and the strawberry jam into the cake batter.
  6. Divide the batter evenly into your four round baking tins. Or if you don't have four tins, pour the batter in equal amounts into one or two baking tins, then divide the rest into separate bowls. Cover the bowls with plastic cling wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to bake that batter.
  7. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Let the cakes cool for five minutes in the pans, then remove them and set them on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
a glass bowl iwth a whisk and wet ingredients.
a white bowl filled with diced strawberries.
two metal cake tins filled with cake batter.
a large metal bowl filled with frosting and strawberry jam.
a metal bowl with flour inside.
a metal bowl filled with Strawberry Lemon Cake batter.
a glass bowl filled with powdered sugar.
a large metal bowl filled with strawberry lemon buttercream.

Prepare the Frosting

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand whisk, beat the softened unsalted butter for about 5 minutes, until it is soft and fluffy.
  2. Add one cup of powdered sugar and beat it on a low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Continue beating in one cup of powdered sugar at a time until it's all mixed in and the frosting is smooth, fluffy and pale yellow.
  3. Beat in the strawberry jam for about 1 minute.
a hand using a knife to spread buttercream on a layer cake.

Assemble the Cake

  1. Trim the caramelized edges off the four cake rounds. Trim the tops off the cakes so they are level.
  2. Place the first cake layer in the center of a plate or cake stand. Spread out a few large dollops of the buttercream on top of the first layer.
  3. Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream, making sure this cake layer is centered on top of the first layer. Spread out a few more large dollops of the buttercream on top of the second layer.
  4. Repeat for the third and fourth layers of the cake. Spread the remaining buttercream on the sides of the cake. Use a butter knife or a pallet knife to get the buttercream even and smooth on the top and the sides.
  5. Optional: top with fresh strawberries and sliced lemons. Enjoy!!
side view of a Strawberry Lemon Cake on a table covered in a white linen.

Recipe FAQ

How do you turn milk into buttermilk?

If you don't have buttermilk, make your own at home by combining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with a scant cup of milk. Let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature to curdle and form buttermilk! This also works with non-dairy milk.

How do I store this cake?

This strawberry lemon cake is best stored in the fridge. Cover any exposed cake slices with plastic cling wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you decorate your cake with fresh strawberries, the red color might bleed onto your buttercream. Remove decorative fruit when storing your cake in the fridge.

Can I freeze this cake?

You can freeze the baked cake layers and then thaw them and decorate the cake at a later date. Wrap each layer individually in plastic cling wrap then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months, then thaw at room temperature overnight.

Or store the whole decorated cake in the freezer wrapped tightly in plastic cling wrap then wrapped in aluminum foil. The cake will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Why did my cake sink in the middle after baking?

If your cake isn't baked all the way through, the middle won't be firm so it will fall and sink in on itself. Make sure a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake when you remove it from the oven. It's okay if the edges are a bit crunchy, we'll trim those off before decorating the cake with frosting.

More Cake and Cupcake Recipes

Layer cakes are so much fun to create and decorate! They are a crowd-pleasing favorite for any occasion, from birthdays to Mother's Day, to a random Wednesday. Here are some more layer cake recipes to try!

  • Lavender Chocolate Cake
  • Carrot Cake with Buttercream Frosting
  • Valentine's Day Fault Line Cake
  • Homemade Wedding Cake
  • Date Cake
  • Semolina Cake (Basbousa)
  • Chocolate Yule Log Cake
  • Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes
a Strawberry Lemon Cake on a grey cake stand next to sliced lemons.

Strawberry Lemon Cake

Carissa Erzen
This impressive strawberry lemon cake is a four layer cake packed with flavor from fresh strawberries, lemon juice & lemon zest. It's the perfect dessert for spring or summer!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 50 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Cool Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 slices
Calories 711 kcal

Ingredients
  

Strawberry Lemon Cake

  • 1 cup buttermilk (see below on how to make buttermilk at home)
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (use unsweetened, unflavored Greek yogurt)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (press it down into the measuring cup as you measure it)
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 whole lemon)
  • ½ cup lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)
  • 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus one extra tablespoon flour to toss with the strawberries)
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, with the green tops trimmed off and diced
  • 1 cup strawberry jam

Strawberry Lemon Frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter softened overnight to room temperature (4 sticks)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon zest (from about 1 whole lemon)
  • ¼ cup strawberry jam
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Prepare and Bake the Cake Layers

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease your 8-inch round cake pans. This recipe can make either a 4 layer cake. Grease as many cake pans as you have/need. I made a four layer cake and I have two pans, so I baked the first two layers, popped them out and let the pans cool for about 10 minutes, then I re-greased the pans and baked the second two layers.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the buttermilk, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
  • Add in the 3¾ cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
    Mix it all together with a large spoon or silicon spatula just until the batter is combined and you don't see any dry flour.
  • In a small bowl, toss the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
    This helps coat the strawberries so they don't all sink to the bottom of the cake while it's baking.
  • Gently fold the flour-coated diced strawberries and the strawberry jam into the cake batter.
  • Divide the batter evenly into your four round baking tins. Or if you don't have four tins, pour the batter in equal amounts into one or two baking tins, then divide the rest into separate bowls. Cover the bowls with plastic cling wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to bake that batter.
  • Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool for five minutes in the pans, then remove them and set them on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Prepare the Frosting

  • In a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand whisk, beat the softened butter for about 5 minutes, until it is soft and fluffy.
  • Add one cup of powdered sugar and beat it on a low speed until the sugar is incorporated.
    Continue beating in one cup of powdered sugar at a time until it's all mixed in and the frosting is smooth, fluffy and pale yellow.
  • Beat in the strawberry jam for about 1 minute.
  • If you feel like your buttercream is still too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and beat that in to help loosen your buttercream. The frosting should be stiff enough to stick on the sides of your cake without sliding down.

Assemble the Cake

  • Trim the caramelized edges off the four cake rounds. Trim the tops off the cakes so they are level.
  • Place the first cake layer in the center of a plate or cake stand. Spread out a few large dollops of the buttercream on top of the first layer.
  • Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream, making sure this cake layer is centered on top of the first layer. Spread out a few more large dollops of the buttercream on top of the second layer.
  • Repeat for the third and fourth layers of the cake.
    Spread the remaining buttercream on the sides of the cake. Use a butter knife or a pallet knife to get the buttercream even and smooth on the top and the sides.
  • Optional: if you plan to transport this cake somewhere, refrigerate the cake for at least one hour, so the buttercream has time to set and harden a bit.
  • Optional: top with fresh strawberries and sliced lemons. Enjoy!!

Notes

  • Buttermilk - To make your own buttermilk at home, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with a scant cup of milk. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to curdle into buttermilk.
  • Lemons - frozen lemons are easier to zest. And frozen then thawed lemons are easier to juice.
  • Lemon juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice by far has a much better taste than bottled lemon juice at the store.
  • Lemon zest - use the smallest holes on a cheese grater or use a micro plane to zest the lemons.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 711kcalCarbohydrates: 96gProtein: 6gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 347mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 67gVitamin A: 782IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 2mg
Keyword buttercream frosting, layer cake, strawberry lemon cake
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @humbly-homemade on social!

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About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Allison

    July 29, 2024 at 11:56 am

    5 stars
    The fresh berries in this cake really make it special, everyone loved it and asked for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Carissa Erzen

      July 30, 2024 at 2:31 pm

      Aww I'm so glad! Fresh berries really do make a big difference!

      Reply
  2. Maria

    July 23, 2024 at 4:11 am

    5 stars
    Beautiful cake! I love that it uses buttermilk and Greek yogurt, making it so moist and tasty, plus fresh strawberries instead of artificial strawberry flavoring! A huge hit with the family!

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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