This Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake is truly the stuff of sweet summer dreams: ultra-soft layers perfumed with bright lemon and swirled with real strawberry puree, all hugging a tangy, berry-kissed buttercream that melts right into every bite. If you’re looking for A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe that turns heads at birthdays, barbecues, or just because Tuesday deserves a slice of sunshine, you’ve found your new favorite. Let’s get baking!
Ingredients You’ll Need
A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe like this strawberry lemonade layer cake proves that a handful of simple, familiar ingredients can create something magical when combined just right. Each one plays its part—lending lift, moisture, zing, and vibrant color to every forkful.
- All-purpose flour: The base for a soft, tender crumb that stands up to luscious frosting.
- Baking powder and baking soda: These leaveners work together to ensure your cake rises high and fluffy.
- Salt: Just a touch to balance the sweetness and deepen the flavors.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Adds richness and a creamy texture to both cake and frosting.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake while helping lock in moisture.
- Large eggs: Bind the ingredients and add essential structure.
- Lemon zest: Packs a punch of citrusy aroma—use a microplane for best results!
- Fresh lemon juice: Infuses bright tartness into both cake and frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the fruity flavors with smooth, floral undertones.
- Buttermilk: Keeps the crumb delicate, moist, and just a bit tangy.
- Pureed fresh strawberries: Blends seamlessly for bursts of real fruit in both batter and frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Gives the frosting its cloud-like sweetness and consistency.
- Pinch of salt (for frosting): Really makes the fruit flavors pop!
How to Make A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Cake Pans
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). For a flawless release (and perfectly even layers), grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. This little bit of prep pays off big time—no stuck cakes and easy assembly later!
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures all your leaveners are evenly distributed, so each bite is tender and light—a must for A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe like this.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
Using a large mixing bowl and a hand or stand mixer, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and looks almost cloudlike. This step creates air pockets that guarantee a soft, lofty cake crumb.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Flavorings
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each so your batter stays smooth. Fold in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract—the scents will transport your kitchen straight into summer!
Step 5: Alternate Flour Mixture and Buttermilk
Next, alternate adding your prepared flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with flour. Take your time and mix until just combined. This gentle approach keeps your cake tender, not tough.
Step 6: Swirl in the Strawberry Puree
Gently fold in the strawberry puree with a spatula. Avoid over-mixing so you keep little streaks and pockets of real strawberry throughout the batter—such a pretty, tasty touch in A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe.
Step 7: Divide and Bake
Evenly divide your cake batter between the prepared pans and smooth out the tops. Bake for 22–25 minutes, checking with a toothpick for doneness—the pick should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Step 8: Cool Completely
Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edge, and carefully transfer each layer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Patience is key—a cooled cake is much easier to frost.
Step 9: Mix the Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
Beat softened butter until creamy, then slowly add powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, strawberry puree, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth, fluffy, and beautifully pink. Spoon-licking is mandatory at this stage!
Step 10: Assemble and Frost
Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting over the top. Repeat with the next two layers, frosting the sides and top of the cake last. For crisp, beautiful layers, chill for 30 minutes before slicing.
How to Serve A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe
Garnishes
Nothing says summer like a cascade of fresh strawberries and sunny lemon slices scattered over the top! You can even add a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberry powder or edible flowers to make your A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe as beautiful as it is delicious.
Side Dishes
This cake pairs fabulously with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a simple fruit salad (think watermelon, blueberries, and mint) for a full-on summery spread. A tall glass of strawberry lemonade on the side really seals the deal.
Creative Ways to Present
If you’re looking to wow your guests, try cutting the cake into generous squares and serving on individual plates topped with a swirl of whipped cream and a lemon twist. Or, go rustic: serve directly from the cake stand with serving forks and a big pitcher of lemonade for that timeless backyard charm.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
To keep your cake fresh and moist, cover leftover slices tightly and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors actually deepen after a day!
Freezing
For longer storage, wrap individual cake slices (or even unfrosted layers) in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The frosting holds up beautifully even after freezing, so no worries there.
Reheating
While you rarely need to reheat this cake, a quick zap in the microwave (about 10–15 seconds per slice) softens cold cake and brings out the flavors, making it taste just-baked again—especially handy if you’ve made your A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe in advance.
FAQs
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and store them, tightly wrapped, at room temperature. Assemble and frost the day you plan to serve for best texture and freshness.
What’s the secret to a moist strawberry lemonade cake?
Use buttermilk and don’t overmix the batter; these steps keep the crumb delicate and prevent dryness. Also, make sure your butter is softened but not melted before creaming with sugar—it makes a world of difference!
Can I use frozen strawberries in this A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe?
Yes! Just thaw them completely and drain off excess liquid before pureeing. You can also use freeze-dried strawberries ground into powder for an even more concentrated flavor in the frosting.
How do I get those perfectly even cake layers?
Weighing or measuring your batter into each pan ensures equal layers. If the tops dome a bit during baking, simply trim them flat with a serrated knife before assembling for a pro-worthy finish.
Is there a dairy-free version of this recipe?
You can substitute dairy-free butter and a plant-based milk with a splash of lemon juice (to mimic buttermilk) in both cake and frosting. The results are still light, tender, and bursting with summer flavor!
Final Thoughts
This cake is pure sunshine—one forkful is all it takes to see why friends and family beg for it every summer. If you’re searching for A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe that’s as stunning as it is satisfying, I can’t recommend this one enough. Give it a try, and let your next celebration be the tastiest one yet!
Print
A Refreshing Summer Dessert Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes (plus cooling time)
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the delightful flavors of summer with this Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake. It’s a refreshing and fruity dessert that is perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup pureed fresh strawberries
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons pureed strawberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Cake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Gently fold in the strawberry puree until just combined.
- Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 22–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting: For the frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in lemon juice, lemon zest, strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and fluffy.
- Assemble the Cake: Once cakes are completely cool, frost between the layers, then frost the top and sides. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean layers.
Notes
- For a deeper strawberry flavor, use freeze-dried strawberries ground into powder in the frosting.
- You can substitute sour cream for buttermilk if needed.
- Decorate with fresh strawberries and lemon slices for a pretty presentation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
