Strawberry Lemon Layer Cake

Well, I can’t think of a more fitting cake to celebrate May & all the beautiful the flowers in bloom! This cake features layers of lemon cake with a fresh strawberry filling & strawberry buttercream. Even the buttercream features fresh strawberries, which give it that beautiful natural pink hue!

I decorated the cake with a classic buttercream swirl & gum paste daisies that I made myself using pastry cutters, but you can simply use store-bought sugar flowers or vibrant fresh flowers.

A few tips when assembling the cake to achieve the best results! Freeze the cake layers before assembling so they are firm when handling. I find it much easier to frost with frozen cakes over delicate freshly baked cakes.

Secondly, use a cake decorating turntable to create a perfectly swirled buttercream finish. A turntable is a game changer when it comes to decorating cakes!

Lastly, baking the cakes on a lower heat (I suggest 325(f) degrees in the directions) ensures the cakes bake more evenly & flatter. This means you don’t have to trim or level any cakes before frosting. I hope these tips help you create endless cakes this season!

Strawberry Lemon Layer Cake

Ingredients

For the lemon cake:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 cup whole milk

For for the strawberry puree:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, stemmed & hulled
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 tablespoons + 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the strawberry buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, or to taste
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons strawberry puree
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions

For the lemon cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325(f) degrees. Grease, flour & line three 8-inch round cake pans.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter & sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the oil, vanilla & lemon juice.
3. Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt & lemon zest. Turn the mixture onto low speed & slowly add the milk until the batter comes together.
4. Evenly divide amongst the prepared cake pans & smooth to flatten. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before assembling.

For the strawberry filling:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice & 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until combined & continue cooking until the strawberries begin to break down, about 10 minutes.
2. In a separate small mixing bowl whisk together the remaining water & cornstarch. Add to pan & bring mixture to a boil until it thickens.
3. Remove from heat & smash with a fork to break up any remaining strawberries. Set aside to cool before assembling.

For the strawberry buttercream:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter & powdered sugar until fluffy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the salt, vanilla, strawberry filling & whipping cream. Beat until incorporated.

To assemble:

1. Start with a layer of cake followed by a thin layer of butter cream. Use the buttercream to create a raised edge to hold the filling. Add 1/2 the filling & top with a second layer of cake. Repeat.
2. Top with final layer of cake & press down to flatten. Frost exterior & use an offset spatula to create the swirl. Top with fresh flowers or gumpaste flowers. Enjoy!