Strawberry lemonade cake combines a soft strawberry sheet cake with a fresh lemon buttercream frosting. The strawberries are cooked into a concentrated purée before being added to the batter, giving the cake berry flavor without making it wet or heavy.
This single-layer cake is baked in a 9 x 13-inch pan, so there’s no stacking or filling involved. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a spring gathering, summer cookout, or family dessert.
Strawberry Lemonade Cake Recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 12 to 15 slices
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Purée
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
For the Strawberry Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup canola oil or another neutral-flavored oil
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup cooled strawberry purée
For the Lemon Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
- Pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk, as needed
- Fresh strawberries or thin lemon slices for decoration, optional
Instructions
1. Make the Strawberry Purée
Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Pour the purée into a wide saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until it has reduced to ¾ cup.
The reduced purée should be thicker and darker than when it started. Measure it before removing it from the heat. If you have more than ¾ cup, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Transfer the purée to a shallow bowl and let it cool completely. Warm purée can affect the texture of the batter.
2. Prepare the Pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving enough paper over the sides to help lift out the cake later.
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Mix the Cake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and oil until evenly combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and ¾ cup of cooled strawberry purée.
Add the dry ingredients in two additions. Stir gently after each addition, stopping as soon as there are no visible streaks of flour. Avoid overmixing the batter.
5. Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
Bake for 35 to 42 minutes. The cake is ready when the center springs back after being lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Carefully lift it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before adding the frosting.
6. Make the Lemon Frosting
Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar gradually, mixing on low speed after each addition. Add the lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
Beat the frosting on medium speed until smooth. If it is too thick to spread, add heavy cream or milk one teaspoon at a time. For a stronger lemon flavor, use a little more lemon juice instead.
7. Frost and Serve
Spread the lemon frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake.
Decorate with fresh strawberries or thin lemon slices, if desired. Cut the cake into squares and serve.
Why the Strawberry Purée Needs to Be Reduced
Fresh strawberries contain a large amount of water. Adding unreduced purée directly to the batter can produce a heavy cake with a gummy center.
Cooking the purée removes some of that water while concentrating the strawberry flavor. Use exactly ¾ cup of cooled reduction in the batter. Adding extra purée may change the cake’s structure and baking time.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
Frozen strawberries can be used when fresh berries aren’t available. Thaw them first, including any juice released while thawing, and then blend them.
Frozen berries may take a little longer to reduce because they usually release more liquid. Continue simmering until the purée measures ¾ cup.
Tips for Making Strawberry Lemonade Cake
- Measure the reduced purée before adding it to the batter.
- Let the purée cool completely so it doesn’t warm the eggs or sour cream.
- Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with a knife. Scooping directly from the container can add too much flour.
- Mix the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear.
- Don’t frost the cake while it is warm. Even a slightly warm cake can melt the buttercream.
- Natural strawberry cake usually has a muted pink color. A pale color doesn’t mean the cake lacks strawberry flavor.
- Use only the yellow part of the lemon peel when zesting. The white layer beneath it can taste bitter.
How to Store Strawberry Lemonade Cake
Keep the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to one day.
For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to four days. Let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the cake and frosting can soften.
Individual slices can also be wrapped and frozen for up to two months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
