If you're looking for the perfect cake for a summertime celebration, this strawberry-lemonade cake is the one. Made with tender lemon cake layers spread with a tangy strawberry-lemonade jam, the cake is frosted with a dreamy strawberry frosting made with fresh berries and a drop of pink food coloring.
You can assemble this beautiful cake up to two days ahead and store at room temperature. Also, you can freeze cooled layers up to a month in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
![Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake sliced and ready to serve](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/BQ6acT_angm6IpM5UTZ8EwJUWC8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Strawberry_Lemonade_Cake_089-fb24671787db43f8ba6e231466639283.jpg)
Ingredients
Cake:
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened
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4 large eggs, separated
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2 cups granulated sugar
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3 cups cake flour
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1 Tbsp. baking powder
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1/8 tsp. table salt
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1 cup milk
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1 Tbsp. lemon zest
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1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
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Shortening (to grease the pan)
Strawberry-Lemonade Jam:
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2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh strawberries
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3/4 cup granulated sugar
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1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
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3 Tbsp. cornstarch
Strawberry Frosting:
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1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
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2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
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2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
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1 drop pink food coloring gel (optional)
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1 1/2 cups heavy cream
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3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions
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Prepare oven:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Assemble your ingredients.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Make cake batter:
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Stir together flour and next 2 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in zest and juice.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Whip egg whites, and add to cake:
Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into 4 greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Bake cake layers:
Bake at 350°F for 16 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Make Strawberry-Lemonade Jam Filling:
Process strawberries in a blender until smooth. Press through a wire-mesh strainer into a 3-qt. saucepan, using back of a spoon to squeeze out juice; discard pulp.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Stir in sugar. Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch. Gradually whisk lemon juice mixture into strawberry mixture.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Remove from heat. Place plastic wrap directly on warm jam; chill 2 hours or until cold. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Make Frosting:
Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add strawberries and food coloring (if desired); beat until blended.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Beat cream and juice at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture. Use immediately.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Assemble the Cake:
Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter, and spread with about 1/2 cup Strawberry-Lemonade Jam, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. Spoon 1 cup Strawberry Frosting into a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole. Pipe a ring of frosting around cake layer just inside the top edge.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Top with second and third cake layers, repeating procedure with filling and frosting between each layer.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Top with last cake layer, and spread remaining Strawberry Frosting on top and sides of cake.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox