This Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe is a delightful blend of tangy lemon and sweet strawberries, perfect for any occasion.
The Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe features a moist lemon cake made with fresh lemon zest and juice, complemented by a luscious strawberry topping.
To make this treat, you’ll need basic baking equipment and ingredients like flour, butter, eggs, and fresh strawberries.
The cake is baked until golden, then topped with a strawberry sauce that can be thickened with cornstarch if desired.
For an extra touch, a lemon glaze can be added. This cake, serving 12, offers a refreshing and visually appealing dessert option.
With its light, zesty flavor and juicy strawberries, it’s a versatile choice for celebrations or simple indulgence.
How To Prepare Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe?
Recipe Overview
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280 (Per Serving)
Yield: 8 servings
Equipment Needed
To get started, you’ll need the following equipment:
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 9-inch round cake pan
- 1 whisk
- 1 electric mixer (optional, but makes mixing easier)
- 1 cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
Recipe Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Topping:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
How To Make Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe
1. Preparing the Cake Batter
1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
4. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.
5. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing.
2. Baking the Cake
6. Pour Batter: Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
7. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
3. Preparing the Strawberry Topping
9. Combine Strawberries: In a small bowl, mix the sliced strawberries with sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the strawberries to become slightly syrupy.
4. Making the Lemon Glaze
10. Mix Glaze Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust the consistency with more lemon juice or powdered sugar as needed.
Tips For Perfect Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe
1. Use Fresh Lemons for Best Flavor Fresh lemon juice and zest are key to achieving a vibrant lemon flavor in your cake.
Bottled lemon juice lacks the brightness and zest of fresh lemons. Always zest the lemons before juicing them to get the most flavor out of the peel.
2. Room Temperature Ingredients Ensure that your butter, egg, and milk are at room temperature before you start mixing.
This helps create a smoother batter and ensures that all ingredients blend together evenly, resulting in a light and fluffy cake texture.
3. Don’t Overmix the Batter When combining the dry and wet ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated.
Overmixing can lead to a dense cake because it develops the gluten in the flour. Aim for a few folds to combine rather than continuous stirring.
4. Cool the Cake Properly Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
This helps the cake set and reduces the risk of it breaking apart. Cooling completely on the rack ensures an even texture and makes it easier to frost.
5. Adjust Glaze Consistency The consistency of your lemon glaze can be adjusted to your preference.
If you like a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar; for a thinner glaze, add a bit more lemon juice. To avoid a runny glaze, drizzle it over the cake while it’s still slightly warm but not hot.
Can You Put Strawberries On A Cake?
Absolutely! Strawberries can be a fantastic addition to cakes. They can be used in various ways, such as a fresh fruit topping, mixed into the batter, or incorporated into a filling.
Fresh strawberries can be sliced and placed on top of frosted cakes for a vibrant and sweet finish.
For added flavor, they can also be macerated (soaked in sugar) to enhance their sweetness and create a flavorful syrup that can be drizzled over or used as a filling.
What Pairs Well With Strawberry Cake?
Strawberry cake pairs beautifully with several flavors and ingredients, including:
- Vanilla: A classic pairing, vanilla enhances the sweetness of strawberries without overwhelming their flavor.
- Lemon: The tartness of lemon complements the sweetness of strawberries and adds a refreshing contrast.
- Chocolate: Rich chocolate or white chocolate can create a decadent contrast with the fruity flavor of strawberries.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese frosting or filling adds a tangy richness that balances the sweetness of the strawberries.
- Mint: Fresh mint can add a hint of freshness and complexity to the flavor profile.
How Do You Increase The Flavor Of Lemon In A Cake?
To intensify the lemon flavor in your cake, consider these tips:
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated lemon zest provide a more vibrant and potent flavor than bottled lemon juice.
- Add Lemon Extract: A small amount of lemon extract can boost the lemon flavor without adding more liquid.
- Increase Zest Amount: Adding a bit more lemon zest than the recipe calls for can enhance the citrusy aroma.
- Incorporate Lemon Curd: Swirling lemon curd into the batter or using it as a filling can add a rich, tangy lemon flavor.
How Do You Keep Strawberries From Making Cake Soggy?
To prevent strawberries from making your cake soggy, follow these tips:
- Use Fresh, Dry Strawberries: Ensure strawberries are completely dry before using them. Excess moisture can lead to sogginess.
- Toss with Flour: Lightly coat the strawberries with flour before adding them to the batter. This helps absorb excess moisture.
- Use Strawberry Preserves or Jam: Instead of fresh strawberries, use strawberry preserves or jam in layers or as a filling. These have a thicker consistency and are less likely to make the cake soggy.
- Add Strawberries After Baking: For toppings, consider adding fresh strawberries to the cake only right before serving, especially if the cake is to be stored for a while.
Conclusion
This lemon cake with strawberrie recipe is more than just a dessert; it’s an experience that combines the refreshing taste of lemon with the sweet, juicy burst of strawberries.
The Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe itself is light and moist, with a flavor profile that strikes a perfect balance between tangy and sweet.
Topped with a luscious strawberry sauce and optionally drizzled with a zesty lemon glaze, it’s a treat that looks as good as it tastes.
Baking this cake from scratch allows you to experience the joy of creating something delicious with your own hands.
The combination of lemon and strawberries is not only a crowd-pleaser but also a testament to how classic flavors can come together to create something truly special.
So, roll up your sleeves, gather your ingredients, and enjoy the process of baking and sharing this delightful lemon cake with strawberries.
Lemon Cake With Strawberries Recipe
Equipment
- 2mixing bowls
- 19-inch round cake pan
- 1whisk
- 1electric mixer (optional, but makes mixing easier)
- 1cooling rack
- Measuringcups and spoons
- Spatula
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Topping:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Preparing the Cake Batter
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your 9-inch round cake pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing.
Baking the Cake
- Pour Batter: Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Preparing the Strawberry Topping
- Combine Strawberries: In a small bowl, mix the sliced strawberries with sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the strawberries to become slightly syrupy.
Making the Lemon Glaze
- Mix Glaze Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust the consistency with more lemon juice or powdered sugar as needed.