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Perfect Three-Layer Strawberry Lemon Buttercream Cake

three-layer strawberry lemon buttercream cake - featured image
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A light and satisfying three-layer cake featuring tangy lemon, sweet strawberries, and a creamy strawberry lemon buttercream. Perfect for celebrations and easy to make with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature (or buttermilk)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for buttercream)
  • ½ cup (about 80g) strawberry puree (fresh strawberries blended and strained)
  • Pinch of salt (for buttercream)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped (for syrup)
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for syrup)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) water (for syrup)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter with 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
  5. Mix in lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.
  6. Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined.
  7. Divide batter evenly among the three pans. Tap pans gently to release air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tops should be lightly golden and spring back when touched.
  9. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.
  10. While cakes bake, combine chopped strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until syrup thickens. Remove from heat and strain. Let cool.
  11. For buttercream, beat 1 cup softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with lemon juice and strawberry puree, beating until smooth and fluffy. Add pinch of salt and vanilla extract. Adjust consistency if needed.
  12. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Brush generously with strawberry syrup. Spread thick layer of buttercream over it. Repeat with second layer. Top with third layer and frost entire cake smoothly.
  13. Chill cake for at least 30 minutes to set frosting before slicing.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for even mixing. Do not overmix batter to avoid dense cake. Strain strawberry puree to remove seeds for smooth buttercream. Level cake layers if domed before stacking. Apply crumb coat before final frosting. Chill cake and buttercream if kitchen is warm to prevent melting. Adjust powdered sugar or lemon juice in buttercream to balance tanginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry lemon cake, three-layer cake, buttercream cake, celebration cake, easy cake recipe, lemon buttercream, strawberry syrup

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