Description
Easy and delicious strawberry lemon sheet cake topped with swirls of whipped strawberry frosting, fresh strawberries, and lemon slices.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour (see note below)
- 1 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp pure lemon extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
Strawberry Frosting
- 3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Topping
- fresh sliced strawberries
- lemon slices
Instructions
- Make sheet cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9” baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine buttermilk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
- Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake cake for 25 to 27 minutes, until the top and edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cake completely in pan on a wire rack.
- Make strawberry frosting: Combine sliced strawberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a spatula and pressing firmly on berries to release juices. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened. Transfer strawberry puree to a bowl and chill for 1 hour.
- Beat butter and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar on low speed 1 cup at a time until incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed. Gradually mix in 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry puree until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat frosting for 1 minute, until light and airy.
- Assemble cake: Dollop frosting over cooled cake and swirl with an offset spatula. Chill cake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before slicing and serving topped with fresh strawberries and lemon slices.
Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!
To make your own cake flour: For every 1 cup of cake flour, place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with all-purpose flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.
Make Ahead: The cake can be baked, cooled, and frosted one day in advance. Cover the frosted cake and chill overnight. The next day, add fresh strawberries and lemon slices just before serving.
Keywords: Strawberry, Lemon, Sheet Cake, Strawberry Cake