Strawberry Lemonade Cake

Recipe View Prepare the Strawberry Reduction: Place strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice into an electric blender and purée until smooth.

Recipe View Simmer and Reduce: Pour strawberry mixture into a large saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half (approximately 20-25 minutes).

Recipe View Cool and Reserve: Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (approximately 10-15 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons for cake and frosting; remainder will be used as cake filling.

Recipe View Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Recipe View Whisk Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Recipe View Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat sugar and butter using an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla extract.

Recipe View Combine Wet and Dry: Stir in 1/3 of flour mixture until just combined. Stir in 1/2 of the sour cream, and 1/2 of the lemon juice. Repeat alternating additions of flour mixture and sour cream plus lemon juice until just combined, making sure not to overmix.

Recipe View Create Swirl Effect: Place 1/2 of the batter into a separate bowl. Fold in 1/2 cup strawberry reduction. Place dollops of both lemon and strawberry-lemon batters alternately into the prepared cake pans. Swirl batters together with a butter knife.

Recipe View Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center of each cake comes out clean (approximately 30-35 minutes).

Recipe View Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before removing and transferring cakes to a wire rack to cool completely (approximately 15-30 minutes).

Recipe View Prepare Frosting: While cakes are cooling, beat butter for frosting with an electric mixer in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until incorporated. Mix in 5 tablespoons strawberry reduction, lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt until combined. Pour in heavy cream and beat until frosting is smooth and fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add additional powdered sugar if too thin, or additional heavy cream if too thick, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Recipe View Assemble Cake: Place 1 cooled cake layer on a serving platter and cover top with a thin layer of frosting. Pipe a border around the edge of the cake layer using a piping bag filled with frosting, leaving the center open. Pour remaining strawberry reduction into the center of the border, making sure it doesn't overflow over the sides. Place second cake layer on top and continue to frost as desired.

Recipe View Chill: Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.