• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Higher Alchemy Baking
  • About
  • Recipes
    • All
    • Bread
    • Discard
    • Sourdough
    • Sweet
    • Savory
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Travel & Guides
  • Contact Me
    • Instagram

Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Cake

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

This Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Cake is so, so good. It’s interesting and yummy. It’s sweet with some zing from the lemon. I like to imagine that strawberry lemonade always involves basil in some way, so there’s basil in the jam layer. All these flavors together are just so good.

image of strawberry lemonade sourdough cake

I decked this cake out with Strawberry Basil Jam (recipe below) and a Swiss Meringue Buttercream that I added some fresh lemon zest to. Also, I made some yummy Strawberry Crumbs (recipe below) as an added textural layer. Yes, there’s a little cronch.

I used this recipe for the Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I folded in about 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to it after mixing. You can use any frosting you’d like for this cake, though. And in case you want to make the jam or crumbs, the recipes are just below!

Strawberry Basil Jam Recipe

Obviously, you could deck out these cake layers however you’d like. But if you want to make the Strawberry Basil Jam, it’s super simple and quick!

Just add 450g of chopped fresh strawberries and 50g of sugar to a pot. Cook it down over low-medium heat until thick and jammy (takes a while, stir occasionally). Then add a pinch of salt and some finely chopped basil (about a small bunch or to taste!) and turn off the heat. Let the jam cool before using on the cake.

Strawberry Crumb Recipe

These crumbs are super addicting! You’ve been warned. But if you’re looking for picture-perfect crumbs, I will add a quick note: they won’t come out pink like you might imagine, because the strawberry specks turn slightly brown! Absolutely beyond delish, though.

  • 135g flour
  • 35g cornmeal
  • 180g sugar
  • 16g freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 113g unsalted butter, cold
  • 15g oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, strawberries, baking powder, and salt. Slice the butter into cubes and add to the bowl, then put in the oil and the vanilla. Pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbs form (some will be large and others smaller). Spread out on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes. Let cool completely before using. You might have to break up the crumbs a bit before using in the cake!

Assembling this Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Cake

If you’re doing this your own way, ignore me. But if you’re using jam, crumbs, and some sort of frosting, I like layering this Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Cake in the following manner: cake, jam, crumbs, buttercream, cake, jam, crumbs, buttercream, etc.

If you make any part of this recipe, please comment and rate the recipe below! I love hearing from you all. Also, you can tag me on Instagram @higheralchemybaking with your bake!

cake with flowers on sides of it on a cake stand

Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Cake

This cake is delightful and such a show off. Sweet with strawberries and zingy with lemons, this cake is cute and fluffy. Plus, it uses up some sourdough discard!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 16 minutes mins
Cook Time 24 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 servings
Calories 258 kcal

Equipment

  • Three 7-inch cake pans

Ingredients
  

  • zest of 3 lemons
  • 32g freeze-dried strawberries, semi-crushed
  • 200g sugar
  • 227g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 100g sourdough starter
  • 120g yogurt, room temperature
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • juice of 3 lemons
  • 325g all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil three 7-inch cake pans and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, freeze-dried strawberries, and sugar. Pinch the mixture with your fingertips until it is thoroughly combined and fragrant.
  • Add the butter to the bowl and mix, creaming it with the sugar. Add the starter and yogurt and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, creaming until fully mixed. Then add the vanilla and lemon juice and combine.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together, then add to the wet ingredients bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Transfer the batter evenly to the three prepared cake pans, level out the tops, and place them in the oven.
  • Bake for 24 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack until completely cooled. Decorate as desired. Enjoy! Let me know what you think below in the comments or on Instagram @higheralchemybaking!

Notes

You could make this recipe in two 9 or 10-inch cake pans.

Let me know what you think of my recipe in the comments below! And if you want another cake recipe with sourdough, check out my Sourdough Enriched Chocolate Cake!

Other Posts You Might Like

More All

  • image of cherry scone recipe
    The Best Ever Almond Scones (Cherry Jam Stuffed)
  • Super Fluffy & Easy Sourdough Ciabatta
  • The Ultimate Guide To Maintaining A Sourdough Starter
  • image of focaccia
    The Best Sourdough Focaccia

Subscribe

for your weekly recipe fix.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Footer

image of higher alchemy baking logo
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2025 Higher Alchemy Baking on the Foodie Pro Theme