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.
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!
Strawberry Lemonade Sourdough Cake
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
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!