Gluten Free Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake

If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is! Earlier this year, in June, we were commissioned to make a big birthday cake for a friend and we came up with the ultimate summer combo: strawberry and lemon cake layers, wrapped in more silky strawberry and lemon buttercream – the strawberry lemonade cake! We were subsequently commissioned by another friend who had tasted the cake at the June birthday, to make it again for their other friend’s birthday. And now, months later and solidly out of summer, one of my longest friends decided the cake she wanted for her November birthday was, you guessed it, the epitome of summer, the strawberry lemonade cake (but in miniature!). So, this is the exact same recipe as the LARGE version, linked there, but this will make it just that much easier for you if you only want to make a 6-inch round cake instead of a 9-inch round (if you want leftovers for days, might we recommend going for the larger?)

There’s something particularly special about making bright, zingy lemon and strawberry frosting when it’s 36 degrees outside, but if we’ve learned one thing this year, it’s to always eat what sounds good and comforting, damn the season, because 2020 is a YEAR. So, this definitely-not-winter-flavored cake was packed up carefully in an empty box and I trekked over to the empty elementary school soccer field where Jazzy and I met (socially distantly on folding chairs with blankets) while I was up visiting family for the holiday (disclaimer: I took a Covid test every day for 8 days and stayed inside as much as possible before driving up to visit family and it STILL wasn’t 100% safe – if you’re on the fence about visiting your folks, opt for a safe, albeit distant, holiday season this year).

If you’re into fruity treats and are bummed about missing friends and family this winter, go ahead and make yourself this smaller version of this ultra-summery, happy cake, it’ll be sure to brighten up even the coldest city views. If you’re looking for other summer-worthy treats because you wish it was still July, try these lemon ricotta cupcakes, or this kiwi lime tart, or these browned butter blueberry cupcakes, or these fresh strawberry cupcakes (lots of cupcakes), or these white chocolate sprinkle cookies (because sprinkles no no season).

Print Recipe

4.50 from 2 votes

Gluten Free Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake

Reminiscent of summer days, with luscious lemon and strawberry cake layers and lemon and strawberry buttercream!

Prep Time2 hours hrs

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Chilling time2 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: birthday cake, buttercream, cake, gluten free, layer cake, lemon cake, strawberry cake, strawberry lemonade

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 450kcal

Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

• Four 6-inch round cake pans
• Electric mixer
• Cake scraper
• Piping bags and tips
• Blender or food processor

Ingredients

For the lemon cake layers:

• 1 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum added (if the mix doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/4 Cup packed blanched almond flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg plus one egg white
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 Cup sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 Cup white sugar
• 1/4 Cup milk
• yellow food coloring optional

For the Strawberry cake layers:

• 1 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum added (if the mix doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/4 Cup packed blanched almond flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sifted powdered freeze dried strawberries instructions below
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg white
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup white sugar
• 1/2 Cup pureed fresh strawberries
• 1/4 Cup milk
• pink food coloring optional

For the lemon buttercream:

• 1 1/2 Cups salted butter room temperature
• 4 1/2 Cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• yellow food coloring optional

For the strawberry buttercream:

• 1 1/2 Cup salted butter room temperature
• 4 Cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp sifted powdered freeze dried strawberries instructions below
• 2 Tbsp pureed fresh strawberries
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pink food coloring optional

Instructions

To make the lemon cakes:

• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease two of the 6-inch round pans with butter or cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla, sugar, lemon zest, juice, and extract, and milk until smooth. Add in the whisked dry ingredients and stir to combine (but don't overstir). Pour the batter into the two greased cake pans, ensuring both pan is evenly-filled. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool and then remove from pans (let rest on a parchment-lined counter or cookie sheet).

To make the strawberry cakes:

• Grease the two remaining 6-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray. First, blitz up the freeze dried strawberries in a food processor or nutribullet, then sift the powder (to remove the seeds) into a small bowl to measure out. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and powdered freeze dried sifted strawberries. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla, sugar, pureed strawberries, and milk until smooth. Add in the whisked dry ingredients and stir to combine (but don't over-stir). If using, add the food coloring to your liking and stir. Pour the batter into the two greased cake pans, ensuring both pan is evenly-filled. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool and then remove from pans (let rest on a parchment-lined counter or cookie sheet).

To make the buttercream:

• While cake layers are cooling, make the buttercream. Start with the strawberry buttercream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the room temp butter, vanilla, and one cup of the powdered sugar until smooth. Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar at a time until thicker and smooth. Add in the powdered sifted freeze dried strawberries and pureed strawberries and blend until smooth, then set aside.
• Make the lemon buttercream. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the room temp butter and one cup of the powdered sugar until smooth. Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar at a time until thicker and smooth. Add in the lemon zest, juice, and extract and beat until smooth. Add in just one or two drops of yellow food coloring if using (I like a very light icy yellow so less color is more). Then set aside.

To construct:

• Before constructing, slice off the round tops of each cake layer if they aren't totally flat. Then place one lemon layer on a plate or cake stand. Add about 1/2 cup of the lemon buttercream and spread using a butterknife or frosting knife. Spread to the edges, then place one of the strawberry cakes on top. Frost this layer with strawberry buttercream, then place the second lemon layer on top and frost with more lemon buttercream. Add last strawberry layer and frost top (carefully and smooth the frosting for presentation).
• At this point, you can freeze the layered cake for one hour to stiffen it up and make it easier to frost the outside. Then frost the outside with the remaining buttercream – I use blobs of each flavor and then scrape around the side so that the two colors blend together per the photos. If you want to, put excess buttercream into two piping bags and pipe on top for presentation. Add sliced strawberries in a pattern (optional) on top, then serve! I recommend freezing the cake again for 30 minutes to an hour if you'll be transporting the cake anywhere.

Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your cake!

Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber