Recipe: Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Strawberries

By Nancy Caivano

Lemon Buttermilk Cake
with Strawberries

Makes 1 cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
1-3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp grated lemon peel
3 eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1 (16-oz) package frozen sliced sweetened strawberries, thawed

Frosting:
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
2 (1-pint) baskets strawberries, hulled

Method:

For cake: Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1-1/2-inch-high sides. Beat sugar, butter and lemon peel in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.

Boil sliced sweetened strawberries with juices in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced to 2/3 cup and begins to thicken, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in lemonade concentrate and lemon peel.

Divide strawberry mixture between 2 cake layers and spread over tops, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Let stand until slightly set, about 5 minutes. Place 1 strawberry-topped layer on platter. Drop 3/4 cup frosting atop cake by spoonfuls; gently spread over top. Top with remaining strawberry-topped layer. Drop 3/4 cup frosting by spoonfuls atop cake; gently spread over top. Top with remaining cake layer. Using spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. Decoratively arrange strawberries, pointed side up, atop cake.