Lemon-Strawberry Layers (Printable Version)

Tangy lemon cake, fluffy mascarpone lemon frosting, and sweet strawberry filling wrapped in buttercream.

# Ingredients:

→ Lemon Cake

01 - 260 g all-purpose flour
02 - 150 g unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3 medium eggs, at room temperature
04 - 280 g powdered sugar
05 - 10 g cornstarch
06 - 1/4 tsp fine salt
07 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
08 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
09 - 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10 - Juice of 1/2 lemon and zest
11 - 210 ml buttermilk

→ Strawberry Filling

12 - Freshly made strawberry compote

→ Strawberry Swiss Buttercream

13 - Strawberry Swiss Buttercream (prepared at home)

→ Lemon Mascarpone Chantilly

14 - Homemade Lemon Mascarpone Topping

→ Lemon White Chocolate Drip

15 - 50 g heavy cream
16 - 50 g white chocolate
17 - Yellow food coloring
18 - 2 tsp lemon curd

# Steps:

01 - Set your oven to 165°C (325°F) and get three 15 cm (6-inch) pans ready by lining them with parchment paper. Combine the dry stuff like flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. In another one, beat softened butter with powdered sugar and lemon zest until it looks fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, giving it a good mix. Then start adding the flour mixture and buttermilk with lemon juice, switching between the two till everything is combined smoothly.
02 - Pour the batter evenly into the pans and place them in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Take them out, let them cool on a rack after sitting for a few minutes.
03 - Whip up some fresh strawberry compote, and once it’s done, let it cool completely.
04 - Make a batch of your favorite Strawberry Swiss Buttercream following the instructions.
05 - Prepare Lemon Mascarpone Chantilly according to the homemade recipe.
06 - If needed, trim the domed tops off cooled cakes. On a turntable, place the first layer, pipe a buttercream edge, and spoon in strawberry compote and mascarpone chantilly. Repeat until all layers are stacked.
07 - Spread a thin buttercream layer all over the cake to trap crumbs. Smooth with tools, then stash the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes.
08 - Add a final layer of buttercream, smoothing out the edges and top for a clean finish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before decorating.
09 - In a double boiler, melt together white chocolate and heavy cream until smooth. Blend in lemon curd and yellow food dye. Let the glaze sit till it cools to 30°C (86°F).
10 - Drizzle the cooled glaze over the top of the chilled cake, letting it drip down. Use buttercream to pipe designs on top and garnish with lemon slices. Set aside at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cutting.

# Notes:

01 - Got no buttermilk? Stir a splash of vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk. Always cool cakes fully before stacking to keep them stable.
02 - For a smooth look, you can use acrylic tools when frosting the cake.
03 - Wait until the lemon glaze cools to 30°C for the perfect drip consistency.

Back