The tenderness of the cake, the sweetness of the strawberry buttercream and the perfectly tart lemon curd make this cake a queen among cakes!

This cake is quintessentially Grandma Brown’s birthday cake. I’ve made this strawberry lemonade cake SO MANY times. One summer, on a whim, I opened a microbakery in my home, because why not! I did have three babies under the age of four BUT sweet people kept requesting cakes and it brought me joy. So I sold cakes and cupcakes out of my home, and this cake was one of the most requested cakes.

But hands down my favorite time I ever made it was for my Grandma’s 90th birthday, just this last May. She possesses such a big love and such a kindred spirit, that when paired together, create a soul that is heaven kissing earth. Her smile lights up the room and you can feel her love enveloping the space. At her birthday party, when we finished singing “Happy birthday” she couldn’t quite reach the cake to blow out the candle, and in the moments paused, Eddison leaned over and quickly snuffed it out. The way she chuckled and laughed and clapped her hands together, was so sweet and it’s a memory that is forever pinned in my mind. 

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

• The cake is so so tender and can be used in some many other recipes!
• The lemon curd is DELICIOUS and can be enjoyed on scones, muffins, toast or fresh fruit!
• The strawberry buttercream is the BEST you will ever have!
• Made with simple ingredients! 
• The cake can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator!

Simple Ingredients:

| white cake |

• sugar 
• butter, softened
• sour cream 
• milk 
• eggs, room temp 
• egg whites, room temp 
• vanilla extract
• gluten free all purpose flour blend (I use my gluten free  flour blend)
• potato starch 
• guar gum (disregard if your flour blend has a binder, like xanthan gum)
• baking powder 
• baking soda 
• salt 

| strawberry buttercream |

• pureed fresh strawberries
• salted butter, softened
• powdered sugar
• heavy cream
• vanilla

| lemon curd |

• eggs, room temperature
• sugar
• lemon zest
• fresh lemon juice
• butter, room temperature
• vanilla

Instructions:

| white cake |

1. Prepare cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. You can use either three 8? cake pans, or three 9? cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a standing mixer with a large bowl, whisk butter and sugar until light and airy. Approximately 3-5 minutes, stopping at 2 minutes to scrap down the sides.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, sour cream, milk and vanilla. 
4. In a third bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, potato starch, guar gum and salt. 
5. Set the mixer to medium/low speed, and alternate adding the wet and whisked dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, starting and ending with the wet ingredients. 
6. Once combined, turn off the mixer. The batter will be smooth and thick. 
7. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and use the angled icing spatula to smooth the batter into a flat layer. 
8. Pop the cake pans into the oven and prep your frosting while you wait for these beauties to bake! Bake for 15 minutes, rotate, then bake another 15 minutes. When cakes are golden brown, and you can insert a toothpick into the middle with only crumbs sticking to it – they are ready!
9. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes before removing from the cake pans. Place the cakes on a cooling rack / wire rack. Let the cake cool completely before frosting to the cakes. 

| lemon curd |

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and zest. 
2. In a small sauce pan, and over medium low heat, warm the lemon juice until it’s steaming. 
3. Then temper the eggs, by slowly (you don’t want to scramble the eggs) pouring the juice into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time. Once incorporated, add the mixture back to the saucepan and heat thoroughly over medium low heat, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and the vanilla. 
5. Strain the curd into a mason jar and let it come to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator. 

| strawberry buttercream | 

1. In a stand mixer, using a large mixing bowl and a paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth. Add the puree (I puree the strawberries in a food processor – yoou can also use a blender)and combine the butter and strawberry puree. 
2. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating in between each addition. Once the sugar is added, add the heavy cream and vanilla to the mixer, then set it to medium speed and beat the frosting for 5 minutes until smooth, creamy and light.  Your strawberry frosting is ready to decorate!

| assembly |

1. To layer cake, place the first cake layer top side up, in the center of the cake board. Spread buttercream atop, then pipe a rim of the buttercream around the edge of the cake and fill the center with lemon curd. 
2. Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream and filling, bottom side down. Repeat piping and filling.
3. Place final cake layer, top side down (flip it so the flat bottom is facing up).
4. Place straws or popsicle sticks into the center of the cakes and three additional ones around the center, about 2 inches out. 
5. Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin, even layer of the buttercream, covering the sides of the cake and the top of the cake in buttercream. Pop it into the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes to set this layer of frosting. 
6. Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining frosting. I like to use a cake edger or scraper, but you don’t have to use this. You can always create a rustic look with a spatula.
7. Decorate the top of the cake however your heart desires! I love using the lemon curd and/or lemon slices or chopped strawberries!

Storage:

Left over cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You could also wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. 

Tips and Tricks:

• For best results, room temperature ingredients ALWAYS!
• You can always refrigerator the cake layers before assembly to make working with them a bit easier. 
• Make the cake in advance and store in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before serving. 
• Save the yolks for a yummy custard!
• If you use a different flour blend, the results may vary!
• Some use freeze-dried strawberry powder instead of pureed strawberries.

This cake is perfect for special occasions like a baby shower or a wedding shower, or for a delectable Sunday afternoon treat! It’s the perfect summer dessert and one everyone will love! It is hands down, one of my favorite cake recipes! Check out the recipe card below!

Gluten Free Strawberry Lemonade Tiered Cake Recipe

The tenderness of the cake, the sweetness of the strawberry buttercream and the perfectly tart lemon curd make this cake a queen among cakes!

Print Recipe

Prep Time:1 hour hr

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Ingredients

white cake

• 2 1/4 cup sugar
• 15 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs room temp
• 6 egg whites room temp
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour blend
• 9 tablespoons potato starch
• 1 tbsp guar gum
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Lemon Curd

• 3 eggs room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Zest from a lemon
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 tbsp butter room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla

strawberry buttercream

Instructions

white cake

• Prepare cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. You can use either three 8? cake pans, or three 9? cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a standing mixer, whisk butter and sugar until light and airy. Approximately 3-5 minutes, stopping at 2 minutes to scrap down the sides.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, sour cream, milk and vanilla.
• In a third bowl, whisk together the GF flour, baking powder, baking soda, potato starch, guar gum and salt.
• Set the mixer to medium/low speed, and alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, starting and ending with the wet ingredients.
• Once combined, turn off the mixer. The batter will be smooth and thick.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and use the angled icing spatula to smooth the batter into a flat layer.
• Pop the cake pans into the oven and prep your frosting while you wait for these beauties to bake! Bake for 15 minutes, rotate, then bake another 15 minutes. When cakes are golden brown, and you can insert a toothpick into the middle with only crumbs sticking to it – they are ready!
• Let cakes cool for 15 minutes before removing from the cake pans. Place the cakes on a cooling rack. They must be completely cool before adding frosting to the cakes.

lemon curd

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and zest.
• In a small sauce pan, and over medium low heat, warm the lemon juice until it’s steaming.
• Then temper the eggs, by slowly (you don’t want to scramble the eggs) pouring the juice into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time. Once incorporated, add the mixture back to the saucepan and heat thoroughly over medium low heat, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and the vanilla.
• Strain the curd into a mason jar and let it come to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator.

strawberry buttercream

• In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth. Add the puree and combine the butter and strawberry puree.
• Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating in between each addition. Once the sugar is added, add the heavy cream and vanilla to the mixer, then set it to medium speed and beat the frosting for 5 minutes until smooth, creamy and light.

assembly

• To assemble, place the first cake layer top side up, in the center of the cake board. Spread buttercream atop, then pipe a rim of the buttercream around the edge of the cake and fill the center with lemon curd.
• Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream and filling, bottom side down. Repeat piping and filling.
• Place final cake layer, top side down (flip it so the flat bottom is facing up).
• Place plastic straws down through the cake to stablize it.
• Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of the buttercream and pop it into the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes to set this layer of frosting.
• Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining frosting. I like to use a cake edger or scraper, but you don’t have to use this. You can always create a rustic look with a spatula.
• Decorate the top of the cake however your heart desires!

Servings: 21