OMG!!! Stop everything and make this cake today! This is by far hands down one of our favorites so far! A strawberry cake as the base with lemon curd between each layer and topped with a lemon frosting. The best of sweet, tart, and amazing all in one! This low fodmap strawberry lemonade cake is just as drool-worthy as it looks! And it is not hard to make so don’t be frightened by all the steps!
It’s strawberry season here in NC, which means we go strawberry picking each weekend! Much to my kid’s chagrin at times… My youngest helped me pick two baskets of strawberries from our local farm across from our neighborhood Holder Hill Farm. In thinking of what to make with them all and also having friends over for dinner I thought up this recipe.
You can make this all in one day, but it definitely requires some planning as you need to make sure that both the lemon curd for the filling is cooled as well as the strawberry puree for the cake. I opted to make both the lemon curd and strawberry puree the day before. Doing this helped this cake come together much easier with less time needed.
As much as I love Meyer lemons I didn’t find any at the store so I used regular lemons. You could ABSOLUTELY use Meyer lemons though! In fact, my Mother’s Day present is a Meyer lemon tree that I am so excited about, and having all the fresh lemons at our house 😁 (so look out for future Meyer lemon recipes once I get lemons!)
Ingredients for low fodmap Strawberry lemonade cake
- Strawberries – I used fresh picked for this cake. You could use store-bought as well. For the puree, you could try frozen, but make sure they are thawed first. Honestly, I think I would stick with fresh so this is definitely a spring or summer cake depending on when strawberry season is for you. Also, some to decorate the cake
- Lemons– again I used regular lemons well actually seedless lemons. But this also would be absolutely amazing with Meyer Lemons and I actually can’t wait to try it with some once I get my own from my new tree! You will need enough lemons both juice and zest both to make the lemon curd and frosting. A bag of them should be plenty. Also some slices of lemon to decorate the cake
- Dextrose/sugar/sugar substitute – I have a fructose intolerance so I always bake with dextrose which is 100% glucose. You can also use regular sugar or the sugar substitute of your choice.
- GF flour – I used Bob Red Mill 1 to 1 flour with this recipe and it turned out great. I have never made this recipe with other GF flours, if you do let me know what you think. If gluten is not a problem for you feel free to make this with regular flour as well. I did make this into a GF cake flour by taking out 2 TBS of flour for each cup and adding 2 TBS of cornstarch
- Cornstarch GF – See above bullet this is to make cake flour.
- GF baking powder – as always I used Clabber Girl Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Eggs – You will need both for the cake and lemon curd. For the cake, you will use egg whites and for lemon curd, you will use the whole egg.
- Unsalted Butter – You will need both for the cake as well as the lemon curd. I always use TJ brand.
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Milk substitute or milk– I have a sensitivity to lactose that goes along with my fructose intolerance. I have found Fairlife Milk which is lactose-free is great both for drinking and baking. Feel free to use regular milk if you can tolerate lactose.
- Powdered Sugar – for frosting
- Lemon Extract –used in the frosting to add even more lemony flavor!
- Natural Food Coloring (optional) – to add more yellow color to frosting. I use Watkins Assorted Food Coloring with no artificial dyes. As contains no hidden fodmaps!
How to Make Lemon Curd
I recommend making this the day before so it has time to fully cool in the refrigerator. This makes ~ 1 1/2 cups and you will not use the whole recipe in the cake filling unless you just add a ton between each layer.. But the leftovers are great topped on scones, muffins, etc. And the leftovers will last in the refrigerator for ~ 1-2 weeks if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Steps for Lemon Curd
- Zest Lemons to create ~ 3 TBS of lemon zest and set aside to use later. After zesting squeeze lemon to create 1/3 cup lemon juice. This took me about 3-4 lemons. Depending on how juicy your lemons are it may take more or less.
- In a saucepan stir together 3 eggs and 1/2 cup dextrose (or sugar/sugar substitute of choice). Add lemon juice and zest and heat over medium heat until the mixture thickens. You will need to stir frequently to constantly as can thicken quickly. Once thickened add 1/2 cup butter and stir until melted.
- Strain the mixture to create a smoother texture. Transfer to a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from developing. Chill for a least one hour. Again I like to make this a day in advance to make sure completely cooled.
Steps for strawberry puree
- Cut off the tops of the strawberries and place them in a food processor. I love my mini Cusinart food processor so that is what I used. I used ~ 2-3 cups of whole strawberries. Once pureed this equaled 1 cup of strawberries.
- Puree strawberries until smooth
- Add 1 cup pureed strawberries to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until reduced in half to ~ 1/2 cup. This took me ~ 10-13 minutes. Once reduced place in a container and cool fully in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or as I did make the day before.
Okay, now time to make the cake! Again this is not super hard, just time is required for cooling, so I would say plan ahead when making this both for the lemon curd and strawberry puree.
Steps for making the low fodmap strawberry lemonade cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans. Or you could also use 2 9-inch pans depending on how many layers you want your cake to be. I opted for 3 layers for more lemon curd between each!
- To grease a pan take a small pat of butter and rub it all over the pan. Then add a spoonful of GF flour and shake around the pan until butter is covered in flour, knock out excess flour into your next pan or sink. You could also use parchment paper, but I prefer the flour and butter technique as I find it works better and my cakes always come out easily!
- In a KitchenAid or with a mixer cream together 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) room temperature butter and 1 3/4 cup Dextrose (sugar/sugar substitute) for 2 minutes.
- Add 5 egg whites to the butter/sugar mixture and combine for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 1/2 cup Fairlife Milk (milk/milk substitute) and 2 tsp pure vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- On low speed add 2 1/2 cups GF Cake Flour (for each 1 cup of GF flour to make it into cake flour take out 2 TBS GF flour and replace with 2 TBS of cornstarch – for the 1/2 cup take out 1 TBS GF flour and add 1 TBS cornstarch). Also, add 2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Stir until just combined.
- To the mixture add the rest of the Fairlife milk 1/3 cup (or if you can tolerate sour cream you could use that). Stir until combined.
- Finally, add the 1/2 cup cooled strawberry puree and stir until combined. If you want a deeper pink or red color you could also add several drops of red food coloring.
- Spread the batter evenly between your greased and floured pans. Drop the pans several times on the counter to flatten and even the batter.
- Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes until cooled through and the cake tester/toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Once cooked through remove from oven and let cool in cake pans for 10 minutes. Then remove the cakes from the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Lemon Frosting Instructions
- In a stand mixer such as KitchenAid, cream together 3 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter for 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides of the mixer as needed.
- To creamed butter add 3-4 cups of powdered sugar and stir to combine on low speed.
- Add 1 tsp of lemon extract, 2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice, and mix for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. If desired add several drops of lemon food coloring to make a more yellow color for the frosting.
To assemble low fodmap strawberry lemonade cake
- Place a small amount of lemon frosting on the cake pan (or whatever will be decorating the cake on) to hold the bottom cake in place.
- Put one of the 8-inch cakes on top of the cake pan.
- Pipe with frosting a 1/2-1 inch border with frosting around the cake. This is to keep the curd in place and ensure it doesn’t squish out the layers of the cake as you add additional cakes to the tops.
- Spoon curd onto cake between frosting outline. Place the next layer of cake on top and repeat one more time. Until the top of the cake is in place.
- Spread frosting along the sides and top of the cake.
- Pipe circles on top of the cake that you will add fruit to.
- Add a whole strawberry and a 1/2 or 1/4 of the lemon slice to each piped circle to decorate the top of the cake.
Please don’t be intimidated to think you can’t make this! I promise I am not the best at cake decorating. I want to be, but it always turns out wonky. This cake is so forgiving to decorate. The fruit on the top definitely helps! The best part of this cake is that no one will be able to tell that it is gluten-free and low fodmap. For low fodmap serving stick with a small to medium piece as a typical serving of strawberries is typically 8 large to medium. But this cake is also so rich and flavorful a small piece will be plenty! Let me know what you think! My youngest is the pickiest when it comes to cake and she gobbled this up! Also, she wanted to pose with the cake. The yellow hat is her newest daily fixture wherever she goes!
I can taste the amazing sweet and tart-perfect balance of this cake all over again while writing this post. Now I need to make this cake again. Hope you do too!
Other Strawberry Recipes:
Other Lemon Recipes:
Low Fodmap Strawberry Lemonade cake
Equipment
- 3 8 inch cake pans
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups GF flour – (minus 5 TBS and add below cornstarch to make cake flour)
- 5 TBS cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 3/4 cup Dextrose (sugar or sugar substitute)
- 3/4 cup 1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- 5 large egg whites
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Fairlife milk (milk substitute)
- 1/3 cup Fairlife milk (or sour cream if tolerated)
- 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (see step 1)
- optional: several drops red food coloring
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound fresh straberries, rinsed and hulled
Lemon Curd
- 3 TBS lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup dextrose (sugar or sugar substitute)
- 1/2 cup butter
Lemon Frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
- 3-4 cups powered sugar
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice
- optional: additional yellow food coloring to create yellow color
Instructions
- Prepare reduced strawberry puree first and let cool. Puree 1 pound of rinsed and hulled strawberries. You wil have a little over 1 cup. Place in a pan and simmer over medium to low heat stirring frequently until you're left with 1/2 cup. This may take 20 minutes or more depending on how juicy your strawberries are. Allow to cool completely before placing in cake batter. I like to make this a day ahead and allow it to cool completely. Make sure if make a day ahead to remove and bring to room temperature before adding it to cake batter .
- Prepare lemon curd and let cool. Combine in a small pan dextrose and eggs until fully combined. Add lemon juice and zest and stir to combine. Over medium to low heat cook stirring frequently until thickened. Once thickened add 1 stick butter and stir until melted. Strain into a shallow bowl to ensure smoothness. Cover with plastic wrap to ensure it does not develop a skin on top. Cool completely prior to using in cake. I like to make this a day ahead to make sure it is fully cooled.
- Preheat oven to 350 degress Farenheit. Butter and flour 3 8 inch cake pans and set aside.
- Make the cake: In a stand mixer/kitchenaid cream 1.5 sticks softened butter and 1 3/4 cup dextrose together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the 5 egg whites on medium speed for additional 2 minutes, until combined. Scrape sides down as needed.
- Add 2 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1/2 cup Fairlife milk (or milk substitute) and stir until combined. With mixer on slow add 2 1/2 cups GF flour minus 5 TBS flour and additional 5 TBS cornstartch(to make cakeflour) , 2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda and stir to combine.
- Once combined add additional 1/3 cup milk or sour cream (if tolerated) and stir to combine. Finally add 1/2 cup strawberry puree and stir until fully combined. If desired add red food coloring to acheive a pinker color cake.
- Evenly distribute cake batter between 3 prepared and greased 8 inch cake pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes in preheated 350 degree F oven, or until cake tester in middle of cake comes out clean.
- Let cooked cakes cool in cake pans for 10 minutes. Once cooled remove to wire rack to cool completel prior to frosting.
Lemon Frosting
- Once cake cooled prepare frosting. In a bowl of stand mixer/KitchenAid cream 3 sticks of softened/room temperature unsalted butter for 3-4 minutes until fluffy.
- Add 3-4 cups of powdred sugar to creamed butter until combined. Add 1 tsp lemon extract and 2 TBS of freshly squeezed lemon jujice. Combine on medium speed for additional 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
To assemble Cake
- Place a small portion of lemon frosting on cake plate/pan and place one 8 inch cake to keep in place.
- Pipe a 1/2-1 inch border around cake with frosting to create a border to place lemon curd in. This will help make sure lemon curd doesn't ooze out sides of cake as place additional layers on top. Spoon lemon curd in between icing border rand place next cake layer on top and repeat until top of cake in place.
- Ice sides and top of cake with lemon frosting. You should have additional frosting. Place in a piping bag and pipe circles on top of cake to place fruit on top of cake. On piped circles of cake add 1 whole strawberry and 1/2 slice of lemon in each circle. Place in refrigerator to set ~ 30 minutes prior to serving.
- Store leftover cake in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 20-30 minutes prior ot serving each time. Leftovers will last ~3-5 days.
