Strawberry Lemonade Cake. Fluffy vegan cake, brightened with fresh strawberries, lemon juice, zest and frosted with the most delicious sweet strawberry frosting… this sheet pan cake couldn’t be more delightful or easy to make. Have I mentioned it’s also easy to make gluten free?
Meet my latest dessert crush. Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Cake! It is the perfect summer dessert – and just screams SUNSHINE!
Tart and sweet, tangy and fresh, this sheet pan cake is summer at its best. It’s like sitting on the porch while sipping on a big ‘ol glass of homemade lemonade, but in cake-form. And ya’ll know how much I love cake. But this isn’t your ordinary vanilla cake. It’s tender with a refreshing kick of lemon, flecks of zest and fresh bites of strawberry dancing throughout every slice.
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Sheet Cake
To get started with this vegan cake, you’ll want the lemon zest to infuse into the sugar, so mix those together first. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – dairy free milk (we use Good Karma Flax Milk), freshly squeezed lemon juice (although store-bought 100% will do in a pinch), water, neutral oil (we used vegetable) and vanilla extract. Set aside.
The remaining dry ingredients get sifted into the sugar zest mixture. Then add in the wet and whisk by hand.
Gently stir in diced strawberries, leaving a handful to be sprinkled on the top the batter.
Strawberry lemonade cake: sheet cake or cupcakes?
I made the strawberry lemonade cake into a simple 9 x 13 sheet cake, but you could easily adjust this to be cupcakes. You would get at least 1 dozen regular-sized cupcakes, possibly up to 14, if you’re lucky. If you try it, please let me know and share pics!
For this version, I wanted to simplify the process though. Making it an easy recipe to make in a hurry, and the perfect option for anyone who may be a little intimidated by decorating cupcakes or making a layered cake. So this strawberry lemonade sheet cake is really for anyone!
Pink lemonade frosting
Strawberry lemonade flavor is blended into the frosting too which makes it a lovely shade of pink. It makes “more than enough” frosting for the sheet cake and the perfect amount if making cupcakes. If you plan to frost your cupcakes with a tall generous swirl, you’ll just want to cut back on some of the liquid so it stands tall. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you how to do that in the recipe section below.
How to garnish a strawberry lemonade cake
It is so pretty all on it’s own, but I decorated the strawberry lemonade cake with fresh slices of strawberries. Leave this step for the very end, right before serving, because the natural sugars will start to seep from the berries and no one wants soggy cake! Another option is to sprinkle with freeze-dried strawberries or pretty vegan shimmer pearls like these at Fancy Sprinkles.
5 reasons for why you should make the strawberry lemonade cake TODAY
1. The lemon cake –The cake is light and fluffy, full of lemon-y goodness and each bite melts in your mouth.
2. The pink lemonade frosting – this is not your usual buttercream recipe. It’s tender and airy, tart yet sweet and perfectly refreshing. You may just want to slather this on anything you can!
3. All those strawberries – Not only do fresh berries make the cake even more delicious, the strawberries also serve to balance out the frosting and also work as a no-fuss decoration. Just add a few slices strawberries on top of the cake and it looks amazing, without a lot of effort.
4. It’s vegan and can easily be made gluten free – Yes, this beauty of a cake is vegan, just like the others here on the blog! And if you’d like to make this gluten-free, simply use a cup-for-cup flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1) which already contains xanthan gum.
5. Super easy to make & take–One thing that’s great about sheet cakes is the ease of making them. And although I’m a lover of layer cakes, when baking for a larger group or with only a little time to prepare, sheet cakes are handy to have. Plus, its easy to transport since it’s already contained in 1 pan.
Other Summertime Desserts You May Love
If you are looking for an easy cake to serve your family and friends this summer, make this Strawberry Lemonade Cake. It makes you happy just looking at it!
Fair warning…this will disappear quickly! So grab a big slice and be prepared to make another pan asap!
Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Cake
Meet my latest dessert crush. Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Cake! It is the perfect summer dessert and just screams SUNSHINE! Tart and sweet, tangy and fresh, this sheet pan cake is summer at its best. Nut-free with GF option.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 3/4 cup flour (AP or 1:1 GF flour Blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup dairy-free milk (we use Good Karma Flax Milk)
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (vegetable, safflower)
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (can sub with vanilla extract)
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries (fresh, not frozen)
Pink Lemonade Frosting
- 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup room temp dairy-free butter (like Earth Balance)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup strawberries, blended into a puree
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla OR lemon extract
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat 9x13" pan with non-stick spray and dusting of flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar and lemon zest.
- In a small bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: dairy-free milk, lemon juice, water, oil and extract.
- Sift remaining dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) directly into the bowl with sugar/zest. Whisk then pour liquids into it. Stir by hand until it's all incorporated.
- Fold in diced strawberries then pour into prepared sheet pan.
- Bake 22-25 minutes, or until center of cake comes out clean when a toothpick is inserted in the middle. Allow to cool and make frosting.
Frosting Instructions:
- Place shortening and vegan butter in a bowl with a stand-up mixer. Use paddle attachment and whip 1-2 minutes until smooth. Sift in powdered sugar then add lemon zest and extract. Whip until nice and fluffy then blend in 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry puree, or until spreadable for your cake. **If frosting cupcakes, use only 2 tablespoons puree so it is easier to pipe.
Assembly:
Spread layer of frosting, as much or as little as you'd like, on cake while in pan and decorate with slices of fresh strawberries or sprinkles.
Notes
* If making cupcakes, line 14 muffin cups and fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20-22 minutes at 350°. Let cool then decorate with a piping of frosting.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY for more details.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 415Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 248mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 1gSugar: 36gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information is only an estimate based off of using an online calculator. Numbers will change depending on brands used.
Do you think this recipe could be adjusted for an 8′ cake pan. I love the recipie, and would love to make this into a two or three layer cake
This is the standard recipe I use: Frosting Recipe Just omit the instant coffee.
Depends on what size cake you’d like. If you want a small 6” round, then you’d be fine with it as is. But if you are aiming for a standard 9”, then yes, you would double the recipe.
I made it. It was delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed this too! xoxo
should i double the batter to make it a 2 layer cake
So yummy. I made this for Easter lunch and it was loved by all, even non-vegan and gluten pro folks.
Woo-Hoo! Love when everyone can enjoy the same treat.
I haven’t really made a strawberry cake aside from a shortcake. This recipe looks really easy to make.
I made this cake yesterday and it came out horrible. The only thing I did differently was use almond milk because I didn’t have flax milk. Do you think that could have been the problem? I followed the recipe . The birds will be enjoying it. Please respond. Thank you. Cathy
That shouldn’t have been the issue. I made it this weekend as well and it was a hit. Did you do it with the GF flour option or regular flour option?
This looks amazing and I would like to try it for my kid’s birthday. Do you think if I blend the cake batter with the strawberries, it will come out ok? I am looking for a natural pink color to the cake but don’t want to ruin it in my attempts to do so. Thanks so much!
Do you mean actually blending the batter with the strawberries? That would turn it pink, but it would also remove the pieces of strawberries in it. You could also cook down some frozen strawberries and add in a little of the liquid to it. It shouldn’t ruin the consistency if you only use a small amount. Once you start adding a lot it, then you’d have to add more dry back into it. Let me know what you decide on doing and how it turns out.
freeze dried strawberries blended into a powder add a lot of pink color and no extra liquid plus they up the strawberry flavor!
Lovely!
You were right that this cake would disappear quickly and to be prepared to make another! I’ve made this cake twice now in the last two weeks! My 19-year-old son said this would be his new birthday cake request! So easy to make and my new favorite dessert recipe. Can’t wait to try it as a layer cake.
I’d love to see it as a layered cake. That’s next on my list!
I’m so confused! I’m using a 1:1 GF flour and coconut oil. When I pour the wet ingredients into the dry I end up not being able to mix it at all. Like it just forms a dough instantly and I can’t mix all the ingredients together. I tried adding more milk and water but that ended up making my cake like wet. Also, it doesn’t make enough to fill a pan the size you tried. I’m using Ancient grain + flax GF flour mix. It says 1:1 so maybe it’s not?
Also, is there anyway I can make a sweetener free version? I’d like to make this for my (almost) 1 yr olds birthday without all the sugar.
I’m not familiar with Ancient Grains 1:1 blend. I’m assuming that their flour combo uses a blend that absorbs more liquid (at least I know flax does that). You can try adding more liquid but a little at a time, until its the consistency of a normal cake batter. It shouldn’t be thick or runny. Did you try it using a different sweetener as well? I tried cutting the sugar as much as I could without changing the texture. Sugar also helps make it moist, which is one of the benefits with this. But you could try something like Swerve, Wholesome Zero or Allulose. I’ve had great results baking with those.
Can I use regular milk without changing the cake texture?
Yes, you sure can. Any of the recipes should be interchangeable with regular dairy (unless it calls for coconut cream).
SO GOOD! I made cupcakes (got 16 out of the batch). I made this for a friend but the event was rescheduled. How would you recommend I store? Would it freeze well?
How long has the event been postponed? They should freeze if you freeze for an hr and then seal-if they already have the frosting on top. You can also remove the frosting and freeze in an airitight container. OR- you can eat them and make a new batch. I like the last option best 🙂
I made this for our Fourth of July dessert ! I made it as the recipe was written, except I used almond milk and strawberry reduction instead of the puree, as I had it on hand. My family absolutely loved it…it’s addictive! The frosting was perfect, the taste of lemon was fresh but not tart. It was simple to make….a keeper of a recipe !
Love this Kimberly! Thanks for sharing.
I have a small kid allergic to all top 10 allergens. I have tried different kinds of cupcake recepies (not yours) for him before and did not have much success. This cupcake came out so beautifully. Everyone enjoyed it along with my son.
I am going to try the other recepies too !
I am so glad to hear that! I love when our kids are able to enjoy the same traits that we do. Please let me know if you have any questions on other recipes as you try them.
Okay this recipe is everything I could have hoped for: vegan, low effort, fast, delicious!
Unfortunately my birthday isn’t in strawberry season so I added a couple of spoonfuls of strawberry jam and it turned out great! I also baked it in a loaf pan and it turned out fine, only took a little longer in the oven than the recipe 🙂
So great to hear. You could also try to use organic frozen diced strawberries if In a pinch. How much longer did it bake?
This looks amazing! I want to make a roll cake, and do you think this would work if I spread the batter out thinner?
I think that would work great. I just doubled the recipe and made it into a 4 layered 8′ round cake. For yours, I’d adjust the baking time for a shorter length
Did you do the layered cakes with GF flour? If not, would it work to layer with GF flour?
I have layered GF cakes and actually tried it once with this cake. It should make 2 taller 6″ rounds or 2 thinner 8″ round cakes. You would just have to adjust the temperature accordingly.
Can I substitute with almond flour?
I haven’t tried since we have a nut allergy. You can check out this link from All I Dream About Food for tips on baking with it.
This recipe looks really delicious. I plan to
try it. But I have to say there’s no way that with all of those ingredients it’s going to take just 10 minutes to prepare the cake and the frosting? No. More like 30 minutes at least. Unless you happen to be Jamie Oliver. LOL . I’m not sure why recipe authors always tend to underestimate how long it takes to prepare their recipe? The only explanation I have is not discourage people from trying them.
Typically, once the ingredients are on the counter, it usually only takes 10 minutes to prepare the batter and get it in the oven. The frosting is additional time, yes, but a lot of people do that while the recipe is baking, so it’s not additional time per say, if that makes sense. But I do see your point. The recipes usually take me hours because I’m taking photos at every step, which makes it difficult to judge an additional time.
How would I alter this to use a mix, like King Arthur GF yellow cake mix? (We can do eggs, just not gluten, dairy, or nuts). Just adding the lemon zest, lemon juice, and strawberries to the mix should impart the flavor? And of course I’m going to try your frosting – it looks AMAZING!
If King Arthur has a 1:1 mix, then you should be good with replacing flour in equal amounts. As for replacing the vinegar, I haven’t tried subbing with eggs. Since I no longer bake with eggs, I just know or experiment with other options like vinegar. In theory, 1 TB vinegar + 1 tsp. baking soda equals an egg so you can see that doesn’t exactly apply in this recipe. I’d love for you to try it with subbing the flour first, then play with the egg.
Delicious! We’re not vegan, so I used butter for the frosting, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The cake is so light and moist. I baked it in a 9×13 Pyrex, and mine was done in 20 minutes.
Awesome Daphne! Glad to know how it worked in a larger pan.
I love this cake! I’ve made it into the sheet pan and cupcakes before. I just attempted it in a 91/2 in cake pan for a friends birthday. I baked it for 30 minutes on 350. I just took it out of the oven. Comes out clean with a toothpick and looks MOIST! hopefully its just as epic as I remember!
You’ll have to let me know how the rounds turned out. Hope it was just as wonderful
the batter barely filled the 9×13 pan. Is that right?
How did it turn out? Mine is a thin 9×13 layer. You can easily adjust the size of pan for a thicker cake, round cake or cupcake options.
Can I use ghee or dairy free butter in place of the vegetable shortening in the icing? We avoid those oils in our house.
I haven’t tried with ghee but you should be able to use butter or dairy free butter for the icing. It will jut be more sensitive to heat, so may need to be refrigerated.