Every spring, when the strawberries at the grocery store finally start looking like strawberries instead of pale, sad imposters, I know it’s time. Time for the cake that takes up the whole sheet pan, feeds the whole church potluck, and makes the kitchen smell like a place you’d want to spend all afternoon.
I made this for Clara’s school bake sale and the teacher told me it was the first thing to sell out. Mason was upset because he didn’t get a piece, so I made a second one just for the family. Jake cut himself a slice the size of a paperback novel and called it “a normal serving.”
Nana Ruth made a lemon cake every Easter that she frosted with cream cheese icing and decorated with exactly nothing — just thick white icing and a sprinkle of whatever was in her cupboard. I’ve been making her lemon cake for years, but last spring I started folding in fresh strawberries, and now there’s no going back.
The strawberry lemon combination is everywhere right now — lattes, loaf cakes, cookies, cocktails. And I get it. There’s something about that tart-sweet-floral thing that just says spring. This is a sheet cake because in my house, dessert is not a portion — it’s a project. It feeds twelve to sixteen people, it travels in the pan it baked in, and it doesn’t need a cake stand or a presentation.
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Sheet Cake
Make the batter. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions. The buttermilk keeps the cake incredibly tender and the lemon makes it sing.
Fold in the strawberries. Dice fresh strawberries and toss with a tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking. Gently fold them into the batter — you want them distributed throughout but not crushed.
Bake in a sheet pan. Pour the batter into a greased and lined 9×13 pan (or a half-sheet pan for a thinner cake). Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The strawberries create pockets of jammy sweetness as they bake.
Frost with lemon cream cheese icing. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Spread over the completely cooled cake. Top with fresh strawberry slices if you want it to look as good as it tastes.
If you love a good sheet cake, my Nana Ruth’s Carrot Cake is the one I always bring to Easter dinner. For another bright spring dessert, try my Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars or my Strawberry Pretzel Salad — both disappear faster than you would believe.
Strawberry Lemon Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest about 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and diced
- 8 oz cream cheese softened, for frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened, for frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar for frosting
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice for frosting
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13 sheet pan (or a half-sheet pan for a thinner cake).
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the softened butter, eggs, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
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Toss the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour (this keeps them from sinking). Gently fold them into the batter.
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Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
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For the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and lemon juice, beating until fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake. Garnish with extra sliced strawberries if desired.
Common Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars
- Nana Ruth’s Carrot Cake (The Only Easter Dessert You Really Need)
- Nana Ruth’s Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns
What I Use for This Recipe
A couple things from my kitchen that make this one easier.
Every frosting, every batter, every whipped cream. Light enough that my wrist survives a double batch.
No handles, more feel. Nana Ruth used one just like this. You can feel the dough better.
Good sheet pans that never warp in the oven. Years of cookies and sheet pan dinners.
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