Sweet berry and tart, bright lemonade flavors blend in this unforgettable cake.

If you’re looking for theperfect cakefor a summertime celebration, this strawberry-lemonade cake is the one.

you’re free to assemble this beautiful cake up to two days ahead and store at room temperature.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake sliced and ready to serve

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Beat at low speed just until blended.

Stir in zest and juice.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake ingredients

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites.

Spoon batter into 4 greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake adding the egg yolks to the batter

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Make Strawberry-Lemonade Jam Filling:

Process strawberries in a blender until smooth.

Press through a wire-mesh strainer into a 3-qt.

saucepan, using back of a spoon to squeeze out juice; discard pulp.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake stirring the zest and juice into the cake batter

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch.

Gradually whisk lemon juice mixture into strawberry mixture.

Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake whipping the egg whites to soft peaks

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Place plastic wrap directly on warm jam; chill 2 hours or until cold.

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Make Frosting:

Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake batter added to the pans

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Add strawberries and food coloring (if desired); beat until blended.

Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture.

Spoon 1 cup Strawberry Frosting into a zip-top plastic freezer bag.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake baked cakes cooling in the pans on a cooling rack

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole.

Pipe a ring of frosting around cake layer just inside the top edge.

Top with second and third cake layers, repeating procedure with filling and frosting between each layer.

Strawberry Lemonade Cake straining the pureed strawberries

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Top with last cake layer, and spread remaining Strawberry Frosting on top and sides of cake.

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake whisking the lemon juice mixture into the strawberry mixture

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake strawberry mixture cooked until thickened

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake jam covered with plastic wrap

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake adding the strawberries to the frosting mixture

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake beating whipped cream until stiff peaks form

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake frosting after folding cream into cream cheese mixture

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake piping the frosting around the edge of the cake layer

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake spreading the frosting on top of the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Strawberry Lemonade Cake finished and ready to serve

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox