This bright summertime cake is a great addition to any picnic table or dessert spread. Made with plenty of lemon and a delicious homemade strawberry jam, it’s a palate-pleaser for adults and kids alike.

Directions

Mom pro-tip: zest the lemons before juicing them

Lemon Cakes
1. In a large mixing bowl, add non-dairy milk and lemon juice. Whisk to combine and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Add oil, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to the milk mixture and whisk. Add in the flour mixture until everything is just combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly into the two cake pans and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. A few small crumbs are okay.
6. Take the cakes out of the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing cakes from the pans. Let cool completely before adding jam and frosting.

Strawberry Jam
1 Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and drop the heat to low, stirring constantly to break up the chunks of strawberries. Cook for about 5 minutes before removing from heat. Let cool completely before refrigerating until needed.

Lemon Icing
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together vegan butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Make sure to break any sugar lumps in the icing. Add the strawberry jam to the icing and whisk in.

Constructing the Cake
1. Lay one layer of cake on the plate or dish you want to ice on. Start by piping a thick ring of icing around the edge of the top of the bottom layer of cake. Fill in the circle you have created with the strawberry jam, spreading out to the icing line. If you have too much jam, reserve the rest for another dish (it’s great on pancakes!).
2. Gently place the second layer of the cake on top of the first layer. Push down gently. Pipe or spread remaining icing out across the top and sides of the cake. There should be enough icing to do a rough crumb coat of the cake.
3. Slice strawberries into thin pieces and layer around the crown of the cake. Add extra to the middle for an added pop.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.