:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Simply-Recipes-Pink-Lemonade-Cake-LEAD-5614503e1c5b494c90b09311ebecbd12.jpg "Pink Lemonade Cake Recipe")
If you’re a lemonade lover, then this cake is for you. It’s citrusy, punchy, and just sweet enough—pink lemonade in cake form!
It’s also easy to make, thanks to a few clever tricks. The secret ingredient is thawed frozen pink lemonade concentrate, which adds lots of flavor without adding too much liquid. The batter is made using the reverse creaming method, combining the dry ingredients and butter before adding the wet ingredients. This foolproof method yields a more tender cake with a flatter top, perfect for frosting.
Speaking of frosting, a cream cheese buttercream with a little more lemonade concentrate completes the dessert. It’s easy (no stacking or fancy decorating skills required) and feeds a crowd—perfect for a barbecue, potluck, or family dinner.
Quick Tips for Making Pink Lemonade Cake
- Make sure the butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature before mixing up your cake and frosting. This ensures your cake batter will mix up evenly and have a tender crumb.
- For the perfect creamy, dreamy frosting, don’t skip sifting the powdered sugar.
- If you can’t find pink lemonade concentrate, use regular lemonade concentrate instead. To make a lemonade cake that’s not pink, swap the concentrate and leave out the red food coloring.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Make It Ahead
The frosted cake will keep in the fridge in an airtight container or tightly covered for a few days, but you can get further ahead if you like. The baked, cooled (and unfrosted) cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to a month. Let thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
The frosting can also be made ahead. Whip it up as far as a week before serving and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or until spreadable, before frosting.