Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat egg whites with lemon juice until frothy, then gradually add half of the sugar until stiff peaks form.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until pale and creamy. Mix in oil, water, and vanilla.

Sift flour mixture into egg yolk mixture and gently fold in, followed by the whipped egg whites.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Create the strawberry simple syrup by heating water, sugar, and sliced strawberries until sugar dissolves. Let cool.

Prepare optional strawberry puree by cooking strawberries with sugar, blending until smooth.

In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Slice the sponge cake into three layers. Assemble with syrup, whipped cream, and strawberries in between layers.

Frost the cake with remaining whipped cream and drizzle strawberry puree on top if desired.

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving to let flavors meld and cake firm up.