Lambda function, created with CDK (typescript, using NodejsFunction from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-lambda-nodejs') does not import module from the pre-existing layer in my account

[alexeireznik]

CDK v. 2.134.0 / Typescript

Simple example of the problem: I have a 'lodash' layer in my AWS lambda account, created using console by uploading the .zip file made from lodash npm package. The layer could be attached and works fine for several lambdas, created using console.

The goal is to be able to use the same layer in the lambda function, created as part of the stack using CDK / Typescript and NodejsFunction from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-lambda-nodejs'

The layer:

import { LayerVersion, Runtime } from "aws-cdk-lib/aws-lambda";
import { NodejsFunction } from "aws-cdk-lib/aws-lambda-nodejs";

...
const lodashLayer = LayerVersion.fromLayerVersionArn(
      this,
      "lodash",
      "arn:aws:lambda:eu-north-1:*********:layer:lodash:3"
);

The function:

    const nodejsRouteHandler = new NodejsFunction(this, "NodejsRouteHandler", {
      bundling: {
        externalModules: ["lodash"], 
      },
      runtime: Runtime.NODEJS_20_X,
      entry: "lambda/route-handlers/get.ts",
      handler: "handler",
    });

Layer attached:

nodejsRouteHandler.addLayers(lodashLayer);

The handler (get.ts)

import * as _ from "lodash";
export const handler = async (event: any, context: any) => {
  console.log("event:", event, "context:", context);
  console.log("*** sum 1 and 2 ***", _.add(1, 2));
  return {
    statusCode: 200,
    body: "OK from JS route handler function",
  };
};

Building process (using esbuild) goes with no errors/warnings, the layer is attached to the function.

The problem when testing from the console or running within the stack:

Response
{
  "errorType": "Runtime.ImportModuleError",
  "errorMessage": "Error: Cannot find module 'lodash'\nRequire stack:\n- /var/task/index.js\n- /var/runtime/index.mjs",
  "trace": [
    "Runtime.ImportModuleError: Error: Cannot find module 'lodash'",
    "Require stack:",
    "- /var/task/index.js",
    "- /var/runtime/index.mjs",
    "    at _loadUserApp (file:///var/runtime/index.mjs:1087:17)",
    "    at async UserFunction.js.module.exports.load (file:///var/runtime/index.mjs:1119:21)",
    "    at async start (file:///var/runtime/index.mjs:1282:23)",
    "    at async file:///var/runtime/index.mjs:1288:1"
  ]
}

I went through multitude of posts describing how to manage layers from scratch, but nothing about this situation, meaning that I'm doing something wrong. In AWS docs it seems that nothing else is needed and it should work, but it doesn't.