Description
This delightful Strawberry Cake features a moist, buttery batter topped generously with fresh strawberries, baked to golden perfection. It’s a simple yet elegant dessert perfect for any occasion, offering a luscious balance of sweet, tender cake and juicy, sweet-tart berries.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, plus more for greasing the pan)
- 1 cup sugar (divided: 1 cup for batter, 2 tablespoons for strawberries)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (low-fat is fine)
Fruit
- About ¾ lb strawberries (hulled and halved)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and thoroughly butter a 9-inch (23-cm) deep dish pie pan or a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter together with 1 cup of sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This process should take about 3 minutes and creates a light, airy base for the batter.
- Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the large egg and the vanilla extract at low speed until everything is well combined, ensuring the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed until the batter is smooth. Note that the batter will be quite thick at this stage.
- Prepare to bake: Transfer the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface gently with a spatula.
- Arrange strawberries: Place the halved strawberries cut side down to completely cover the batter surface. Use more or fewer strawberries as needed to cover evenly.
- Sprinkle sugar: Evenly sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the arranged strawberries, which will help them caramelize and add sweetness during baking.
- Bake the cake: Bake the cake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C) and continue baking until the cake is lightly golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 1 hour more.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for added indulgence.
- Storage: Store the leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature for several days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Using fresh, ripe strawberries enhances the flavor and juiciness of the cake.
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for easier creaming with sugar.
- If desired, the cake can be served with a dusting of powdered sugar instead of whipped cream or ice cream.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute milk with almond or oat milk and use dairy-free butter.
- Be careful not to overmix once the flour is added to avoid a dense cake texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American