Easy Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe
This is a lovely light cake with fresh strawberries baked into the batter. The batter is scented with lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract which all work so nicely with strawberries. Since the cake is so flavorful, we love serving it simply. Try a dusting of powdered sugar on top or next to a bowl of whipped cream. Ice cream would work too
This is a lovely light cake with fresh strawberries baked into the batter. The batter is scented with lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract which all work so nicely with strawberries. Since the cake is so flavorful, we love serving it simply. Try a dusting of powdered sugar on top or next to a bowl of whipped cream. Ice cream would work too
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons (115 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon for
- 2 large eggs separated, see notes
- 1/2 cup (125 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt
- 8 ounces fresh strawberries hulled and halved (about 1 1/2 cups)
- powdered sugar for serving optional
- Carbohydrate 3.64167608042921 g
- Cholesterol 106.56666666501 mg
- Fat 2.75362398560215 g
- Fiber 0.706277961427795 g
- Protein 4.02511097006559 g
- Saturated Fat 0.89170701157134 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (75g)
- Sodium 94.6153576875067 mg
- Sugar 2.93539811900142 g
- Trans Fat 0.452586960078361 g
- Calories 56 calories
Step-by-step
- Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch by 2-inch round pan. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other (this helps even baking).
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract. Beat until smooth and blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then beat in the cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- Mix in a third of the flour until only a few streaks of flour remain then mix in the remaining flour. Add the egg whites and sour cream and mix on medium low speed just until smooth.
- Spread the cake batter into an even layer in the baking pan. Gently press strawberries into the top of the batter in a circular pattern so that the strawberries are covering most of the top of the cake. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the strawberries.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes then run a knife around the edges and remove from the pan. Place strawberry-side-up on the cooling rack and allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
Stacking two regular baking sheets beneath your cake pan creates an insulating air buffer that prevents the bottom crust from over-browning before the center sets at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Understanding how each component behaves in this batter ensures success, especially when altering the formula.
- Substituting the sour cream with whole milk requires reducing the liquid by two tablespoons to maintain the proper crumb structure.
- Almond extract provides benzaldehyde notes that chemically enhance the fruit flavor of the berries without tasting overtly nutty.
- Separating the two large eggs allows you to whip the whites separately for added lift, compensating for the heavy weight of the fruit.
- Pressing hulled strawberries cut-side down into the batter prevents excessive moisture release from pooling in pockets during the 35-to-45-minute bake time.
- Adapting this vegetarian base for gluten-free diets requires a measured flour swap utilizing a cup-for-cup blend containing xanthan gum.
Cooling the baked pastry in its pan for precisely five minutes lets the structure firm up enough for a clean release. Store leftovers at room temperature under a dome for up to two days.
