It is not summer yet. In fact, it’s been raining for more than a week, and another week — the one in which I presume we’ll be introduced to our new mosquito overlords — is promised. In fact, it was so cold that I met a friend for lunch today and had to wear both a light wool sweater and a jacket. It’s almost like summer looked at New York City and said “pbbbblt!”
But I know it’s coming. I know it’s coming because strawberries appeared at the Greenmarkets last week and if you think I dork out pretty badly when the first asparagus stalks appear, you ain’t seen nothing like my “the strawberries are here!” dance. (And hopefully, you never will, or at least until Jacob gets his tell-all YouTube channel.) Suffice it to say that it is awkward but that’s almost besides the point. Strawberries — the kind that really taste like strawberries — are always promised for weeks before they appear and without fail, I go overboard when they arrive, bringing home pounds, plural, when a single box would get us through the weekend. When Monday rolls around and the strawberries are on their last legs, if you listen closely to them, they’ll tell you that this cake is how they’d like to go out.
I hope this will be your summer cake. I realize that from the outset it may not look particularly different from a standard fresh berry coffee cake. It aligns most closely with the Raspberry Buttermilk Cake I made from Gourmet two years ago, but what makes it different is the volume of fruit — there’s a pound of hulled and halved strawberries in a cake that can barely handle it. The strawberries take over. Nobody complains. The cake is short on steps but long on baking time, and in that hour that it hangs out in your oven, those strawberries turn into puddles of jam. The batter buckles around and the receding berries, which dimple like a country quilt. The edges of the cake become faintly crisp.
And your apartment will smell like a strawberry patch. Your toddler will have no idea what’s on the counter, only that he must march into the kitchen and blindly grasp at it, retreating to his trike with a satisfied fistful. You’ll also sneak a slice before dinner, ruining your appetite and plotting the next time you’ll be able to make it. We cannot make summer get here sooner, but we can at least lay out the welcome mat.
One year ago: Rustic Rhubarb Tarts
Two years ago: Raspberry Buttermilk Cake and Slaw Tartare
Four years ago: Cellophane Noodle Salad with Roast Pork
Strawberry Summer Cake
I recently picked up some barley flour and fell in love with it. We tend to associate whole grain flours with heartiness and heaviness, but this is neither — it’s silky and delicate, like the best cake flour you’ve ever bought, and it has a subtle creamy, nuttiness to it that goes fantastically with berries. This cake works like a dream with 100% all-purpose flour but if you’ve got barley flour around, swapping it in for half the volume is beyond delicious, adding a real depth to a deceptively simple cake.
I am ever-so-slightly on the fence about the sweetness of this cake. I like it, but I wouldn’t hate the batter itself with 2 tablespoons less sugar (i.e. 7/8 cup sugar instead of a whole one). If that’s your inclination, go ahead and dial it back as well. Leave the sugar on top. It contributes to the berries turning into jam.
Note: In 2019, I added a sheet cake version of this to the site.
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
- 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour, see Note)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved
Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.
Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.
Do ahead: Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered, but good luck with that.
This cake not only looks delicious but it’s so beautiful! It’s a perfect way to use sweet Spring strawberries….yum!
Hi! I think this is the prettiest cake I’ve seen on your website! Thanks for feeding my eyes :)
Well, after seeing this I know exactly what I’ll be making after I pick local strawberries this weekend. They’re just now ripening here in central Illinois and I can’t wait to stock my freezer full of them!
I love this cake, I have made it three times in the last month for a variety of functions where I want something stunning that doesn’t take too much time. I have been meaning to post about it; you beat me to it! ;)
This summer cake is amazing! I have also made it substituting the fresh strawberries for frozen organic blueberries. Was delicious! I’ve also substituted the fresh strawberries for fresh black cherries!!
My toddler would definitely see this and go for it immediately! I cannot wait to try making this cake. And the powdered sugar and whip cream are perfect to top it off.
This looks delicious! Going to make it with some of the strawberries I scored at the farmer’s market on Saturday. Thanks!
Barley flour? I never knew such thing existed and I’m pretty sure we can’t get it here. Love the simplicity of this recipe.
I ground my own.
It’s also offered as a swap not a required ingredient. Love the sarcasm in your response.
Could just as easily be read as not sarcastic, M. Assume the best?
I’m thinking about picking some local strawberries this weekend too! And while I love strawberries, I’m imagining this cake all summer with different kinds of fruits…what do you think about blackberries, peaches, or cherries?
I’ve made this cake dozens of times. Tried it once with in-season peaches, and it lacked punch. I tried again with peaches plus a generous scattering of raspberries, and it was a huge hit. I’ve also added blueberries to the strawberries for a July 4 version.
I have never baked with barley flour but I love experimenting with new ingredients, I’ll have to pick some up and try this cake :)
I was just looking at the Strawberry Shortcake recipe, planning to make it, but now I can’t decide!!
The strawberries have not made an appearance at the markets upstate just yet. When they do, this will be on the list of must-haves, along with strawberry gallette, strawberry scones and strawberry salad with balsamic vinegar. I can barely wait.
We’re almost done with strawberry season here in Alabama – maybe one more week -and I’m already missing it. Our only consolation is peaches are showing up at the farmers market.
Still waiting for local strawberries, but maybe I got to the market too late. That has been known to happen. This cake looks delicious. Strawberries make me really happy!
Oh wow. I have 2 huge strawberry patches and wondered what to do with all the fruit. This!!!!! Breakfast, dessert, afternoon snack… yep. This. I had to use gf flour and it still turned out perfect.
Does the summer strawberry cake freeze well?
Yes
This was amazing. I will definitely be making it again. I made it for Thanksgiving dinner and this was almost gone and my apple pie ended up mostly uneaten.
I wondered about using GF flour. Did you use a particular brand or mix your own. Would love to know what you found that worked well.
Omg the picture that you have painted with both photography and words, I can only imagine how delicious this is!
And thanks for the heads up on the barley flour. Silky and delicate, subtle and creamy. I recently have forayed BACK into the realm of gluten yet try to avoid straight up wheat or pastry flour when I can, preferring other grains to wheat based flour, and so thank you for the barley flour tutorial!
Made this today and it won’t be the last time. Simple to make and has a classic, comfort food feel. I used a 9 inch springform pan, which worked perfectly.the cake (really a buckle) rose nicely, but definitely slumped in the middle after it cooled. I baked it at least 10 minutes longer than the directions suggested, though the center remained gooey (not necessarily a bad thing). Sprinkling sugar over the strawberries gives a lovely little sugar crust. This recipe would probably work great with other berries or chopped peaches.
Looks delicious! I’m very jealous, being in New Zealand and thus about to launch headlong into winter. Going to go sulk while I eat my apple (sick of peeling/ stewing apples already, too!).
I just came home from the grocery with 1 1/2 lbs of strawberries…I think I know what has to be done.
What a beauty! I think I need to make this soon. Yes. Merci!
That third photo is gorgeous. I’m making this for Memorial Day weekend. Thanks for posting this!
This cake and I will definitely be hanging out this summer. I wish I could pick that last photo right off my screen…yummo!
This looks glorious – I can’t think of a better way to showcase those gorgeous-looking strawberries! Hang in, the sunshine will come soon!
I have never tried cooking with barley flour, I am excited to try!
There is a man in his 70’s we call “The fruit guy” who walks around town with big baskets of fruit. He walks right into the restaurants and asks around at all the tables if anyone wants to buy what he is selling. This time of year it is strawberries he is selling. He gets shooed away quite often, but he always makes the fruit look so lovely…
I can’t wait to make this!!!
This looks amazing – it reminds me of a clafoutis!
Thank you for taking pictures of ripe strawberries. If I see one more photo of a white and fleshy strawberry I am going to scream. This looks amazing Deb.
I am beyond excited about this cake, and about the fact that we have the same cake pan! I’m definitely doing to pick up some barley flour. You make it sound delicious!
I can’t wait to make this cake – and if you have more strawberries than you can use (what a terrible problem to have, right?) have you thought of flash freezing them and then storing in freezer bags? I have found it’s the best way not to waste all those glorious berries, though I’m sure no one would complain if I served them in a cake. I’ll definitely try your method next time instead :)
Ugh this looks so good. Any recommendations for turning this into gluten free? I am gluten sensitive and my birthday is the 28th and I don’t know what to do about my cake. Anyone with an answer can hit me up at applefaerie (at) gmail (dot) com.
No, no, no. My last-leg strawberries have already been promised to shortcake this week and I’ll be shot if I renig, which means I have to wait until *next* week’s last leg strawberries, which is just cruel. Patience is not a virtue when photos like this are involved
Mmmm so tasty sounding. Strawberry season is my fav.
Absolutely love it, always good to be dreaming of summer :)
MMMM 99 cents a pound for strawberries at the market means I will definitely be making this. Do you think you could substitute buttermilk for the milk?
Oh wow, this looks amazing! Now I have a strong craving for strawberries though…
Those are quite possibly the juiciest looking berries I have ever seen! What better way to celebrate the rainy start of summer than with a delicious cake!
this cake looks divine, deb! i’m a HUGE fan of the gourmet buttermilk cake, and i’ve made it with a number of different types of berries this cake seems to be as adaptable as my trusty standby. can’t wait to make it!
Would it be possible to make the cake with raspberries instead?
It looks like several people have, but I might point you to this raspberry buttermilk cake, designed with raspberries in mind.
swoooon. This looks so good, and my grocery store just might have barley flour in the bulk section! I know I’ve at least seen quinoa flour there…
Hmm. Sounds lovely. Maybe I will add some rhubarb in too… since that is waiting for some attention in the fridge.
this looks wonderful! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hm, I think I have a similar dance when I first see ramps and fiddleheads. (This is why my boyfriend doesn’t accompany me to the greenmarket anymore!)
I have yet to bake with barley flour, but now I have the perfect reason to do so! What a great way to use all the strawberries this time of year. Just beautiful!
What a perfect dessert with homegrown strawberries! Thanks for sharing :)
Just love this sentence: “Monday rolls around and the strawberries are on their last legs, if you listen closely to them, they’ll tell you that this cake is how they’d like to go out.”
I too am guilty of bringing home more strawberries than my little tummy can possibly hold, and I am always looking for ways to use those that are past their peak but definitely not destined for the trash. This recipe looks simple and satisfying and infinitely adaptable.
Oh, and love your pie dish.
Can’t have strawberries at this time of the year here. But we have lovely fresh mangoes. I think they will be a perfect fit!!! Must try today itself!! Can’t wait to see the result.. so excited!!!
Looks lovely! Do you think i could do it with jam? I made strawberry jam last summer and still have some in the freezer. Ive been looking for a way to use it in baking! Any advice?!? Thanks!
This is a very similar recipe as to German plum cake, which is absolutely divine. Lovely use for old strawberries!
I don’t quite have a “the strawberries are here” dance (it’s more of an internal thing for me), but I do like the sound of my apartment smelling like a strawberry patch. :) A beautiful post and an excellent recipe; thank you!
Great recipe! Love it! Mouthwatering. I’d like a piece or two. :-)
This looks scrumptious. I want my strawberries turning into puddles of jam. I want my batter buckling around and the receding berries. Yes yes. Soon.
You made MY family cake!! This cake, and your chocolate-chip sour cream one, are our family cakes. I’ve made this cake literally dozens of times. Yes, it works beautifully in a pie tin instead of a cake pan – that’s what I usually make it in. Do NOT give in to temptation and add cocoa to the batter to make it a chocolate cake, it ruins it. I use less sugar in the batter and plenty on top to make it crisp a bit more, and I usually use vanilla sugar for the extra goodness. This cake is wonderful! I’ve probably made it more than any other cake.
I recently made a cake like this (with raspberries instead), but I was trying to do multiple things at one time, so I forgot the egg.. Disaster.. It was like a very sad collapsed soufflé.. Funny enough, it tasted a bit like a cookie, and in the end we did eat all of it. You reminded me I wanted to make it again, but this time with (!) the egg.. And Strawberries I guess!
I’ve made a cake very similar to this one but with peaches instead of strawberries (we always have extra peaches at my house). This looks delicious!
I saw this post pop up on my Facebook feed just a bit ago and asked my roommate to make it for me – it’s amazing and three of us are wolfing it down as we speak. Thanks Deb!
I’ve searched in vain for a strawberry cake recipe and have never been able to find one. All I ever find are strawberry shortcake recipes and strawberries as fillings in between layers of cream etc. I still think raspberries have the edge in cakes and desserts as they’re more tart but this looks delicious. All a long-winded way of saying “must try!”
Wow, what a stunning cake. I was thinking of ways to bake with strawberries and had come up with the Swedish summer cake but yours looks even more tempting. I’m going to bake it for my students next week.
ohh it’s beautiful! I don’t normally like cooked strawberries, but I do have a plethora of freshly picked ones, and the cake looks just so delicious…
This. This is what I’m making tonight. We’re a little past strawberry season, but this just looks too good.
Any ideas on what other fruits might sub well in this recipe though?
Looks gorgeous! The essence of summer.
Deb: I think I will combine this recipe with the buttermilk from your Raspberry Buttermilk Cake. We are still having winter weather in Oregon as well. I feel your pain. (PS: Jacob’s curls are precious.)
This is my coffee cake recipe! Except I piled the fruit (1 1/2 cups) on top of the batter and covered it with a crumb topping. The batter poofs up around the berries, swallowing some and nestling around the rest. It’s the best base recipe I’ve found for a moist coffee cake that actually gets better as it sits when using only the crumb topping. I used strawberries the last time I made it, but they were still at the pre-season, woody stage and were a little crunchy and not as flavorful as they are now. I’ll give it another go and mix the berries in but without the topping. I like the idea of the fruit getting all jammy.
I can sympathize on two levels of this post: 1) Summer has yet to arrive in Vancouver. It has been rainy and cold and grey and depressing and has not surpassed 65 degrees. Serious bummer. I long for warm weather and sun. 2) The strawberry dance. I’m from Essex County which is home to some of the most fertile soil in all of Canada. Every year since I was about 12, me and my mom went strawberry picking. It is by far one of my favourite past-times. Living across the country from each other makes the yearly picking a bit of a tough one. But you better believe that I called her immediately last week when I stumbled upon the first local strawberries of the year at the Granville Market. I strolled to the park, sat in the grass and ate every last one them. Now to find a place to pick on the west coast.
There is NOTHING like that first, sweet taste of strawberry-summer is one delicious bite! What a delicious recipe!
My parents live in Suffolk Country on LI, they’ve been complaining about the miserable weather too, so my sympathies. I’ll be visiting them for about a month this summer, hope it stops by then! There must be something in the air with all strawberry cakes popping up on blogs the last few days; makes me really want to get baking, especially with the gorgeous Belgian berries available here in Maastricht, but I don’t know how to work out European convection oven/microwave/grill (yes, it’s all three in one!) So I will have to wait til I get back to NY in June/July. Think something like raspberries or blackberries will work?
I tried adding strawberries to the raspberry cake you made last year (alas, no fresh strawberries here) and they sank to the bottom. I’m looking forward to trying this. However, I have frozen strawberries (our season’s Dec-Feb). Do you think they’ll sink with the weight? Should I let it thaw?
Oh I’ve done the same with strawberries myself and then struggled for things to do with the slightly-past-their-best versions a few days later. I will definitely have to remember this recipe.
And I hope your summer comes soon!
I had my heating on yesterday in London so I feel your pain…I love the way the strawberries get all cooked and mushy in this cake. It looks very summery but yet sturdy enough to be a proper cake and not a pathetic summer dessert. Thanks for the recipe!
Looks so yummy!
I have a similar love affair with Scottish raspberries, so I know where you’re coming from. This pile of berries with a smidge of cake attached will be made today and taken to my cancer nutrition workshop for their delectation. You (not Martha) will get the credit. Will use raspberries, as I already have them, but I will definitely make it with strawberries when they are at a point to deserve such attention. As always, thanks for sharing. Your prose-y intro made me laugh, too.
summer is already here to my place and i’m looking forward to preparing your wonderful strawberry summer cake this afternoon!
pls kindly help me by..demystifing :) whether 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour=188 grams as stated above or do you mean 12 ounces=340grs?
since in greece we barely use cups, i ‘m so grateful to you that you have added grs on your fantastic recipes!
thx for your prompt answer! sunny greetings!
Hi Deb,
Looks great! Just wondering–would it be possible to use a springform cake pan for this recipe?
Fantastic! Perhaps you’d consider using albino strawberries (aka pineberries) instead (http://wp.me/p18zw1-14h ). They are a cross between pineapple and strawberries. A great taste of summer!
Looks beautiful! I’m always happy to get a recipe I can make in advance so I’m not frazzled when guests arrive. Thanks
looks soooo yummy!!and seems so easy to make, will try one day
Deb or anyone else out there — any ideas on what adjustments to make to this for baking it at 7,500 feet?
Have you ever gotten an answer? I would suggest that you reduce the sugar by a little less than 1/4 and reduced the leavening. I live at 9200 ft and find there are no “fer sures,” but the Colorado State University Extension is considered the “center of excellence” for high altitude baking/cooking; check them out.
loving those pictures, looks so yummy.
Do you have an assistant to help you read through all your comments? If not, I apologize for adding to your workload. But I’ll just take a second of your time to say I love your writing style. Imaginative, original, grammatically correct, and always very funny. How do you do it, day after day?!! Oh and yes, the recipes always look extremely tempting as well. Bravo!
Astrid — Thank you. No, I do not have an assistant, to read comments or even run out for milk for me when I forget. Reading comments takes a long time throughout the day but it is an honor to have people visit who are enthusiastic enough to share bits and pieces about themselves.
Sara — Sadly, I’ve never baked at 7,500 feet! If you have Joy of Cooking, there’s a whole section in there with great tips about adapting recipes high up.
gina —
I’m not sure I followed what you were asking.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour weighs 188 grams. Updated: Oh wait, I do follow (duh) — We Americans have to make things extra-extra confusing in that a cup of liquid is 8 ounces, which is a volume measurement, thus 1 1/2 cups of liquid would be 12 liquid ounces. However, dry ingredients are typically measured in weights. Whenever I say “grams”, you can use a scale.If it weren’t for summer produce I’d have no idea that summer was coming! This NYC weather is totally bizarre. Anyway, I love this cake!
Yay! Something more to do with the (gulp) 18.5 lbs of strawberries my 3 year old and I picked yesterday! Looks wonderful! Thank you!
…yummmmm!!!!!!!
I love the mosquito overlords…great writing!
Oh I am so going to have to make this. I can’t wait until our CSA strawberries are delivered.
This looks amazing. Strawberries are my absolute favorite, and we’re actually in the middle-end of strawberry season here in Italy. So sad. But I’ve made so many other desserts with these little gems, which has been so good. And I’m excited to try this version! That said, the market berries (that I, embarrassingly, moan over while eating at the counter upon returning from the market) are SO ripe that they actually last barely one day. Do you think the sugar sprinkled over them and the cooking of the berries will extend their lives to the two days you mention above? While my body doesn’t mind me eating a container of fresh strawberries in one sitting, it might rebel if I eat an entire cake…
I had fun making little individual strawberry tarts when my overabundant purchase was tiring. Your strawberry cake looks moist and delicious. Next, I’m going to try using plums in a cake like yours (because I bought to many and I love the deep purple!)
Thanks for the metric! Off to buy my strawberries now :)
I love that I can count on smittenkitchen for a new “everyday cake” recipe when I need it most (despite the fact that I don’t think we’ll be seeing strawberries here for another month…). Thanks for the heads-up about taking the sugar down a notch. Definitely appreciate a not-too-sweet cake.
I really have a thing at the moment for strawberries that have been cooked. They go gooey, sticky and delicious. The flavour is also concentrated so much more. I have some strawberries that I picked the other day, which will soon be on last legs. May need to use this recipe to finish them up with.
you cam read my mind Deb :) was thinking about strawberry cake :))))
oh. my. god. need a pound (or so) berries *now*!
We went strawberry picking a few weeks ago (North Carolina…) and I have bagfuls of frozen strawberries in my freezer. Do you think I can just use those? Should I let them thaw first?
Thank you SO MUCH for translating cups into grams and ml!!!
I’m French / addicted to cooking blogs / without cups (I completely forgot to buy some during my last trip to the us) and conversions are an additionnal pain!
Thanks for doing that for me :)
Your recipes are amazing – this one’s next on my to-do list!
@ Vrushali: Do let us know how it went with the mangoes. No strawberry where I am but the mangoe season is starting and I would loove to try it with that.
I always buy more berries than we can actually go through, because I know the season is short and I want my fill of them. It makes me so sad to have them start to turn before we can eat them up, so this cake will absolutely become my delicious way to use them!
Oh my – I made this recently and it was so absolutely wonderful!
This looks perfect! I’ve been trying to find new ways to use strawberries.
I always heard, growing up in Oregon, that Oregon strawberries are the best in the world. And compared with the California monstrosities in the supermarkets, they’re clear winners.
So when I moved to South Carolina, I was hoping that the abundance of farmer’s stands would mean excellent strawberries. Boy was I wrong.
Maybe it’s all that cool weather that makes them so good? (Obviously, I’m not a horticulturist. This is probably quite knowable.)
All I’m saying is, there’s a bright side to your delayed summer. A bright red side. :)
Mosquito overlords! Now that was a terrific line. The cake sounds amazing, too–I’m adding it to my list. My long, long list…
Well, hello Memorial Day dessert. It’s good to meet you!
Your strawberries are here dance sounds vaguely reminiscent of our nectarines are here number. And this cake looks like it would brighten even these rainy NYC skies…
This looks and sounds absolutely devine!!! Question – Instead of milk, do you think I could use almond milk instead? I’ve never bake with this and not sure if it would work. What do you think?
Lovely, I want it right now. Have a chocolate mayonnaise cake cooling as I write – wish I had seen this recipe an hour ago! Will conjure up some spring in New England and bake this for the weekend. It’s supposed to really warm up here today but we are still fighting the daily showers and gray skies – I think strawberries are called for!!!
I am making this cake over the weekend. There is absolutely no doubt about it.
This looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make it this weekend. Do you think I could use oat flour?
What a luscious looking summery cake. thanks for sharing!
This looks fab!
I’m the exact same way when strawberries come around. Just recently our produce box contained apriums. They were hail damaged, so they were added for free, and they gave us an option to purchase an entire case at a discounted price. Since the hail damage was barely noticeable, and I was so excited to experience the first taste of stone fruit of the year, I went for it, and believe me- we’ve had ALL-things aprium… margaritas, tarts, smoothies, yogurt…
I cannot wait to make this cake. I have a similar pie plate, and it looks gorgeous! I was just curious if you’d recommend using almond flour in place of the barely flour. I have almond meal that I used to make macrons and I’m trying to use it!
I just bought the same pie plate! This cake was meant to be.
This looks marvelous! Btw, if you love the barley flour and strawberry jam combination, try the barley flour and strawberry jam scones in Good to the Grain. They are soooooooo good.
yum!! i have some barley flour in my cupboard that i have been meaning to use up ~ maybe i’ll be brave and try my hand at this one ;)
Grr! All the best food blogs are awash in strawberries right now, and I can’t even touch them! Now I know how the gluten-free folks feel when they see marvelous pictures of mouthwatering baked goods they know just won’t be the same with substitutions. *sigh* But (this is me looking on the bright side) maybe it’ll work with big, fat blackberries cut in half. And I really like the idea of the barley flour. To the health food store!
How many servings would you make from this? Is it pretty rich such that you would want to cut 12 servings rather than the 6 or 8 you would usually get from a pie pan? I have a gathering next month that typically has 10 people. I’m wondering if I should just make one, with whipped cream to top and maybe cut up some fruit just in case, or go ahead and make 2 cakes. Thanks for any thoughts you have on this.
Celeste — I’d serve it to 8 to 10 people. If there are multiple desserts, you can cut it smaller.
I have been making this recipe for years from Martha’s magazine and can vouch for its simplicity and deliciousness. Homemade plain whipped cream on top is perfection!
@Jennie (#96) – I wouldn’t try almond milk for baking, because it doesn’t have nearly as much protein as dairy milk, and the texture of the finished product might be dramatically different, but unsweetened soy milk might work (maybe add a drop of almond extract?).
So glad for yet another recipe to use my strawberries for! It looks delicious and yes, quite simple to make.
Oh man, I am SO totally making this! It looks marvelous, and we’re BIG strawberry fans here! I just made your Big Crumb Coffee Cake the other day when we started getting local rhubarb (which is my husband’s very favorite, uh, fruit) and it turned out great, as does everything of yours that I make! :)
just wanted to say that your written description was beautiful even without the photos, but the photography just put it over the top…. i absolutely am baking this tonight!
I love strawberries, and I just know I am going to love this cake – especially when I pick up my first batch of Greenmarket berries this weekend! One question re: the barley flour – could you also use the same amount of oat flour?
I haven’t tried this with any flours besides barley and all-purpose but I suspect that it would be amenable to a 50% swap with just about any flour you like. The cake seems flexible to me. The strawberries are the star.
Re: almond milk — My hunch is that it would be just fine. It’s such a small amount of milk here, and again, I think this is a flexible cake.
Re: buttermilk — I have some excellent buttermilk in my fridge right now, thanks to tips on Twitter last week and was tempted to use it. However, I didn’t want the acidity to mess with any chemical reactions and admit I was too lazy to dig into Bakewise to see if it would throw the leavener off. If you try it, let us know.
I LOVE strawberry cake…can’t wait to give this a try.
gorgeous! definitely looks like summer to me, weather be damned.
sigh, this cake makes me excited to make it and sad because strawberries are weeks and weeks away here in Vancouver. We do have some “strawberries” in some mega-grocery store but they are white on the inside and dry. I’m book marking this for around late june when I can make this with beautifully fresh, juicy, bright red strawberris.
I just made the cake today, seeing as I had a pound of strawberries in the fridge. Deb, I was wondering whether you think the cake would also work with other types of fruit, such as Apricots?
Since I don’t have a pie plate, has anyone tried it in a cupcake version or a loaf pan?
Deb, after my smashing success with your Dreamy Cream Scones used as a base for strawberry shortcake last week, I am ready to move on to this luscious-looking cake with my next haul of strawberries. That scone recipe has changed my self-image, by the way — I now consider myself A Baker! Grating in the butter (I love the frozen grated butter tip), stirring in the cream, giving the dough a quick knead and shaping the scones — and having them come out tender, light, and oh-so-delicious — I’m just beside myself with joy every time!
So thank you for that and for so many, many great recipes and laughs as I read your fabulous blog — not to mention moments of envy of your gorgeous baby boy, since mine is now 25!
I just read through your comment guidelines so I’m not sure if this will make it up on the site but if not, its neither here nor there mostly just want to give you a compliment. I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely LOVEEEEEE your blog. I have been following for awhile and while I don’t consider myself a lover of cooking your blog makes me want to get down and dirty with all things smitten kitchen that you post. Every picture, every story, every recipie is perfection. I have tried a couple of your recipes and posted them on my blog always linking back to yours so all my followers can hopefully have the same outcome and sensory overload that I have when I taste my finished product. I just saw this recipe and actually purchased some Driscoll’s strawberries, cause lets face it they are the best, last night and can’t wait to try this. Anyway I’m done gloating about your site. Keep up the good work.
Jennifer :)
This looks like a perfect marriage of a cake and a clafoutis…heaven in my book. This WILL be served over the weekend. – S
Strawberries!!! I am just as obsessed! I made a strawberry clafouti this weekend that was delicious.
Bless you for posting this! I took my 15 month old to the strawberry patch Saturday and we cam home with 4qts. I was looking for something beyond the standard shortcake. Will make this tonight.
Yum! Looks amazing! I love strawberries! The first ones in my garden just ripened, so delicious!
Ah! The weather is nice and I’m loathing the lack of reasons to get out and enjoy it. (The town we live in isn’t very well suited for walking, boohoo.) Thank you for reminding me that the Farmer’s Market has indeed opened! My boy and I will definitely be taking a weekly trip to pick up strawberries and other sundry vegetables and fruits. This also gets me very excited for the trip to the berry patch we are planning with Grandma and some friends, to take place in June, where we will pick fresh strawberries to our hearts’ content and no one will know for sure if more ended up in our baskets or our bellies.
I love the photos and love the casual way in which you write your recipes. It makes me feel like I’m talking to one of my girlfriends while exchanging recipes. I’m a newbie to SK, my daughter told me about it and I’m so happy she did. Gorgeous photos, great recipes. The visual makes my mouth water in anticipation and the ease of the recipes makes me want to make everything! Thank you!
This looks delicious! I recently started a food blog right around the time strawberries came into season here, and I keep finding new strawberry recipes I want to try. I especially love desserts that take a long time to bake… then they can cook during dinner and be perfect just in time for dessert!
I love your blog, your humor, and your recipes (and the inspiration those have given me to start my own!) Thank you!
I love the anthropomorphism you give to the weather and ingredients.
…”The strawberries take over. Nobody complains. The cake is short on steps but long on baking time, and in that hour that it hangs out in your oven, those strawberries turn into puddles of jam. The batter buckles around and the receding berries, which dimple like a country quilt. The edges of the cake become faintly crisp.” – *swoons*sigh*thud!* ;o)
…Seriously. That paragraph alone sold me on this cake! I have strawberries coming out the ying-yang from the garden and I will be making this cake today. T-o-d-a-y I’m tellin’ ya! *giggle* :o)
…And your photos of the cake totally pushed me over the edge – love!
…Thank you for sharing this and blessings to you… :o)
Down here in Texas, we get acceptable (sometimes outstanding) strawberries all year round from CA, Mexico, and South America. Strangely enough, they’ve been very mediocre the last couple of weeks while everyone else is enjoying the best ones. My happy dance was last week when the first-of-the-season Texas peaches showed their sunny faces. I’m making this cake today with the bland strawberries. Hope they can redeem themselves. Thanks for the inspired writing. Some of your best lines, yet.
Ahh that looks delicious!! As soon as I have a kitchen again…
I can imagine it with vanilla custard…mmm
Sera
oh my this looks good!!! i too almost had a fit 2 weekends ago at the market when i walked by and smelled – but could not SEE – strawberries…i hunted them down to a stand where people were swarming and scooped a $9 pint of them. really is amazing how fresh fruit (vs the whitish sour out of season kind) is a totally different animal isnt it? $9 is insane, i know….i was powerless! they were so good, and on sunday i made them into a strawberry-rhubarb compote for pound cake. i love the look of this cake though – i did feel bad melting my insanely expensive berries down into a compote and think this would showcase them properly!
:)
Oh em gee. I’m dying for some REAL strawberries, but alas, they have not yet arrived in chilly Michigan. When they do, though…stand back. This cake is coming.
I looks so tasty!
Yummy!!
In Poland we already have strawberries. I love it!
:)
Strawberries are here (Sacto, CA) and I am making this cake! Guess I’ll add another mile to my run, but I’m guessing it will be SO darn worth it! Thanks for another (I am sure) cram-my-mouth-full show-stopper! (ps ~ that kid of yours is a freakin’ DOLL!)
Pausing in my futile attempt to get Pearl Jam tickets to say: Gah! This looks great. I have frozen strawberries from last summer still in the freezer. They may soon find a new home. YUM.
Wowza – that cakes looks amazing (you had me at the very first picture)! There is nothing better than fresh, local berries to put me in the mood for summer.
Hey Deb – I have been an ardent fan of your blog and follow it quite avidly. I live in nearby South Jersey and totally agree with your description of summer and the fact that I have only come here 6 months ago from hot hot India …
I too am crazy about strawberries. So I just loved this post and pics.
I have only just started blogging and am not great at photographing yet ..but your blog is an inspiration :)
Thanks …
Barley Flour???!!! Now I am intrigued. I love to try different types of flour. Strawberries are weeks away here in Ottawa, but now I have some time to seek out the barley flour.Thanks for posting this!
The Raspberry Buttermilk cake from a couple of years ago is one of my favs of yours, so I am very excited to make this. I have 2 lbs of strawberries in my fridge right now, just calling this recipe’s name.
This looks wonderful, thank you so much! I’ve been reading your blog for years, but never commented, but this looked too amazing to not comment. I just made your strawberry rhubarb pie recipe (with the tapioca), but I ended up with too many strawberries (if there is such a thing), and I hadn’t decided what to do with them yet, so this is just perfect timing. I also did a goofy dance in the store when I saw the first bunch of tiny, organic, local strawberries, btw. :)
I taught myself how to cook largely based off of your recipes. I knew I’d completely absorbed your cooking brain when I decided to make your italian bread after not looking at the post in over a year, and planned to make it with homemade pasta and strawberry rhubarb pie. Turns out that was exactly what you made with the bread when you posted the recipe. Anyway, thank you so much for this blog, and I’m really excited for your book!!
Got this in my email and had to make it immediately this morning. It was as good as promised… even though I only had strawberries that I’d frozen last summer!
Deb, you are evil. Here I am trying to stop baking so often so that I can lose weight, and then you post a recipe like this. Oh well, I guess I’m just going to have to postpone my weight loss plans a little longer…
This looks so good! Definitely will be making this as soon as I get myself some strawberries :)
I have some remaining strawberries lingering on my counter…(looking not so good!)…so I’ll have to try a gluten-free version of this to save them!
This is absolutley screaming to me. Making it this weekend!
this looks amazing!! If it’s half as good as the pina colada cake then i’m set!! Gonna make it tonight!
Oh, gollee. You just gave strawberries the post they truly deserve. My favorite is that this cake is just what to do with the ones on their last leg, because I, too, go way overboard in buying the first berries of the season.
Strawberries that “taste like strawberries”… What has this GMO food done to us, to our dishes, to our food… sigh!!
You know the strawberries you eat from chain stores (mid January of course) look like strawberries, and don’t taste like one… but I bet you didn’t know they have Atlantic Salmon genes put in them as to not freeze in sub zero harvest…
I wanna cook like it’s the 1970s…
How about baking this in a 9″ square cake pan?
This looks so delicious and easy! Love the idea of barley flour, I’ll have to try that one out!
Lovely as usual :)
Do you think grinding pearled barley will be a decent barley flour substitute?
WELCOME SUMMER!
Oh My! Strawberries?! We’re pretty far off from that in Vermont… I have a version of this cake every year for my birthday. (Is it bad that I make my own birthday cake sometimes?) It’s amazing served with yogurt! Last year we made it dairy free (coconut oil and coconut milk) and wheat free (spelt flour). Soooooooo good!
I immediately ran out to the store to find some lovely organic strawberries and barley flour. No luck on the barley flour… even Whole Foods didn’t carry it. The cake is in the oven baking as I post. I think next I’ll try it with a mixture of berries… raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.
This looks unfussy and delightful! The perfect summer dessert – especially with whipped cream or, as someone mentioned, a dollop of custard. Mmmm! I like the idea of trying barley flour – I believe I can find some at a local Amish grocery…it’s going on the list!
This looks divine and those berries look so succulent.
I don’t have strawberries, but I do have blueberries. Hmm . . .
Local strawberry season started here two weeks ago in Germany – you buy in 1/2 kilo punnets. I managed to practise my german with some of the local ladies. This is what they do – try putting them in something like a large wide necked glass jar or glass pyrex dish. Line the base with a piece of kitchen roll, put in the strawberries, put on the lid and then keep in the fridge. The key is to not put in any softening strawbs. Dont know why or how it works, but it does – bought 1 kilo on Friday – remaining still good for breakfast Tuesday. Only had to take out 4 strawberries – in the past it would have been throw out all but 4 strawberries!!!
Dear Deb – your website is inspirational, thank you for the witty writeups and edible photography – wish scratch and sniff monitors had been invented!
SO. EXCITED. FOR. THIS. So far, when my strawberries have been on their last leg (I’ve been known to buy four boxes at a time) I usually hull and half them and put them in the freezer for smoothies. I’m pretty sure this will be much more appreciated.
This looks fantastic! I don’t know if it’ll replace the raspberry/mixed berry/whatever I have on hand buttermilk cake as it has become my oh-crap-I’m-really-hungover-and-need-to-show-up-to-a-lunch-with-something-why-the-hell-is-the-oven-beeping-at-me cake, and it comes out perfectly every time. This’ll be in my oven as soon as I can find berries that look like yours. :-)
To those asking at frozen berries sinking(and I didn’t look through to see if it’s already been answered b/c I’m on my phone): I don’t thaw them, but I coat them with flour before mixing them in.
Thanks! I’ll be using frozen strawberries and I appreciate the tip :)
I could eat the batter and berries with a spoon, is that wrong?
Hi! I made this today and it was great. :)
I’ve made your Raspberry Everyday Cake using strawberries and can testify that the acid of the buttermilk combined with the acid of the strawberries doesn’t affect the cake. This recipe has a greater amount of batter, the better to hold all those luscious strawberries! I’ll definitely try it.
Thanks for making an awesome Strawberry cake without Rhubarb! People always tend to add Rhubarb to strawberry cakes and pies and it ruins them for me for some reason. Can’t wait to try it!
Reading this – the sheer, decadent poetry of the strawberry description – is like falling in love. I feel all tingly and fluttery, and my mouth is watering. Is that over the top? Nah, for the first strawberries of the season, there is little that could be deemed over the top. I’m still making my way through a veritable field of rhubarb, but as soon as the strawberries come, I will be adding my voice to this beautiful chorus you’ve started. :-)
I can;t wait to go strawberry picking – and this cake will be a perfect way to use up those berries! I go crazy for berries too… but you can always freeze them!
Mmmm, I would like to put a big ole dollop of whipped cream on there. Real whipped cream, not Cool Whip.
I work with a lady whose family owns a blueberry farm. They are harvesting this week and I ordered 6 pounds. It’s just myself and the husband and an infant that hasn’t even gotten teeth yet. I don’t know what I’ll do with all of them, but I can’t wait til they get here!!!
YUM i am drooling this is my type of cake. . .i wish summer was here too :) Can’t wait.
ooooo YUM!! :)
perhaps i can try this recipe over the weekend, thank you for the culinary inspiration!
so yummy!! i need to figure out a gf version for this.
i’ve already done 2 batches of strawberry jam and i don’t think it’s going to get me through winter. m u s t m a k e m o r e
This looks such a nice cake and does not look at all soggy despite the strawberried releasing a fair amount of juice. Unfortunately, it is winter here in New Zealand and, therefore, no strawberried are available. I will try it with some other fruit though. Could I perhaps use canned fruit that has been well drained? Could someone please let me know the weight of 6 tablespoons of butter or do you measure it out tablespoon by tablespoons?
This looks great. I can’t wait to try them. I’ve been using barley flour more and more often, it subs for regular flour so easily
Sara: There aren’t a lot of hard fast rules for cooking above 7500 ft but I find increasing oven temp by 10 to 15 degrees (keep an eye on the last 10 or 15 min of baking) helps a lot. Also for traditional cakes I usually add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour.
@ Steph- I just made this cake in a muffin pan. I filled each cup up about 1/3 of the way then pushed the strawberries in (I had to cut mine down to eighths as opposed to halves) . I then baked at 350 for 5-8 minutes, turned it down to 325 for another 30-35 minutes. They turned out great!
OOOOHHHH, I have made this cake before from Martha’s website and have loved every bite of it! I am so happy to be reminded of the recipe right now when the strawberries are just starting to make it to the shelves here in Oregon. I look forward to trying it with barley flour. Thanks!
Wow, this is a first: a recipe that I recognize and have made before (though I’m going to have to try the barley flour). I love this cake. I make it all summer long and people are consistently Very Impressed, as if I’d been slaving all day. Also: that toddler reaction? It is just the same when the kid is 11.
I just made a strawberry tart. I figured I needed something tasty to give to the sun gods so we could finally feel some warmth here in Salt Lake. It’s still raining everyday, so I guess I’ll make this strawberry cake and see what happens.
oh I cannot wait to make this beauty! Hellloooo summertime. This will scare the rain and cold away!
If in a jam, is using skim milk acceptable?
Milk — I noticed that the Martha recipe did not specify a fat content of the milk (usually recipes for baking insist upon whole milk), so I didn’t either. It may have been oversight but I have a hunch that in such a small quantity, you can use whatever you’ve got and not adversely affect the cake.
Just baked this… waiting for it to cool enough to eat! Can’t wait!
Man, that cake batter was *delicious*!
One question: what type of milk is best? Skim, 1%, whole? (Feel free to groan in annoyance at this clueless baker’s question.)
This is just the type of spring/summer dessert I’ve been looking for, and I’m planning to make this tomorrow to bring to a friend’s house. I don’t want to screw it up! Thanks so much!
just made this cake… it’s sitting on my kitchen counter and smells AMAZING! it’s for a bake sale at work… i don’t know if i can wait!
This is just so pretty! I make a similar one with raspberries and my granma’s rhubarb but the strawberries are so plentiful now I will give this a go!
This weather is seriously ridiculous. But strawberries definitely have the power to make it a lot better. This would have my apartment smelling amazing!!
I just finished my second slice of this cake. It is fantastic. The cake tastes amazing and the strawberries melted into lovely jammy goodness. Not too sweet, no icing to deal with, very light–this is the PERFECT summer cake. (BTW, I swapped out about half the butter for applesauce–the cake was still buttery and delicious.)
I liked an earlier poster’s idea about adding rhubarb to this, but I’ve never cooked with it before. Will rhubarb cook off in the oven in the same time as the strawberries? Or does it need a little head start?
i made this cake this afternoon with the last of the strawberries we picked this saturday. they were on the verge and this recipe was perfectly timed for my using them. the cake is so easy and so delicious. i made it in a 9-inch spring form pan with 2% milk and my butter wasn’t room temperature and i let the wet ingredients sit in the bowl, partially mixed, for an hour while the chicken roasted in the oven and i forgot to sprinkle the sugar on top until the cake was almost done and, despite my imprecise direction following, the cake still turned out PERFECTLY. in fact, i just snuck one last slice after the dinner guests left and putting the kids to bed. an absolutely delicious cake that i imagine could accomodate any ripe summer fruit. thank you.
definitely must try barley flour – sounds absolutely fantastic
AMAZING! I JUST made this and it is piping hot out of the oven and delicious!!
Deb – you are killing me. I’ve been making rhubarb crumb cake for a couple of weeks and avoiding it fairly well, leaving it for my hubs and others to eat but this…no way. I’ll have to make it and eat it and my hips will react accordingly. Sigh. But it looks worth it…really it does. And Jacob is still the cutest!
I’m pretty sure this is the best cake description ever.
No. Wait. Absolutely sure.
Made this tonight! Oddly enough I had some strawberries on their last legs in the fridge this morning. It has been a hit here. I topped it with vanilla sugar before baking and we didn’t use any whipping cream or other topping.
I did have to cook this for an hour and twenty five minutes. I might have creamed the butter and sugar too much but the flavor is great.
I have a lot of sour cherries I want to try this with next.
Thanks for the recipe!
Must run to the market and make this immediately afterwards. Thanks for posting, I love the combination of fruit and cake!
you’re an angel!thx for your useful tips on metric systems! i’m so glad i can try your fantastic recipe today! warm sunny greetings! :):)
@ Deneb (Comment 88) : yes it turned out excellent. I guess the baking time may vary but excellent results!!! I’ll put up the picture on FB page of smitten kitchen very soon!
Oh by the way, I used Alphonso mangoes!
Deb, your suspicions about the 9″ pie plate were true, in my case. I baked the cake in a regular 9″ pie plate, and it *barely* worked out. The batter came up over the rim of the dish as it baked (kind of like a gigantic muffin… mmmmmm), but did not spill out. Hooray! For your reference, in the 9″ pan I did 10 minutes at 350F and 51 minutes at 325F.
A word about the instructions: Readers should note that you are only meant to use 1 cup of the sugar in the batter itself, and withhold the remaining 2 Tbsp to top the cake before it goes into the oven. I didn’t read ahead very well (oops) and put 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp of sugar into the batter, then had to use an additional 2 Tbsp to top the cake. Long story short, I used more sugar than the recipe required. It was still delicious!
Another wonderful recipe. Thank you!
Delicious! I just made this with raspberries instead of strawberries. I topped it with vanilla ice cream. Can you say “perfection?” My boyfriend said he’d eat this every night. Quite the compliment from the picky eater himself.
Thanks for the recipe, Deb!
I saw this when I got home from work today and I just could not resist. This was very easy to make and it tastes really good! My wife has been out of town for 3 days and I know she is just going to love this little surprise when she gets in tomorrow!
Thanks for this keeper recipe!
Hi Deb, if you are too lazy to buy a pie pan just yet because you move apts too much and keep losing kitchen supplies in every move, can you use a spring form for this recipe, or a casserole pan? Thanks!
Cake pan — No reason this wouldn’t work in a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan. I’ll update the recipe to note this.
Mariah — Yikes, good point! I’ll clarify that too. Thank you.
Swapping other fruits — Any would work. This cake bakes for a very long time. In that hour, any fruit would be done cooking.
Deb, your description of the little pockets of jam made this cake irresistible, so I baked it as soon as I came home from work yesterday :)
I used a 9? pie dish, and it didn’t spill. The cake came up all the way to the rim but stopped right there. Also, I second your suggestion of using less sugar in the batter. I used 1 cup but think that it might be more perfect with a little less sugar (1 or even 2 tbsp, depending on the sweetness of the strawberries).
Thank you for the inspiration, as always!
Hi Deb,
Would it be possible to substitute barley flour for ALL the flour in this recipe, or would that make the cake too heavy? I have recently been told to avoid both white and whole wheat flour…
Thanks!
Janki
Oh well, i think here it’s sumer in spain! It’s hot and it’s actually 32ºC!!
This cake is fantastic, i’m keeping the recipe!
Another milk question: Soy milk instead of regular milk ok, you think?
What’s this I see? A recipe in which barley flour is PREFERRED and not just a necessary but sub-standard gluten-free substitute? Awesome. We have some barley flour in our freezer and I have NO IDEA what to do with it. I do now, though. It’s not strawberry season upstate quite yet, but last year we picked 20 pounds at the pick-your-own place (in just the first visit–we always make multiple visits in a season), so I think I could probably spare a few for cake.
barley isn’t gluten-free though
I made this last night and it is already half gone. Super simple, and my 5 year old little chef loved arranging the berries into the cake. I can see this made with so many other berries… such a simple base to fool around with! Yummy!
Can’t WAIT to try this!!!
OH MY GOSH that raspberry buttermilk cake is my favorite recipe ever because it is SO easy and SO good and everybody always loves it. Since this seems similar and I too freak out about strawberries and can pick my own right down the street, I will be making this shortly. Thanks for the post!!!
Made this cake to bring into work today and switched out the milk with buttermilk and didn’t notice any problems in terms of the cake not rising properly. That said, its delicious and I think the little extra tang doesn’t do anything but help.
Martha has a recipe for a very similar buttermilk cake with rhubarb. It has been a spring staple in my house and is delicious. You can find it on her site if you search: Marijane’s Rhubarb Cake.
Reminds me of a slump….
savour has a good one using blackberries
Main differences are white wine for milk
And an extra egg Plus a crumb topping
Mmmm that looks amazing! Beautifully summery. I have yet to find any truly good (as in, not simultaneously rotten/under-ripe) strawberries this season, but I’ve got my eyes peeled.
…delicious cake and wonderful images
This was delicious! Fortunately it is like summer here in the south of Spain and strawberries have been available from smallholdings (and big, nasty supermarkets) for a couple of months. They are perfect now, abundant, sweet and succulent. This recipe was a great way to use them, after my other half had scoffed a handful before I could stop her!
What about almond flour? If you don’t think it would work in this cake, is there something (preferably a cake) that you think it would work in? Thanks.
This cake is so pretty and looks delicious! I’ll have to try it
AMAZING blog!
I’m going to make this cake on Sunday despite the very HOT weather here in Italy…. which doesn’t make me want to use the oven ;)
I was wondering: is sugar necessary? I prefer not to add sugar with fresh fruit as it contains sugar already!
Got up early to make this for a late lunch here in Jordan. It smelled divine, and I could barely resist slicing off a piece before presenting it to my lunch host. But after presenting it, the cake was taken away and I wasn’t even offered a slice! I’ll have to make it again STAT just for myself.
Eating this right now. It is delicious. Unfortunately I only had a 9″ pie-plate, and it bubbled over and spilled everywhere. So, don’t make this in a regular 9″ plate! Will make it again though in a bigger dish! Its outstanding!
I made this last night and because I didn’t have enough strawberries, I added some blueberries in the empty spaces. I also added Saigon Cinnamon on top along with the sugar. It was delicious!!!! I am definitely going to try this with lots of fruit combos (strawberry and mango; golden raspberries and blueberries; fresh peaches…). Thanks so much!!
Hi deb – I have never posted but am a faithful follower. You have become my go- to for everything!!!
I made this cake last night and it is amazing!! Perfect summer cake that I will be making again and again! Thank you again for your amazing recipes!!
I made this last night and it was delicious. I used a 9″ springform cake pan and it worked perfectly.
YUM! I will absolutely be trying this soon! -^_^-
I read this post on Tuesday and promptly made it the same night. The cake turned out perfectly and I used the 9 inch standard pie plate. I can’t wait to get home from work and have another slice, assuming my husband doesn’t eat it all before I get there!
Besides the awesome recipe, this was one of your best written blog posts!! Thanks!
I made this just a few hours ago. It was so easy – I had everything I needed right in the kitchen (I bought a ton of strawberries at the farmer’s market over the weekend and was trying to figure out what to do with the last of them!). The batter tasted and looked delicious and it smelled great baking in the oven. It took me a little more time than an hour to bake it – more like an hour and 10 minutes. I used a round 9 inch cake pan because I didn’t have a pie pan handy. It looks very pretty but not as juicy and colorful as yours. If I make it again I think I will try to gently fold in some extra strawberries into the batter. All in all, a simple tasty little cake. I intend to have another piece with some whipped cream in a few hours. Or maybe like ten minutes.
It’s still cold here and actually snowed every day last week!
I have faith that spring will come and when it does, I am so going to make this cake!
Just made this for tonight and it came out beautifully! I used a regular 9-inch pie pan and frozen strawberries. Just a note that if you use frozen berries, it’ll take a bit longer in the oven. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
My family and I love strawberries. We can’t get enough of them and have them at almost every meal when they are in season. I can’t wait to share this with my kids they will absolutely flip for this.
Had some srawberries that were “on their last leg” and this recipie seems perfect. The cake is in the oven now, filling my house with a sweet aroma. Cant wait!
I know what I’m doing with my next CSA strawberries! If I can refrain from eating the whole carton in one sitting, which is what I did last week :)
Looks fabulous! One question regarding this cake as well as the pina colada cake of a few months ago–Why do you not use the “standard” alternate milk with flour when adding to the batter? When I made the pina colada cake a couple days ago, it seemed to turn out with a slightly muffiny texture and I am wondering if it is due to the mixing procedure. Do you think this makes a difference to the end result texture, or is that the intentional texture of the pina colada cake?
Made it last night and it was awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!
I was so excited to stumble upon both your blog and this recipe! My 4 year old and I LOVE strawberries and have been eating them as fast as I can buy them since last week. My husband and 9 year old don’t like them. I can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow while my little one and I are home together!!
I made this last night and it wasn’t until I was already putting the ingredients together that I remembered that my mixer was still in storage move than 400 miles away. I made the cake anyway, mixing by hand, and the result was scrumptiously good ~ Thank you for sharing such a yummy and comforting cake. Oh, I threw in some wild blueberries that I picked last fall ~ visually beautiful for sure.
My very lovely friend made this for me as my birthday present. My little sliver of cake turned very quickly into 1/4 of the cake. So delicious. This is going to be in heavy rotation for the summer. I’ll try it with peaches too.
I made one with buttermilk and one with skim milk. Both were tasty, but, the one with buttermilk had an off after taste and did not rise as well as the one with milk. NO worries, both will be eaten, but my observation. Also, I made a mistake and kept the oven at 350 the entire time and it was okay. I want to try this with blueberries and maybe add a crumble top.
thanks for answering my question Deb!
i’ve been craving strawberry shortcake for the longest time, I wonder if this is a good alternative?
Yum! I have quite a few strawberries that need to be eaten…and why not bake a cake! :-) Looks devine.
Made this last night. Three adults and a toddler scoffed it down this morning. The toddler ate more than I did. It was delicious, although probably not as good as yours. My cake was a little tough, I don’t know why. Also, I used too little sugar on the top, and the berries didn’t fully turn into jam. Next time I’ll use more. And there will be a next time. I’m already plotting more with cherries, peaches, and mangos.
Just made it! Soooo good and sooo easy! Love :)
Interesting idea though hard to beat shortcake for strawberries though this looks great. Just made berry cobbler that has pretty similar ingredients. Nice to have spring/summer here!
Made this today with anemic strawberries from the grocery store (given all the rain in Seattle, I’m not sure we’ll ever get strawberries this year). 3 boys completely silent, except for the occasional “thanks Mom, this is really good.” Yummy AND you made me look good. Thanks!
I just made it from strawberries that arrived in my CSA box. Very tasty (though I might take your suggestion on the less sugar next time)….
Made this tonight. Wasn’t crazy about it. The cake was a little tough and really was just like a giant muffin. The strawberries did not turn jam-like, although they did get soft. I’m not a fan of Martha Stewart’s baking recipes, so I’m not surprised that this was just OK.
This looks fabulous and I will try it this weekend.
Deb, I have been making your cakes and other recipes. Those wonderful successes have given me the courage to try other recipes. Because of you, I am finally being called a good cook- at almost 50 years old!
Thank you! Thank you!
I can’t wait to go to the farmer’s market and pick up some fresh strawberries to make this! It looks amazing!
This is a bit of a random question but can you define what you mean by a ‘coffee cake’? I noticed that you call this a coffee cake and I have come across other American recipes for ‘coffee cake’ that don’t contain coffee. In England coffee cake is always a cake made with coffee.
Alex — We call coffee cakes almost any single-layer cake, often with fruit or nuts or streusel, sometimes served at breakfast. It’s a wide range. Essentially, cakes that are not layer or birthday cakes. They’re rarely made with coffee in them, just traditionally served with it.
Lisa — I’ve done that a few times to make it a fewer- (or single-) bowled cake. I often try it with the standard alternating of wet and dry, then without it, and if the crumb or texture isn’t superior, do not then burden readers with extra steps. I wish more recipe writers would do this, and not just follow standards.
Melhill — Interesting. I thought a slump had a biscuit or cake batter on top of the fruit. I thought this was closer to a buckle, with a cake batter beneath and fruit on top that ends up buckled into the cake. I don’t mean to quibble over terms — I just love all of these funky fruit dessert names so much, I am trying to learn them.
Dear Deb, made it finally last night on a 10” springform cake! Heavenly delicious! Cake was even this morning fluffy and lovely for breakfast! :) Thx!Thx!
Made this last night, and was more then pleased with the results. I used the less sugar variation, and felt like it was perfect. I am resisting eating another slice for breakfast with my coffee before my family wakes up.
Hooray! I made this last night after stumbling across your brilliant blog and the results? Well, I have brought in the leftovers to work and my boss is ready to tuck in at 11am! We have had such a dry spring that berries and abundant and very cheap here in England – wahoo!
made this yesterday and it didn’t last the evening! so good – thanks deb!
That’s a great photo of the strawberries in the batter before it was baked. I think I would have finished it before it reached the oven…
I made this last night in a 9 inch pie dish with no overflow. I’m definitely picking up more strawberries from the market this weekend!
I made this last night also. My kids helped and in was SO much fun. My son, 13, cut up the berries and my daughter,7, read the recipe and dumped ingredients into the bowl. It was THE BEST cake I have had in a long time. I ate two pieces and it’s rare that I break my one serving rule. Yummy. I baked it in the 9 in. dish and it was fine and I also cut back on the sugar in the cake as suggested. It was perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Made this yesterday with cherries… and it was soooo good. I cut back on sugar as suggested and it was perfect (used it on top : crunchy !!). Thanks a lot for sharing :)
I made this cake yesterday to celebrate strawberry season. I took your advice and used the barley/ap flour combo. It was divine. This recipe is going in my “keeper” file to be made again. I love the creamy interior texture, soft syrupy berries and the crispy sugar top. Thanks for such a great recipe.
This cake is devine! I made it last night and blogged about it this morning:
http://effiesfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/simple-strawberry-cake.html
I LOVE this blog – every recipe makes my mouth water. Thanks so much for the inspiration! Effie x
Anyone have any thoughts on baking these in cupcake/muffin tins for individual servings? I have a work party tomorrow afternoon and this would be great as little individual cakes!
i pressed the strawberries too deep down and no strawberries could be seen from the surface :( my cake didnt look as nice as yours *sobsob
Update: made this with the very firm, just OK-tasting, supermarket strawberries. They became soft, but not jammy. and stayed on top of the cake. The cake is delicious, but I suspect local berries improve it dramatically. We will try again with soft peaches because they are available down here.
Any suggestions for using up the barley flour?
looks so good… this will be my first homemade cake :)
Pretty! I’m a sucker for fruit cakes/pies/tarts (and I can see from all of the comments that many people are too).
I haven’t found ripe summer fruit in stores yet, so I’m still in a French pastry phase: macarons, madeleines, and brioche.
I have to say that I’ve followed your blog for several months on the recommendation of a friend. I’ve seen several recipes that piqued my interest, but this strawberry cake had me in a fit. I borrowed a deep dish pie plate, paid a stupid amount of $$ for a pound of strawberries and have never been so pleased with a new recipe!! It was so simple to make and so delicious!! Being so inspired, I tried your blueberry muffin recipe while the cake was baking and now, you have me hooked!!
I just wanted to say thank you Deb for your continued dedication to this blog! This recipe will be the fourth (after Rosanne Cash’s potato salad, your peanut sesame noodles, and chocolate toffee cookies, all of which were absolutely delicious) I attempt to recreate and am thoroughly excited. Seriously when your cookbook comes out I am SO getting it. Are you going to do a tour to promote it? Come to Toronto?
I love the comment about summer looking at NYC and saying “pbbbblt!”…so true! This cake looks delish and super summery. The strawberries I’ve been buying have been MASSIVE and would look lovely a top this cake!
oo, that does look veryvery good! it reminds me of a clafoutis, but with more butter…mmmm….your strawberries look wonderful too!
We just pulled it out of the oven. The house smells AMAZING…and I’m trying to wait until my daughter comes home from school so we can share…and I really don’t think I’m going to make it. Thank you so much for sharing!
I made this cake last night and it was delicious! I used a regular 9″ pie dish (not deep dish) and it puffed a bit mid-bake and spilt a tad onto the oven floor but then baked down and ended up being perfect. Everyone ate it last night and it was gone in about 15 minutes with people saying how good it was. I topped it with vanilla bean whipped cream. Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it with other fruits!
Our son is come from college and our trek to the pick your own farm is usually a part of our welcome home. Today, we picked 20 lbs of Jersey strawberries and your yummy cake just came out of our oven!! Thank you for the inspiration!
Have a wonderful summer friends of SK!
I love the idea of more fruit than cake batter. Definitely going to try this:)
Deb, you are an absolute genius. I made this last night, and my husband and I simply swooned over it. I think I’ll bake another to bring to our friends’ house this holiday weekend. Thanks for consistently sharing such a delightful variety of excellent, innovative, and seasonal recipes.
I made this cake, and one that swapped the strawberries for peaches and the vanilla for about a tablespoon of amaretto. Both were fantastic, thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful post, Deb! I love your writing and the cake looks AMAZING. I’ve been wanting to make it since the day you posted it. I finally went to WF today and – of course – they had every imaginable flour except for barley flour. So I bought pot barley flakes and hope I can just grind them in a food processor – like rolled oats and oat flour.
One thing though – and this really isn’t that important, but I noticed it and thought I’d point it out. If I’m using both flours and am using the cups measurements I’d have 3/4 cup (94g) of all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup of barley flour. But if I’m working with the grams you’ve listed, I’d be taking away 75g from 188g, which would leave me with 113g of all-purpose flour. Not a huge difference, but 20g more than if I’d measure with cups. Or should I up the barley flour by 20g? I’m completely aware that this won’t make or break the cake – but I also know that you love accuracy so I thought I’d mention it.
I’m glad it’s not just me! I look like I’m bringing home strawberries to feed a huge family, but really it’s just my husband, 18 month old daughter, and me. I can’t help myself :) I’m making this tonight! Thanks for the recipe.
Yeahhhhh! Our strawberries are just now blooming, but this cake has already spoken for them.
I tried this cake last night! It was amazing! The only problem is that it doesn’t work so well with a 9 inch pie pan, I think the deepdish pan would work the best. Im going to try it again tonight and put it in a sqaure pan, I can’t wait to see how it comes out!
MMMMM! Looks yummy!
I will have to try and make this.. wish me luck! :)
Abegail
I just made this using fresh strawberries that I froze weeks ago (I live in Florida, so our strawberry season has been on for months) but thawed before using. I got started on the recipe and realized I was out of white sugar, so I just replaced it 1:1 with packed brown sugar. It was so fabulous that I don’t think I’ll even be trying it with white sugar. Also, I used a regular 9″ pie pan, and it fit perfectly. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Any issues with using frozen?..having a hard time weeding through here to find an answer, thanks
Who is excited strawberries are in season??? I am!
This recipe will forever replace my shortcake recipe. Its amazing.
gorgeous, the strawberries are already gone here in Charleston, blueberries are next!!
Hi Deb,
I made this and it was good… but texture came out very soggy. Anything I could have done wrong?
I made this cake few days ago….wonderful, however did not read the directions correctly (duh!) and cooked it at 350 for almost the whole time it was baking…still spectacular!
Made this cake tonight….so delicious!!!
Good cake. I made it cutting down the sugar to 150 gr + 2 tbsp on top.
+ 240 g plain flour, of which half was fine cornmeal flour (in Italy it is called Fioretto, the finest corn flour basically). I coated the cake tin (23 cm) with butter and coarse polenta flour. I did not have any thyme, otherwise that would have gone into the cake too.
I have also added the zest of 1 lemon. I make something similar also using rasberries.
I am now playing with the idea of using half light olive oil+half veg oil.
excellent blog. u r doing a really good work
ciao from Milano
stefano
ps: the American cup sistem very confusing,I found charts with different conversions (cups to grams). I now resort to scoop and level and then weight all my ingredients, when using American recipe. I have found that 1 cup plain flour is between 150/160 gr
This looks so yummy and perfect for me to make for Memorial Day Weekend picnics! How do you think it would taste if I put some blueberries in there too… just to be a little more festive for this holiday weekend!
I made this cake and it is truly like eating creamy biscuits with fresh jam. It is simple and beautiful too!
Deb, what an incredible cake! Strawberries are my all-time favorite and now I know what I’ll be doing with the beautiful strawberries I bought yesterday. I was wondering I don’t have unsalted butter in the house. Can I use the salted version? If so, do I just eliminate the added salt?
Gale — Use salted, skip the salt.
Stefano — The American cup system is very confusing! I would use 125 to 130 grams for a cup of all-purpose flour.
Jenna — I realized even as I was typing it that it would be a little confusing. However, the recipe states that you can “swap 3/4 cup with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour” — the 75 grams applies to the weight of 3/4 cup of barley flour. Of course, the clearest way I could have written it would be that you can “swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour”. Thus, I will update it with that now!
I made this lovely, delicious cake last night. I had a taste right out of the oven. I had a piece after dinner. I had it for breakfast this morning. Good thing I bought 2 pounds of strawberries because I will be making this cake again over the 3-day weekend. It was THAT good. Thanks for another great recipe, Deb!
I saw this cake on Wednesday night at 8pm, after a long day of work. Despite a full sheet of cookies on the table, I stood up and made this cake anyway. We waited up till 10pm to get a taste of it (apparently I’m a slow strawberry-halver). It was totally worth it. The only thing I changed was to use brown sugar instead of granulated, because I love brown sugar and strawberries together. Thank you, Deb, for rescuing the languishing strawberries in our fridge and helping us turn them into something delicious!
I made this today using frozen strawberries (will have to wait till later in the summer to use fresh) and it was lovely. I’m now dreaming of all the other fruits I can try with the same batter in the meantime!
Made this last night to share with friends. Making it again tonight to not share with anyone. Delicious! Thanks Deb.
I love this cake–it’s as beautiful as it is delicious. In fact I made it two times in one day (for two different groups). The second time I added sliced rhubarb along with the strawberries. It was a great, tart edition to a sweet cake.
Made this last night. Really good and very easy! My pie “plate” is the blue Emile Henry which will make this a perfect red/white/blue dessert for the 4th of July!
I love this blog! I also love your strawberry cake. I made it last night and it was delish. Also, i made it in a 9″ regular pie plate and it worked perfect, but took a little extra time to get the middle done. Thank you for your delicious recipes!
Made this cake last night. It’s really yummy. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
It tastes even better the second day, when the strawberry flavor has completely permeated the cake! I wish I had known that before we had eliminated all but 2 slices… Can’t wait for the cookbook, Deb!
Hmmm. . .maybe I put in too many strawberries? I used a 9″ deep dish pie plate and it was quite close to overflowing. Not to worry, it wouldn’t be the 1st or last spill in my oven! What a fabulous cake. Gone in 24 hours. Everyone loved it. Guess I’ll be making it again this weekend. You may have to stop putting yummy baked goods on your blog. This is really no good for my diet! I’m looking forward to using this recipe throughout the year with different fruits.
Thanks for the recipe. I baked it for our neighbor’s 90th birthday and everyone commented. He loves strawberries and anything homemade.
Smitten,
“The batter buckles around the receding berries, which dimple like a country quilt.” I’m with TJ–your writing here is rising to a level that straddles between prose and poetry! Must be forced development born of producing your cookbook–whose time in the ‘oven’ I’m hoping is about complete. Can’t wait! Brava!
Question?? I’d like to make my cake in that lovely red and white 9″ dish? So festive for the summer holidays. Where did you find it?
this looks so summery! i want summer now, too bad it feels like november here in vancouver :(
I’m making this (hopefully) awesome cake right now, but it has swallowed all my strawberries! They have totally vanished! Though I guess it will still be yummy. :)
I made this cake today, it was wonderful! (Yes, was, as in not much left after everyone had at least two servings). Living in Germany, I´m always struggling with your cups and ounces and inches, but it worked out just fine in my 26 cm springform… Thanks!
Just made it and it was amazing! I subbed butter for olive oil, mainly because i didn’t have any butter but it still tasted good..
This is so what I’m going to do with my glut of strawberries. I’m going to make a mini one though, just for me and the boy. Or maybe I’ll just be done with it and be all greedy?
I made this cake in a regular 9″ pie pan and it made it (just barely) without flowing over. Cut up into cubes and brought half to work. Success! The strawberries I got from the store weren’t the best but it turned out fantastic anyways. Thanks for your no-fail recipes!!! I’ll be making this again soon.
This cake is in the oven now, baking away, and it smells HEAVENLY. I wish I hadn’t promised it to an old friend, but I’ll just make another…maybe for the party I’ve been invited to Sunday. Ordinarily I am a sadly forlorn baker (though a pretty good cook), but this looks and smells fantastic. Had good luck, too, with a lime yogurt cake yesterday. Is that your recipe? No matter. This one I tasted, and the flavor and texture were just amazing. I may be “growing up” where baking is concerned. Nothing would make me happier.
I made this and it was PERFECT served with plain yogurt.
I love that the only picture of the entire cake, finished, already has a slice missing! Too bad I should have jumped on this recipe last week because now I have no interest is leaving my oven on for that long!
Just sent wifey off to shops to get ingredients can’t wait to try this…so much interest in such a simple cake…it looks awesome.
Cake came out great though, unfortunately, my strawberries didn’t sink as much as yours. Made it tonight and it’s almost gone. Both my sister and mother asked me to make it again right away. Thanks for the great recipe.
No berries at Union Sq today. Harumph. Went just to have some for this cake! Going to use a mix of Shoprite berries and rhubarb. We’ll see how she goes!
Best.Cake.Ever. I made this cake yesterday and it was worth it just for how it made the house smell. Luckily it tasted even better. I made it with skim milk and used 3/4 C AP flour and 3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour. Since I’m definitely going to have to make it again I’ll be interested to see if using a milk with higher fat content makes it even better (not sure how that is possible). Also need to track down barley flour. Thank you for the perfect timing of the this post.
I made this cake to take to work and it was a smash hit. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!!!
I made this tonight and am as pleased with it as you promised I’d be. I did used all A/P flour and reduced the sugar to 3/4cup. Fearing it might not stand up to the strawberries that were (deceivingly) not entirely as ripe as they looked, I tossed the berries with a tablespoon of vanilla sugar before cramming (not all of) them on the top of the batter. I still sprinkled the sugar over the top, but only about 1 1/2Tbsp. I love how the berries got so nice and soft yet didn’t bleed all through the cake. The bonus was the sugary, crunchy/chewy cake top; I loved that! This will be a handy little visiting cake this summer. Thanks, Deb.
Looks healthy and yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
We had a plethora of strawberries, and chose this cake to celebrate a huge milestone last night. Wow! There were compliments aplenty! I hope to make it tonight with the bounty of blueberries in my fridge.
But one quibble: It lasts up to 2 days, loosely covered? Ha! Not in this household. I’m not sure there is a crumb of evidence left :) (not that I’m culpable in its disappearance, lol)
Thanks for sharing this recipe and your delightful story.
I made this on Thursday for something Friday evening. The batter was so easy and delicious! I should have kept it more loosely covered in the fridge, because it got quite moist on top, but it was a huge hit! There were 15 people, I cut in into 16 slices and there were only two left! Thank you for ANOTHER foolproof recipe :D
Thanks for clarifying that! :)
I made the cake yesterday using slightly less sugar in the batter and it was absolutely delicious!
This cake is perfect. Simple, easy to make, and it looks delicious. I’ll try adding other summer fruits (like blueberries) the next time I make it. As Deb suggested, I added a bit less sugar to the batter and it tasted great. (The sugar sprinkled over the berries gives it a nice crunchy top.) Thank you for sharing!
I made this last night for the very first dinner party in our new house & it received RAVE reviews – thank you!! It was so good, in fact, I just made a second one for a BBQ we’re going to this afternoon. Looks like this may be my go-to summertime dessert :-)
Hi Deb,
I am a first time commenter, but a long time reader of your blog and maker of your recipes! I made this last night for a dessert for our company, and everyone LOVED it! I am curretnly keeping a list of 1,000 things I am thankful for, and wanted you to know that Strawberry Summer Cake was #418! Thanks for your work, creativity, and blog! I am thankful!!
Just took this cake out of the oven and have already burned my mouth about 17 times trying to eat it before its cool.
I made this and the aleppo cornbread for my boyfriend and I to take away this weekend.
We already ate a chunk of the cornbread too!
I’m making this later, so I was just popping by to see who had made this and what they thought and I caught this comment:
“No, I do not have an assistant, to read comments or even run out for milk for me when I forget. Reading comments takes a long time throughout the day but it is an honor to have people visit who are enthusiastic enough to share bits and pieces about themselves.”
Aaaand this is what makes you the most awesome long-time blogger. Ever. The great food is a bonus on top of the simple fact that you are a truly kind person. Thank you for what you put into this, Deb. :)
I’ve made this cake twice now in two days. Even with only supermarket berries, it came out great. The first I made with only oat flour, and it was a little crumblier than I’d like, but still tasty. The second I made for a potluck with all-purpose flour, and it was lovely. Thanks again for another winner!
the cake is GORGEOUS, and so yum. Just an FYI, it *really* didn’t work too well in the regular 9″ pie form for me – bubbled over into the oven. But for me? Totally worth it for this cake.
I’ve been drooling over this blogpost all week, and I finally made this cake today. It smells great! (But alas, I’m saving it for our guests tonight. This is hard.) I used a 9.5 in pie plate, and it is just big enough (barely). I took your suggestion to use a bit less sugar, and I’m sure it’ll taste wonderful. Either way, it LOOKS gorgeous.
I made my cake yesterday, intending to bring it to my father’s birthday bbq tomorrow. It took well over an hour after I reduced the heat of the oven I’m thinking the temperature must have been off. It looked lovely yesterday (though not as stunning as the one pictured, my berries were not as ripe) but today it looked a little soggy and my berries not so appetizing. So I just cut myself a slice and decide to make another tomorrow! It was delicious despite its appearance. Maybe I should note that I made this with the barley flour, lower sugar amount, substituted almond for dairy milk and earth balance for butter because I am allergic to dairy. Can’t wait to see how it turns out second time around. Thanks for sharing this!
Ohh also wanted to add that the sort of outer crust it forms from the carmelized juices and sugars is AMAZING!
I made this cake tonight with the last of the week’s strawberries. It was perfect. Not only was it perfect, but it tasted like summer, used up some dying berries, and took me all of 10 minutes to throw together. IDEAL SUMMER CAKE. *eats another slice*
Mine turned out very pretty (I used a 10-inch vintage dish, so it’s flatter than yours on the picture). I am saving it for tomorrow’s picnic. Thanks for sharing.
I made this tonight for family and friends and it was a huge hit – all gone. I used buttermilk and added some blueberries into the batter and it turned into a kind of awesome cobbler. Yum.
This is fabulous and just screams ‘Summer’ … I love it! So pretty n’ fresh. Can’t wait to make this. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
The strawberries I bought for the cake didn’t survive till baking time so subbing in raspberries instead… looking promising thus far. So excited! Can’t believe how easy this was.
Yes! I know now that I’m going by the nice grocery store (for superior produce) tomorrow! Yum!
My roommates and I just finished a whole cake! I added blueberries instead and sprinkle 1Tsp of sugar. It was soooooooo good. I think this is going to be my weekend breakfast for a long time.
Made this for our cookout tonight and it’s gone, gone, gone. AMAZING. Can’t wait to try with all sorts of different fruits over the course of the summer.
Went to the market for the last of the strawberries, but they were gone and all they had were the first of the blueberries. I made this with blueberries and it was scrumptious! Thanks for the recipe.
Follow-up to my comment above (336): The cake turned out great, but didn’t look like yours did inside. My batter was much thicker (probably because my butter wasn’t quite warmed to room temp), and as a result, the strawberries didn’t sink inside the cake. Instead, I ended up with a beautiful, moist white cake, with the strawberries sitting perfectly on top. Although it turned out great, I’ll definitely be more careful with the butter next time (and there will be a next time)! I’d love to taste those gooey strawberries that you described!
Hi!
We loved this recipe but my youngest needs to eat gluten-free now. Deb, I see your post here with a round up of comments from folks who adapted the recipe to make it GF. But the links aren’t working. i.e., they don’t take me to the comments. Is it just me? My device?
Thank you!
Thanks for another fantastic recipe. I made this today and everyone loved it. It was so easy to do, but tasted like it came from a gourmet bakery. I trying to come up with another reason to make it again.
I stopped by the farmers market in Palo Alto this morning and bought the fresh strawberries, and the finished cake just came out of the oven about 20 minutes ago. Result: MAJOR win. My wife’s response: “This is *orgasmically* good.”
As others noted, I used a 9.5″ dish which just barely contained it — glad I didn’t have a 9 incher. And I used the barley flour, which was a great call.
Works v well with apricots
Gorgeous!!!
We’ve had summer weather here in GA since March..( my orchids that normally bloom in August have already bloomed) so the organic strawberries are plentiful. I’d never used barley flour either; I’m a fan now. Thanks so much for inspiring us to try different ingredients and for blogging about it in such a fun way~ you’re the best.
I brought this to a cookout this weekend and someone else had brought the same cake! Bringing the same dish is even more embarrassing than wearing the same dress but both cakes were very delicious!
Looked pretty and recipe fine, but tasted a bit like a big muffin.
ok, the strawberry cake lead me to citrus and then to the adorable key lime mini cheesecakes from 2 years ago….is it possible to actually freeze the cheesecakes? Do they still taste and keep their shape after thawing?
And I tried the strawberry cake, it is wonderful. Works also with whole wheat flower.
thanks for the recipes :-)
merino — I haven’t tried freezing them. If other cheesecakes freeze well, I suspect they will too. But save the mango garnish for when you are ready to serve it.
Elle — Ripe berries definitely help. Recently picked ones, too. A lot of the grocery store berries were grown for shelf stability and long shipping times… they bake just fine, but don’t break down as much.
Julie — 1,000 things! I am impressed. And can’t argue with any list with strawberry cake on it.
Mary Jo — Mine is a knock-off of an Emile Henry deep dish pie plate (all the EH ones are, but not labeled as such, fyi). I got it years ago, cannot find it anymore, when a $50 pie pan felt too rich for my blood. That said, people love the Emile Henry ones, so perhaps one day I’ll save my pennies and find out why!
Hi,
Although I am an opera singer and have nothing to do with food (or do I? LOL), everytime I look at your pics I tell myself they are just amazing. Can you tell me what camera you use?
Thanx!!
Marie
I made this last night but the strawberries did not turn out all jammy and gooey dripping down into the cake…what did I do wrong? Perhaps the berries weren’t ripe enough? Other than that, it was fantastic! Thanks!
Made it today using rhubarbs and apples instead (some blueberries found their way into the cake too…) and sprikled chopped walnuts on top. It turned out delicious! Next time I’ll try the strawberry version.
I baked this yesterday and brought it to a pot-luck still warm from the oven. It was gone in the blink of an eye, totally upstaging a fancy-looking (but from a box) black forest cake. Whoops.
I’ve taken to substituting spelt flour for 1/3 of the volume of the total flour for all simple cakes. It gives such a lovely, moist crumb! Other than that, followed the recipe to a T.
This will be in the last-minute dessert rotation along with your Blueberry Boy Bait.
Any idea whether frozen berries would be ok? I used the last of our local strawberries, but have a few quarts in the freezer.
I made this yesterday with fresh from the garden strawberries. Topped with fresh made strawberry ice cream it was pretty decadent. This was the best use of the berries this year. This recipe is a keeper. Will use the cake with other fruit as the summer progresses. thx!
Beautiful cake! Perfect for spring, forget about summer ;) I love how light and airy this cake looks.
Excellent and super-quick recipe. Thank you for the tip re: barley flour. The texture IS incredibly smooth, so I am looking forward to experimenting with it in other cakes. I made this yesterday (in a 9.5 inch cake pan) with local strawberries, and we’re lucky to have half still sitting on the counter. I did lessen the sugar in the batter a tad, and used raw sugar for sprinking on top. This my favorite new summer dessert recipe!
This reminds me of the Finnish “pie” I discovered while trying to find something to do with a glut of redcurrants. That has oil and yoghurt in and no egg, which is something I like as if I cave and buy eggs (I’m a student cooking just for myself) I inevitably have large breakfasts for a few days after.
It definitely works with redcurrants and raspberries, and I imagine jam (jelly) versions for the fruit-poor could work. Now I’m thinking of Bakewell Tart!
The recipe’s here if you’re interested :)
http://www.ahousecallednut.com/a_house_called_nut/2009/06/red-currantraspberry-pie-recipe.html
& my pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/dichohecho/3786556662/
I made this last night – so good!! When I first saw it posted, I thought my kids might not go for it because they’re all about the icing. But we downed this cake in no time, and they’re asking me to make it again. It forms a great crusty top, which is really really good. Thanks!
Baked this just this morning. Made my house unbearably hot, as summer has decided to show it’s head finally in western New York. It is for dessert tonight but it looks, and smells, divine. Easier than easy. This would be so awesome with wild berries, or maybe some of the super Lake Erie peaches this fall.
Just made this cake (see the photo on my blog: instructionsforlife.tumblr.com) and it was DELICIOUS! I ate it as a breakfast coffee cake and it worked well for that. I would definitely go with reducing the sugar, especially if you have berries that are exceptionally sweet. Also, the cake puffs up quite a bit, so overlapping the berries wasn’t a problem for me!
YUM.. this looks delicious. I am a huge fan of the strawberry and cake combination. I’ll have to give this one a shot!
Oh! I totally did a ‘strawberries are here’ dance at the market yesterday morning. AND I bought way more than a single gal could hope to eat… on my way to the store for barley flour, gotta do it right!
My lovely wife made this for me earlier today. Tasted lovely but I ate far too much!!
I live in GA and our farmers just started bringing out the peaches, so I made this with peaches instead…it was amazing!! As always your recipes rock!!
It turned out great!!! I’m really a very beginner chef, but I decided to take up the challenge because I just bought a bunch of fresh strawberries. Very easy to follow, and reducing the cup of sugar was a great adjustment. Thanks!!
THIS WAS FABULOUS!!! I love desserts in general, but this cake has to be one of the best cakes I’ve EVER eaten! Brought it to a BBQ today and it was gone within 5 minutes flat. Everyone raved about it. Think I might have to make it again tomorrow!! Yummmmm…..
I made this today for our Sunday dessert. I had run out of vanilla so I used almond extract instead – oh my. I am having a very hard time resisting a second piece.
As I just said to my husband- “This is such a Nicole cake”. This is EXACTLY the kind of cake I like to eat. It was totally perfect.
If you love this, I will do everything but insist (ok, I’ll insist) that come cherry season, you try this: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/fresh-cherry-cobbler/Detail.aspx
It is unforgettable.
I made this today as my family came into town for Memorial Day weekend and it. was. delicious.
It was quick and easy and I did go back for seconds. This is the second recipe I’ve made from your blog and I can’t help but want to dig around for more!
I just have to read through your comments on how to chill or… heat? for if I save it instead of eat it the same day.
Thanks!
Wow, I see I am not the first person to admire this beautiful cake :-) It is just gorgeous, a beautiful use for perfect, in-season strawberries. I moved to Israel recently and we had a long and glorious strawberry season that is just ending now. I’ve frozen some just in case I come across a recipe – like this one – that I simply can’t resist. Thanks!
Update: I found barley flour while on business trip here in Hong Kong! Now I’ve got to try it out in this and see why you give it so many brownie points.
Its really a delicious cake! My version can be seen on
http://nadelundgabel.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/jammy-strawberry-cake/
Sadly the strawberry season in Germany comes to an end, but I will probably try this recipe again with different kinds of fruit during this summer.
Hi, i just wanted to tell you that i had a big success with this cake, as ususal! i m a big fan of your blog, and every recipe i ve tried so far was as good as announced and made a blast each time!
so thx for doing this
you rock!
I found malted barley flour at the Han Ah Rheum. Is this what you used? Whole Foods doesn’t carry it.
Hi cybercita — I think I found it at the WF on Houston. It was not malted. I think it’s from Arrowhead Mills.
Me, I never cook. I appreciate food, love to read food blogs, take photos of food but don’t cook. This cake inspired me. I made it and it was wonderful. My husband “the chef” was impressed. Thank you.
After the wife took me to the local U-Pick farm, we needed inspiration to tackle our 11lb haul! We made this cake and was gone before we knew it! It was delicious!!
I made this cake yesterday and GOODNESS GRACIOUS was it delicious. The whole kitchen smelled like strawberries, and the finished product was as beautiful as it was yummy – and so simple!
I used a 10-inch springform, buttered and floured (just to make sure there’d be no sticking). I also cooked it the full 60 minutes at 325F (70 minutes total). It puffed up quite nicely, and was perfectly golden on the edges.
You’re right, though, Deb – I think it’s just a tiny smidgeon too sweet. I’m going to try this again next weekend with 2 tablespoons less sugar. (I honestly think the sugar on top would make up for those two tablespoons perfectly.)
This is the fifth recipe of yours I’ve made and every one of them has turned out wonderfully. Thank you!
I made this over the weekend using cherries instead of strawberries since I was completely unable to resist buying from two different vendors at the farmer’s market. It turned out wonderfully and may have to make it again to use up the rest of the cherries. Or maybe that slab pie recipe… :-)
that child will be my undoing some day . . . those chubby, baby-dimpled arms, those eyes and that hair . . . swoon . . .
oh – and i just happen to have at least a pound of fresh strawberries that i picked this morning from our garden . . . i think The Professor might be as happy as Jacob . . . except that The Professor is 6’4″ and can actually see what’s on the counter . . . although he still puts his hand out . . .
Just made this and it looks & smells AMAZING! My kiddos keep asking when we can eat it. It was going to be dessert after dinner but I don’t think any of us will hold out that long! Perhaps a nice midday snack with ice cream on this very hot Memorial Day…..
Made this for a potluck picnic brunch today and it was absolutely perfect. I just wish I’d known about it sooner – our strawberries are just about gone here in NC.
I made this for a barbecue last night, and it came out great. I used a 9.5 inch pie plate, and the batter was barely contained but it worked. I also used oat flour instead of barley flour, and it brought a nutty sweetness that was really delicious with the berries. Thanks for finding this one Deb.
I made this over the weekend and it was DELICIOUS! Not too sweet and really brings out the flavor of the strawberries. I might try it with blackberries next time or a mixture of both! Thanks for the simple, but YUMMY recipe!!!
Thank u for your beautiful receipes!! this cake look so gorgeous! I’ll try it as soon as possible!
Delish! Loved the barley flour, only had fat-free milk on hand, it worked great. All gone.
Oh, MY!!! I routinely stalk your site, as I have a brand new baby at home, and this is my happy place to come here while he’s nursing and not falling asleep. :) At any rate, my super Hubby has made a number of your recipes for me. I actually made this the other day (when my LO was actually sleeping, as opposed to his normal pretending to sleep). So easy, so quick, so delectable!
SO VERY, VERY GOOD. You’re right…it did not keep for two days, because, well my DH and I are piggies. :)
Thank you! (and how in the world did you do this with a little one?)
Thank you for sharing this recipe. LOVE it! I made it for a bbq on Saturday and once the last piece disappeared, I immediately wanted more. Couldn’t help making it again for another bbq today.
This looks absolutely delicious, but it’s so hot out where I live that I can’t make it! I tried looking around for no-bake desserts, but many of them call for ridiculous recipes and seem like they are more hassle than it’s worth. Do you have any simple no-bake dessert recipes? Just something simple I could make on one of these 90 degree days that we’re having. Thanks!!
Came out beautifully, but I must say, forget the “good luck with that” on your do ahead part because we loved it far more on Day 2. It was good on Day 1, but absolutely awesome on Day 2. I think it was just that everything firmed up so nicely overnight.
Definitely making this again, at any time of the year, with whatever berries are in season. Great cake. Thanks, Deb!
Okay–my first Deb recipe disaster. Made this in a ten inch glass pie plate and as we speak, the batter with strawberries is bubbling over the side. My DH just turned on the exhaust fan ’cause of the smell of goo burning on the oven floor.
I made this last night and it was INCREDIBLE. I baked it in a regular 9.5″ pie pan without any issues, though I didn’t end up using the entire pound of strawberries just because there wasn’t enough room to smash them all in. I think I’m going to try mixing in chopped up pieces of the leftover strawberries next time around — this cake was so good that I don’t see how extra berries could hurt it! It’s similar to a really great strawberry shortcake.
Despite the 90+ degree heat in Philly (definitely summer!), I turned on my oven to make this cake TWICE this weekend. It was destroyed within minutes at both parties. I used rhubarb for some of the strawberries the second time around, and that bit of tartness might have made the whole thing even better, if that’s possible. First time in a 9″ regular cake pan, which was perfect for the recipe as written. Second time in a 10″ cake pan, and I scaled up the ingredients by 1/2. There was more cake to fruit in the 10″ version, but that didn’t hurt at all. I have declared this the summer of the Magical Strawberry Cake – thank you so much for sharing!!!
This was an amazing cake. I made this the other night for my husband’s pre-birthday cake (I get roped into a three day birthday because his is always on Memorial Day weekend.) Instead of whip cream, I used lavender ice cream and topped it off with rhubarb compote. We swiftly ate it and I made it again the next day. It was incredibly hard making a better dessert for his actual birthday.
As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to make it. I convinced my mom to buy some extra strawberries when we were shopping for dinner and decided to take the plunge tonight. SO worth it! We served it with some fresh whipped cream… and I will definitely be eating a piece for breakfast.
Doesn’t hurt that it feels kind of healthy too… with all the fruit. Yes, I’m playing some Jedi mind tricks with that one, but I’m hoping I’m not the only one that feels that way! Thanks for sharing. =D
I’ve been waiting for strawberries to come to my local farm stand just so I could make this – lucky me, yesterday was the day! The cake was super easy to make and absolutely delicious! I will get some whipped cream to enjoy with the cake that is left. By the way, I live on Long Island and found Bob’s Red Mill whole grain barley flour at my neighborhood IGA.
Nice!!! Made it and loved it. I was worried at first with how thick the cake batter was but it turned out perfect, following the recipe to the note. Moist tasty cake with kind of a crisp cobbler-like top and a great way to use (and present) fresh strawberries. Good enough to make it again 2 days later (which totally happened). Also, the pictures shown are spot on. Thanks!
I am definitely not alone in the sentiment, but it must be said anyway: I really loved this cake! Just wanted to add a note about a few substitutions I made which worked for me. I used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 white, honey instead of sugar (maybe a bit more than a 1/2 cup? I’m guessing because I hate to measure honey due to the mess it makes), and about 4-5 tbs yogurt instead of the milk (only because I had no milk). The cake was sticky and rich, and probably denser than yours (judging from your pictures), and my family and I thought it was really good. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Made this cake this weekend, 9″ pan, and it was absolutely delicious. I had some leftover strawberries as many others did, next time will just drop them on top or something. Not that munching on the rest of them was any hardship. Can’t wait to make this for my mom!
I’ve tried it last Tuesday when my sister in law came to visit from France. We all thought it was delicious and finished it within two days. I had full grain wheat flour in my pantry, so I swopped this for the barley flour. Also, I only had medium sized eggs, so I took two instead of one large one. Unluckily, most of the strawberries sank to the ground. May this be due to the two eggs?
Made this for a Memorial Day BBQ and everyone loved it.
SO GOOD! I made this cake yesterday and it was WONDERFUL. To me, it tasted like a sweet biscuit with strawberry jam built in! YUM.
I made this cake for my Memorial Day BBQ. It was really good and the entire family loved it. I did not have barley flour, but will definitely try it next time. I think the cake had the perfect amount of sweetness, but I also think it would depend on the sweetness of your berries. I really loved how quickly and easily it came together. I probably baked it a minute or two too long because the center did not seem to firm up (probably due to the amount of strawberries in the middle of the cake).
Love this. Looks so simple and delicious.
and yes..not all strawberries are created equal. Thos evil ones floating in the produce aisle in the middle of february are just a decoy. Sneaky little buggers, with their oh so alluring red color. Completely flat on the taste buds. Tricky.
Cake is delcious though. If I were a strawberry, I’d like to be baked in this cake.
I made this over the weekend and served it (warm!) to friends. One of them took a bite, sighed, and said, “This is a repertoire cake.”
I made this yesterday and it was a hit! Light and delicious. Loved it and will make it again as soon as I can get more organic strawberries!
This was a hit at a Memorial day party. My whipped cream didn’t whip (still a mystery as to why) so I served it with a lime glaze which was a fantastic counterpoint to the sweet berries.
Deb, this cake is amazing. Your description is spot-on; it does taste like little deposits of strawberry jam. I made it with just the regular flour and it was wonderful. I am so not a fan of strawberry pie, so this is such a great way to use fragrant berries in the market. Thanks so much for posting…
I made this Sunday and it as a smashing success! I’m another one who worked with a regular 9.25″ pie pan and didn’t have a problem. I’ll probably make another one sometimes this week to take into work.
Thank you!
I made this twice over the weekend. One on Saturday (to test it) and one for a party on Sunday. I used 1/2 almond meal and 1/2 all purpose flour, and low-fat milk (what we had), and it tasted absolutely delicious. The only issue was that the strawberries sunk below and were entirely invisible on the top. I didn’t layer them the first time, so on the second time, I layered many of them (to make them higher). They still sunk below. We used a 9 in deep dish pie plate- very similar to yours. So, I’m not sure if it was the flour or the milk- or both… but I’d like to keep trying so that the strawberries stay on the top!
Torrie — I don’t think that the strawberries are really meant to stay on top. This cake is more of a buckle.
Sudhana — That blog is so awesome!
I made this on Monday and it tasted great right out of the oven. It looked more like Laurie Colwen’s Cranberry Nantucket Pie to me. I used frozen strawberries that were thawed and 1 cup white whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. I added the seeds of half of a vanilla bean too for a bit of extra flavor. And used the less sugar option Deb mentioned.
It fit just perfectly into my 9 inch Fiesta pie plate.
But when we ate it again the next day, I found it a bit lacking. It was okay but didn’t know my socks off. So while this was good at the first eating, I am not sure I would make it again.
Thanks for making me SuperMom of the day again, Deb! Made this for my son’s birthday breakfast and was hailed in story and song. I can see, as per another devotee’s comment, that this batter IS the perfect springboard for any fruit and also possible streusel topping, but any way you slice it- and by the way, for our family of four yesterday morning, that only came out to about 6 servings-it’s the best coffee cake/any beverage/any time of day cake!
I made this last week for a get together. I ran out of granulated sugar so had to replace 2 T. in the cake recipe with brown sugar and then sprinkled the top with brown sugar too. It was delicious that way! I also only had an 8 inch cake pan to use. It made a nice thick cake that I was able to invert and put on a plate for serving. It was a hit!
This was a giant hit at my dear friend’s BBQ yesterday! Thanks :)
I’ve made this cake 4 TIMES since last week! I finally got smart and doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9×13 pan. Still warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream….pure heaven! Thanks for the great recipe!
I made this and didn’t like it much… but now that I’m looking at the recipe again, I see that I screwed up and put the berries on the bottom and the batter on top. The top looked golden and smelled delicious, but there was a yucky mushy layer between the cake top and the berry bottom. And the berries didn’t melt into jam. Oh, well — I’m not sure if I can bring myself to try it again.
I made this yesterday in a springform cake pan and substituted unsweetened vanilla almond milk for the whole milk. It wasn’t so fun being cooped up in my muggy Brooklyn kitchen but this recipe sounded like a perfectly light dessert to round out a meat-heavy backyard bbq. Everyone enjoyed it. I’m a total barley flour convert, Deb. It made all the difference! Maybe next time I’ll slice up some peaches…
I made this cake yesterday and all the strawberries sunk to the bottom during baking. I used all-purpose flour only. Believe me, it was still delicious . . . just not what the recipe intended. Any thoughts?
joyful success. this was the perfect ending to a fabulous memorial day brunch. who couldn’t love a simple summer cake like this with its intoxicating smell of the strawberries leading up to its unassumingly elegant presentation and that particularly tantalizing cakey texture that resides just below the slightly caramelized strawberries…and it was so simple that I whipped it up while the 8 other people who were going to eat it merrily tromped through my kitchen. We just so happen to have a weekend full of peach canning ahead of us and I can now tell you with total certainty that some of those peaches are destined for this cake.
@Sara (asking about baking this at high altitude) – I’m at about 5200′ and this came out great as is. It’s dense enough that it might be fine at 7500′ too.
Also, I concur with Deb that taking a touch of the sugar out might be good as this was a bit sweet (though still very good). And it worked great in a 9″ springform pan.
This is the first thing that has pried me away from your oatmeal cookies (the chewy AND the salted white chocolate versions)! I am now making it for the second time in a week. It is beyond stellar! I think about it 24/7 now; it’s that good. I am wondering how it would be with peaches since the strawberry season is so short. I think I’ll probably try it. : ) <(happy strawberry face)
I made this for a Memorial Day BBQ yesterday. It was so easy to make and turned out perfect! I put toasted coconut on top with some fresh whipped cream on the side. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the delicious and easy recipe!!!!
Very delicious and impressive – to look at, and to eat. Came out great in a springform pan. Used 1/2 oat flour and 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour and though I feared it might be a bit grainy, it had a delicious texture/chew…esp from the liquid of the strawberries baking and seeping into it. Also served it with whipped cream. Just a great cake that lasted a total of 1 day…great warm/room temp/cold (out of the fridge). I’m already looking for an excuse to make it again. Thanks for posting this recipe!
Thanks for the great recipes, Deb. You never disappoint.
Has anyone tried making a sugar-free version of this cake using a sugar substitute?
I made it too! I picked up some perfect strawberries from the farmer’s market on saturday and it turned out fantastic. Thanks for another fail-safe recipe. When is your cookbook coming out????
I made this and loved it! I’ve been looking for years for the perfect way to use spring strawberries (besides strawberry shortcake). I think I’ve found it. Thanks Deb, for another knockout!
If your blueberry cake is boybate, this is surely manbate. I made it last night and I’m pretty sure it convinced the love of my life to move across the country for me.
Ok, I must admit it. I am making this cake for the third time since you posted it. And my husband, 3-year-old, and I have eaten it by ourselves each time. I think I’m in love.
This cake is incredible and I’m so grateful to you for posting it! I’ll add my two cents about the sugar – I reduced it, as you had suggested, but I think next time I’ll bring it down even further – our local strawberries are sweet and delicious, and so I’ll take it down by another two tablespoons at least.
I made this cake with strawberries but it didn’t turn out as I expected, maybe they weren’t as ripe as they should be. Today I made it with frozen raspberries, that juice inside the cake OMG I think I’m in heaven :D
Made this using almond milk in a 9.5 inch pie plate using about 3/4c sugar, including the 2 T to top the cake, because I ran out (whoops) and it came out fantastic. This one’s a keeper, thank you!
Yum! Love the recipe. So great for summertime and thanks for sharing.
I made this last night and added rhubarb to the strawberries. What a tastey breakfast this morning! Thank you for a simple summer inspiration.
I just made this cake and it was really easy to do. It tastes good but 45 minutes in 325 led to a little dry cake, so next time I will test it before that. In addition I think that adding perhaps some lemon zest to the batter will “enhance” the cake flavor.
I will definitively try this recipe again.
oh i think i definitely agree with you with the lemon to help with the taste. and as well for me, it was a bit dry for 50minutes.
Such a perfect summer cake!!
I made it with white peaches, turned out just perfect!
Looks like im gonna make it all along the summer with whatever fruit comes in hand.
Thank you so much!
Made this today and ADORED it. Brought it into the office and it was gone before 9:30 am. Used all regular flour (no barley flour on hand) and kept all the sugar. Only real change was that I used almond milk instead of milk, it was still great.
Definitely keeping this as my standard cake recipe- just rotate the strawberries out for whatever’s in season. I can picture it with blueberries, blackberries, maybe even mango…
Do you think this would work doubled on a 9×13 glass casserole dish?
I tried making one awhile ago but I couldn’t get it to look as good as yours. But aside from the looks, my kids and my husband loved your recipe. Thank you for this share and I would be looking forward to more of your tutorials.
Just wanted to know if there is any way to print recipies from your site with pictures. I love seing what things are supose to look like, and most of my recipies these days are printed from websites, so seing it in print helps. Any way you can tweek this site to do that, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for all your work and I really enjoy your blog.
Svetlana — Yes, there is. There’s a print link at the bottom of each post, before the comments begin.
Melissa — Almost definitely. I’ll find out myself this weekend, but I think someone has already commented that they did so successfully.
Carolyn — Aw, congrats!
Cybil — Nooo!
You were right, Deb. The barley flour was a very nice surprise indeed! Very light and airy. I would have never thought to use this. Thanks for the great suggestion!
Made it. Loved it. Great summer treat, with a little bite of cake and that perfect crunch on top with the sugar. Agreed that it would have been perfect to me with a few spoonfulls less of the sugar. Oh and I used my normal 9″ pie pan and had no accidents.
Yours looks soooooo much better than Martha’s!
I made this lovely cake with one-third regular unbleached flour, one-third barley flour and one-third almond-meal flour. It was wonderful and made me feel a tiny bit virtuous for cutting back on the gluten. I went somewhat generous with the butter and somewhat frugal on the sugar. I suspect this is a cake that would be difficult to ruin, almost no matter what you do. Superb summer recipe! Thank you.
Forgot to say that I made the cake with the intention of giving half to our neighbor. My husband, however, would not let me leave the house, once he’d tasted it!
LOVE it! This is my third time making it. I even made it once with “fake” butter and coconut milk (since my 3 month old can’t tolerate when I eat dairy), and it still turned out fantastic!
Question – Can this be changed to a chocolate cake by adding cocoa powder? Or something else? If so, how much? I’m not much of a baker, but I do love chocolate and strawberries. Thanks!!
I just made this, and I am enjoying a piece now. It is one of the best cakes I have EVER had, and so easy.
I have seriously made this cake 3 times since you posted it! Once for my family (we literally GOBBLED it up in less than 24 hours) and twice to give to 2 different friends (who recently admitted to GOBBLING it up in less than 12 hours!).
KILLER cake…’nuff said!
Well, here we go, another comment. I think its my 5th in 2 weeks which suggests i’m cooking, baking + eating ALOT. You my kitten friend, are making me fat! :)
So, I’m the gal that tried this with the only sad tin pie plate in the house and it was a disaster. Horrific, really. It bubbed all over everything and overflowed. Despite its sad looking state (use the larger pan) it is a bombshell of a cake and is DEEELISH…I’m gonna have to dig out my maternity clothes I think!
made this the other night and my family is begging me to make it again. this is one of the easiest and best cake recipe EVER. Thank you!
Made this for memorial day bbq. Everyone loved it. Used white floor as it’s all i had. Subbed the 1/2 cup milk for yogurt as i didn’t have time to run to the store. Kept the sugar as it. It was AMAZING. staying in the oven all 55 minutes. Served with handwhipped cream. Made it and out the door in a little over an hour.
Have now made this twice (I can’t stop buying strawberries!) The first time (last weekend), I only used 175 grams of sugar – lovely, but still a tad too sweet for me although that didn’t stop us from gobbling it all up. Made it again last night with only 170 grams of sugar. Perfection! Both times, I subbed in whole wheat pastry flour for the barley (I’ve got WAY too many flours already, I truly don’t need to add another!) This cake is fabulous at room temp for breakfast. Seriously, I cannot stop eating this cake! I used a 9″ deep dish pie glass pie plate and it took a full 60 minutes each time.
I just made this with some super-sweet strawberries. It looks so delicious. We’re having comapny over tonight, I can’t wait to dig into it! Thanks!
i’m on round two of this sucker right now….
Delicious! This cake was just perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Deb, this looks delicious, im totally making it for my birthday lunch today! I just wanna say im currently obsessed with this site..every recipe i make comes out perfect, besides i loooove reading your comments about em. I dont know if im your first international fan (live in Mexico).. im sure im not.. congrats! And if youre craving mexican food just tell me and ill send you the recipe ;).
Thank you for this amazing recipe! Love, love, love the cake!
I may be the lone dissenter, but… I actually much prefer the raspberry buttermilk cake to this one. My strawberries completely sank until they were resting directly on the cake pan beneath the cake, which made for a soggy bottom (heh). I also find the “cake” part of the raspberry cake superior to this one; it’s more tender and melt-in-your-mouth. Really, even though this recipe isn’t my preference (and that’s all it is, just preference), thank you SO much for reminding me of the raspberry one! :)
I made this yesterday for a moving party lunch today, and it turned out fantastic. I took your wonderings about sugar to heart and used only 2/3 cup in the batter and 1 tablespoon sprinkled on top. It was perfect; I couldn’t imagine it any sweeter. Especially since strawberries are at their peak, the less sugar helped the strawberry flavor to shine. Thanks for the recipe, and thanks for the less sugar suggestion!
This cake is not entirely cool yet, and it is already about 40% gone, between my husband and me (mostly me). We made it in a 9-in springform pan and it came out great after 10 min at 350 and 50 min at 325F. One of the easiest cakes I’ve ever made!
I have this in the ovn right now for breakfast tomorrow. I am actually making it gluten free and vegan. I used earth balance, egg replacer, almond milk, and my favorite all-purpose gluten free flour mix (from the book Free for All Cooking). Fingers crossed!
I made this for the first time as a dessert to take to a luncheon so I broke my rule of testing a recipe at least once before serving it to guests. I live in France and even with the difference in butter, flour and leavening, it was perfection. One of the guests runs a french patisserie and she begged for the recipe. First time I made it with local strawberries and today I made it with just-in apricots. It is divine.
I made this last night and it came out perfect. The smaller the strawberries, the sweeter they are so I made sure to use them. I can’t wait to have some for breakfast this morning. Yum!! Thank you!
Delicious! I’m going to try with peaches and blueberries as well :-)
This cake was a real crowd pleaser – I also added a little lemon zest to the batter and it made it taste a little lighter/fresher/more summer-y. thanks for the great recipe!
I made it this weekend and everyone loved it! I’m not usually a fruit-in-cake kind of person but I was won over when you described the strawberries turning into “puddles of jam.” It was delicious. And everyone to whom it was served asked me how I had gone about making a lattice – apparently the way the strawberries sank into the cake made it look like I had latticed dough on top. Nice unintended touch!! Thanks for the recipe!
I keep trying to make this cake. Everytime I make it, it just turns to liquid. What am I doing wrong?? What type of milk do you recommend??
-Joannah
Joannah — I’m not sure what you mean by liquid — the batter? The cake doesn’t bake? You can use any kind of milk. If you have whole milk, use that first, but it’s such a small amount that the above commenters have been successful with everything from soy to almond to skim milk.
I made this on Friday for some friends, and it is beyond awesome. Easy, yummy, and someone mentioned that it gets better with age. I polished off the last piece just now (Sunday) and that’s completely true. The problem is trying to get the cake to stay in the pan (and out of my mouth) for a couple of days to age!
Brilliant!
I made this in a deep dish pie pan for a colleague’s birthday and it was delicious and beautiful, even made with ordinary supermarket strawberries. Definitely a keeper!
I will just preface this comment by saying that I am not a chef, by any means. Made this last night for the toughest critics around, my Italian family….it was a hit-thanks! :)
I had to comment for the first time because this cake is SO FREAKING GOOD. I made it in a 9″ cake pan and had no problems. I also reduced the sugar as suggested to excellent results. I made it this evening, and pretty much polished off half of it. I have no regrets.
I made this for my roommate’s birthday and it was a success! I should also add that I’m a horrible baker, but was very inspired by the cake so I decided to give it a try, and I’m very glad that I did. Thank you!
I made 2 of these cakes on Saturday for the 2 BBQs we were attending. Both disappeared as soon as someone took the first slice. I was lucky to get some! I loved the cake – and so did everyone else.
I used 9″ pie tins and they just barely worked. I put a cookie sheet on a rack below in case there were any drips. There weren’t, but I think that was mostly just luck.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe! :)
Swapping normal baking flour with barley flour… that sounds really interesting. Have got to try that on my other recipes :)
I was successful! My problem seems to be that I used those huge strawberries from the grocer and they overflowed the pan. Thanks!
I don’t have a whole lot of strawberries around (we’re toward the end of Strawberry season down here), but I do have a bunch of NC peaches that need to be used up ASAP. I think I’ll try baking this up tonight if my puppy will allow me the extra time in the kitchen! I’m gonna throw in some cinnamon and swap in some brown sugar – I really love that flavor combination.
Very nice – it reminds me a bit of a cross between a clafouti and a sponge. I’m sure it won’t last long in our house!
OMG…so delicious! Used a 10″ pie plate and fresh picked strawberries. One of my favorites. This was the first thing I baked in my new convection oven and it came out so perfect.
I forgot to add that I used rice milk because I didn’t want the cake to be dairy, and it came out just fine.
Great cake. I made it today and blogged about it here. http://calcuttachow.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/strawberry-cake/
Just perfect, even at 9,000-ft altitude. Thanks for a great recipe Deb!
I made this last night! Since strawberry shortcake is my favorite, I was worried about the cake being a too-sweet version of it, so I dialed back the sugar by an 1/8 of a cup, used almond milk (all I had) and a splash of pineapple rum. Just in case anyone else is a die-hard shortcake fan, this satisfied the craving and then some. I have to admit with the whipped cream it was better than regular shortcake. *sigh* thankyou!
I made this cake with AP flour, skim milk, and substituted ground flaxseeds and water for the egg (we are not very good at grocery shopping around here). The flax gave it a little bit of nuttiness and I think it was even better with the substitution.
It definitely overflowed my 9″ round cake pan, though, enough that one of the berries fell out. I’d use the springform pan next time.
All I can say is this was delicious!
Very nice recipe. Thanks for enhancing my skill.
Soooooooooo delicious and just what was needed to give me a whiff of summer at the start of winter (am in Australia). Can’t wait for summer and sun warmed strawberries . . .
Until then, I used up the last of my frozen strawberry stock. Beautiful.
I used buttermilk aswell as I had some in the fridge and sprinked brown sugar on the top instead of white for extra caramelisation.
Another winner from Smitten Kitchen. Thanks
I made this last night for my dad’s birthday, which is today. I can’t wait to dig in! I made it in a 9″ springform with some gorgeous dark red NC strawberries. All of the strawberries stayed on top and they cover nearly the entire top of the cake. It is currently sitting on my counter – would it be better to refridgerate it? I can’t decide whether to serve chilled or at room temp.
I made this over the weekend. It was delicious. It was even better the next day, served with whipped cream. I used the full amount of sugar, and I didn’t find it to be overly sweet, at all.
Just to report in – I made it with no substitutions (except the lower amount of sugar) in a 10 inch cake springform, and it worked great and was delicious. It did sag a bit in the middle and the edges were a little tough, though. Has anyone tried mixing chunks of strawberry in the batter? I loved the cake, but wanted a slightly higher proportion of berry then I could get from just the top.
And Deb, I love your blog. Both the food and the pictures of Jabob, who is only a few months older then my little darling.
my mouth is watering……!!!
This was incredible! Made it with strawberries, blackberries and cherries, and everyone ate it all up. I had only 1/3 tsp of vanilla, so added 1 tsp of almond extract, which was awesome. I might make it with less sugar next time, not because it was too sweet, but because 1 cup seems like a lot of sugar to eat up so quickly!
This is a delicious summer cake with a lovely crumb. I swapped a third of the flour for spelt flour, thanks to a reviewer above, and also used cream instead of milk, since it was all that I had. The result was a cake with just a bit of a crust – really fantastic.
We had this last night for dad’s birthday. It was a hit, even with my husband, who, incredibly, doesn’t like strawberries. I had reduced the sugar by 3 or 4 tbsp and it was perfect – very shortcake-like and more biscuity than sweet. It was just the slightest bit dry, but that also added to the shortcake-like taste, and was most likely due to being in the oven a few minutes too long (I left it in for 60 minutes). None of my strawberries sank at all – they all stayed perched right on top. I’d eat this every day! Will definitely be making again.
I made this last night and even my son who hates strawberries (I’m wondering if he was switched at birth because that is just not normal) ate it up and asked for seconds. Thanks for a great recipe. My husband says it is definitely a keeper!
What keeps all the strawberries from settling to the bottom? I’m trying to put raspberries in a white cake and they always end up in the bottom after baking. Can anybody give me any sugestions?
Berry sinking has to do with the heaviness of the berries versus the thickness of the batter. Thicker batters and lighter berries sink less; thinner batters and heavier berries sink more.
Is there anything I can add to the berries or the batter?
I went strawberry picking on Sunday with my girlfriends and ended up with 5 lbs of strawberries, so this recipe was timely! I made the cake as written but added some lemon zest – it’s beyond delicious. I’ve been eating WAY too much of it these past few days (I’m keeping it at room temp under a cake dome, it seems to be okay after a few days), but it’s fruit, right? Fruit’s good for you! ;) Thanks for the great recipe – it’s such a fun, simple, delicious summer treat.
Just made this exactly as the recipe suggests EXCEPT I used mangoes, of which I have way way too many. And it turned out fabulous indeed. I cut the mangoes into pieces the size of a half strawberry. Some sunk and some didn’t, and I think that combination was excellent.
I made this cake in a pie pan and when I took it out of the oven it sank big time and the middle is all cracked up. Did I do something wrong?
Just made this cake. I used sour cream instead of milk because I decided that I wanted the tangy flavor of the sour cream to come through. It was super-amazing. Thanks.
My friend made this cake yesterday and we all requested the recipe. It was amazing! Thank you for including the barley flour idea as well. We no longer have food allergy issues in our family, but when we did I used a lot of “alternative” flours and still appreciate the variety in our diets. I can’t wait to make it myself! I have a feeling this will become a staple summer recipe for me. :P
Deb, is it just me or does milk and egg added to creamed butter and sugar = 1 curdled mess??? I so wanted this to work. Checking out the Joy of Cooking I understand that adding the flour to the egg and sugar to make a kind of crumb followed by the milk and egg mix would work better. I am going to try again this weekend, the picture looks so amazing, nothing like the inedible ‘strawberry bread’ that I achieved on my first try.
Moosey — It looks weird at first, but smooths out as you add the dry ingredients.
I wanted to try this recipe, but only had frozen mixed berries in the fridge (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry). I also had some whole wheat pastry flour I needed to use up, so I mixed half all-purpose with half of the pastry flour and the result was delicious. Also, this combo doesn’t really need much sugar sprinkled on top–I barely used a tablespoon. I really liked how some of the berries sank into the cake (like little buried treasures–pun fully intended) and then created that delicious pie-filling-goo on top. However, I wanted to be true to the original, so I made it again tonight with fresh strawberries. Sorry, it was a disappointment. The frozen berries created the consistency and flavor I wanted. The strawberries were flavorless in comparison. Thanks, though, for the chance to experiment!
I don’t know if this is mentioned somewhere else in the comments, but I tried this cake in a regular (not a deep dish) 9-inch pie pan and would NOT recommend it. The batter and a few berries overflowed and there really isn’t enough surface area to even come close to distributing a pound of strawberries. Despite all that, it’s still very tasty–just ugly as sin :)
Yes. Yes. Yes. This is my new default for any situation where I need to bring a cake. The recipe as written worked absolutely perfectly in a 10-inch cake pan, although it did take slightly longer (about 10-15 minutes more, although I suspect my oven has been on the fritz) to bake. I wound up quartering some of my exceptionally large strawberries, and was quite happy that my nice even pattern of strawberry pieces did not sink into the cake. It did fall apart slightly when I cut it, but I blame this on not having proper tools (I wound up using the flattest large spoon I could find). Easy, perfect, and delicious. I can’t wait to make this for the next time I have dinner with my boyfriend and his parents.
I had to respond to this fabulous post! I made this dessert yesterday and it is gone today! My family of 5 loved it! It is so easy and such a perfect summer dessert. I can’t wait to try it with fresh peaches!
Finally made this, and just had to chime in…delicious. The cake is out of this world and I could be absolutely happy eating it plain, but oozy strawberries just make me unable to stop eating it. Not sure this cake will last the night…
Thanks so much for the awesome recipe! I made the cake last weekend and it is just DELICIOUS… with strawberrys freshly picked from the field!! wow. thanks for sharing
Hi Deb, new to your site, but it looks great!! THIS IS MY CAKE! Quite literally, I have been making this cake since it came out in Martha Stewart in 2005. It is probably my most famous dish! Because I live in Europe, where we simply don’t have strawberries most of the year, I tend to make it A LOT when the strawberries arrive — to bring to summer BBQ’s, playgroups, playdates, etc etc!! I modify the recipe slightly as well — I find that it’s too sweet so I dial back the sugar a bit. And I top it with demerera (raw) sugar instead of white. You get little crystallized bits that are nice. This cake is also called “Floor Cake” among a certain group of friends, since the one time I was bringing it outside and the bottom fell out of my springform and the cake crashed to the floor. I was gutted, but the host of the party simply scooped it up and served it anyhow (including a very clear preface by me that it had, indeed, been on the floor) The entire cake was eaten, without the blink of an eye. That is the power of the strawberry cake!!
cheers, stacy
This is perfection. I used a 9.5″ pie pan and it worked perfectly. I think anything smaller could potentially be disastrous. I used turbinado sugar on top and really liked the way it made a nice crust on the cake, but 2 tbsp seemed like a lot. I had a hard time telling when the cake was done as wherever I stuck my tester in came back with goo because of all the berries. My only disappointment was that none of my berries sunk. The batter was very thick so maybe next time I’ll press some of them in firmly. I also added a handful of chopped rhubarb which was a nice addition. I can’t stop eating it. So amazing.
Hooray! I’ve been stumbling around my usual sites looking for something delicious to make w/fresh strawberries. I hadn’t checked your site in a while and now I’m so glad that I did. I can’t wait to make this!
I made this in a springform pan after over-buying strawberries at the farmer’s market. It tasted even more delicious than it looked. Thank you- this is a new classic at my house!
I understand the strawberries get gooey, but is the cake itself also supposed to be a little gooey? Do I need to bake it longer so it’s drier like a typical cake?
Mine came out after 60 min still a little gooey in the center (the toothpick check was fine though). Is this normal?
Hi Deb– I made the pie in an ordinary 9″ pie plate… and it EXPLODED! Well, actually it oozed up and out of the plate… perhaps you should consider ‘un-suggesting’ the 9″ plate.
Ely — Yikes! Will do.
We are shamelessly in the process of enjoying this cake for breakfast – it’s amazing. So simple to make, the cake is soft and fluffy, and the strawberries are gooey and sweet. I baked it in a 10 inch springform pan and it turned out great! I was worried it’d be really thin, but it wasn’t. I only needed to bake it for 60 min total though (10 at 350 and 50 at 325)
I have made it THREE times last week hahahhaha, it was perfect! :)
For those wondering, this recipe does work in you standard 12 muffin tin and mix all the ingredients together in a messy mixture (i.e. not properly placing the strawberries). You just end up getting very soft cupcakes with extra gooey pockets of strawberry jam. In polite company, I’d likely pop them out of the cupcake liner onto a prettier plate. Otherwise, visuals are lacking but the taste buds and stomach doesn’t know the difference. :) Awesome recipe Deb! The batter was a little in excess of the muffin tin so I poured the remainder into a loaf pan which ended up baking in around the same time: 10 minutes at 350° and 40 minutes at 325°. Now my question is: Will this freeze well?
I’m wondering if I can freeze this cake? We are taking a vacation to the beach and I will need to make it several days ahead of time. What do you think? It looks AMAZING!!!
My brother and I just put this in the oven. We’re excited to see how it will turn out!
I’m loving this cake more and more every minute. Now is in the oven and oh my, it smells incredible! I found out about this blog in a Time’s article. My father was asking me to bake something with strawberries, and at first sight I thought this looks simple so I decided to give it a try. While I was mixing the ingredients …well it didn’t gave me time to think. It’s too, too easy.
Gracias!
PS When I was measuring everything, started to rain..
Thanks for another beautiful recipe, Deb. I read your blog several times a week and your recipes have never steered me wrong! Made this cake tonight and it is incredible. I subbed 1/4 c lemon-flavored greek-style yogurt and 1/4 c buttermilk for the milk and the cake turned out beautifully, lightly tangy underneath the sweetness from all the sugar and the berries.
I made this cake for tea. My guests were my paper’s Editor and his wife. Everyone had 2 slices each – even my non cake eating husband! I didn’t have barley flour but will look it out and try it with that in future too.
Hope you got my pdf of the page? Really excited about showing off your gorgeous blog.
Best wishes
Victoria
Made this yesterday (AP flour only) with just-picked berries. My batter was a bit thicker than yours, and it needed an extra 10 minutes in the oven, but it was divine. Yet another winner, what I’ve come to trust you for!
I made this this morning and used some leftover fresh blueberries I had, probably about 8 – 9 ounces. And I used a nine inch round, 2″ deep non-stick cake pan… it came out just fabulously! This is the second time I have made this (first time w/blueberries), and I think I like the blueberry version better. The barley flour is a *must* – it adds so much depth/silkiness to the cake! I am going to try substituting barley flour in more of my fruit/cake recipes!
I made this cake the other night, stuck it in the oven, forgot it about it, accidentally baked it for an extra FORTY MINUTES–and it was still delicious, if rather dark. Definitely a winner. Next time, I set a timer!
I made this in a 9 inch square baking pan and it worked perfectly. I’ll never make strawberry shortcakes again after tasting this cake. We found the barley flour in the grain bins at Whole Foods and it was just as you said – creamy, nutty, luscious. I can’t wait to use it again.
Oh, you are a goddess! First, found this recipe and made it and it is absolutely DELICIOUS! And then I read dozens of your recipes and today made the chana massala which was incredible. INCREDIBLE. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Thank you! Can’t wait to try the others on my long list. More Indian recipes, please!!!
yessssss! I just bought three pints of gorgeous new strawberries at the market (for 5$!) and my boyfriend doesn’t even like them much. Deb, you always read my mind. I really want to make this now. Nevermind that it’s 1.30 am on a Sunday.
I made this yesterday with the barley flour and it was divine! Interestingly enough, my batter was thicker and the strawberries all stayed on top (it looks from your photo as though some of the berries sank through to the middle of the cake). The cake itself took slightly longer to cook than recommended (extra 10 min or so), but the berries on top got roasted and slightly caramelized in the process (yum!) . We immediately started wondering what other fruits we could experiment with – raspberries, peaches or plums may be next. I love quick summer fruit cakes, my non-cake loving husbance has a second piece, and my 6 year old (who had been to 2 birthday parties the day before), pronounced it the “best cake ever”! (my very picky 4 year old refused to try it – but that just meant more for the rest of us :-) )
I made this yesterday with grocery store strawberries (some a little long in the tooth) and some leftover blueberries sprinkled between. Very good, but was a tiny bit on the dry side even though baked as directed. The batter was thick, and the berries stayed mostly on top. I also only sprinkled 1 Tbsp of sugar on top which was perfect. Next attempt I will cut baking time by 5 minutes.
Made this last night after strawbery picking. The berries this year are incredible, we could have picked for days! This cake was easy and soooo delicious-thanks for all your inspiration.
btw-are you planning on 5th year anniversary get together in september?
Elisa — Good idea! Maybe. It’s hard to find places in the city to plan things, however (I learned this when I tried a few years ago) esp. when you have no idea how many people will show.
Oh Deb! I’m obsessed with this cake, now. My boy and I have even less of a sweet tooth than you do, though, where cakes are concerned….so I cut the sugar down to between 3/4 and 4/5 of a cup in the batter itself. Also, I’ve made this twice now, and the second time I didn’t have enough strawberries so I did it with strawberries, sliced peaches and blueberries. Good LORD it was amazing. Thank you for my new favorite summer dessert!
By the way, I used 2% milk both times and it came out perfect, for anyone’s records.
I went to a bbq yesterday and my friend made this cake! It was spectacular. It was my introduction to Smitten Kitchen. I am in heaven!
Made this cake a few nights ago and it was AMAZING! But I did learn a few things and here they are:
1. Moosey – I had the same reaction! When I added milk, egg, etc. to sugar/butter mixture it looked like a curdled mess! I thought all was lost. But when I added the dry ingredients it looked like Deb’s pictures so I went for it anyway and it turned out great!
2. Take heed and just cut the strawberries in half and put into the mixture. I wasn’t able to fit the entire lb. of strawberries in the cake but I think it’s because I cut them up smaller so harder to fit all the pieces in. I wanted more strawberries in my final product so next time will try cutting them in half.
3. I made it in a 9″ pie plate and it fit perfectly. However, I wasn’t able to fit in all the strawberries so on my next attempt I’ll try it in a larger dish to be on the safe side.
I’m making this again for a friendly gathering in a few days. YUM!
my coworker told me about this recipe today. I gasped when i saw the lovely pics! 8 hours and 2 pints of farmers’ market strawberries later, I just popped it in the oven…countdown til the 50-ish minutes pass.
This was a good cake for some strawberries I bought that weren’t quite shining on their own. I swapped in 1/4 c ww pastry flour, buttermilk, vanilla bean paste, and topped with turbinado sugar. The amount of batter was perfect for a 9″ spring form pan (though I might prefer it in an Emile Henry pie pan I’ve got my eye on). The cake was a teensy bit dry, but my oven runs warm so next time I’ll keep a better eye on it. Thanks for a winner Deb!
I’m confused. In the update you say this would not work in a 9 inch cake tin … but it would work in a 9 or 10 inch cake pan … does it or doesn’t it?!
“This cake does not work in a standard 9-inch cake pan; it will overflow. Big apologies to anyone who learned the hard way! This cake would also work in a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan.”
Emma — Typo! It will not work in a 9-inch pie pan. It will work in a 9-inch cake pan, which holds more. I’ll fix that now.
So its in the over right now…
It smells absolutely delicious!
I used whole wheat flour instead though and since I am lactose intolerant, I used Soy Milk.
I added a little more than 1/2 cup because the consistency wasn’t…well it seemed too clumpy? Anyway!
I also took your advice on less sugar! I used less than a cup! Seemed sweet enough!
I can’t wait to eat it!!!
HA! pulled this out of the oven 30 min ago! It’s slightly warm, but I couldn’t wait…used the barley flour, as I love sweets with grit. Didn’t wait to whip the cream before I tasted it…it was deeeelishhhhusss. The thing I liked the most was the beautiful rustic-ness of the cake when it came out of the oven..very kuchen-like. I’m sure the barley flour made the crumb drier..that’s ok with me, as I can always make it moister with other substitutions (buttermilk w/addl soda, 100% white flour, etc etc), but I wanted to cook it first as written. What I’m thinking is, as the cake sits, the crumb might change…will probably taste even richer. I ate it warm, which I realize most of the time is a no-no with those cakes that have better taste/texture when they have sat awhile.
Another bennie of this recipe: it was FAST to put together…would be wonderful to serve to others in all its simplicity of taste and appearance. Other berries/fruits will do well with this cake batter, too. I used a deep pie pan that I always use for chicken pot pie, but I think a springform would be nice to use, so that it’s out of the pan to view.
I noticed that you amended the recipe to state that a 9inch pie pan will not work. I made this over the weekend in a 9inch aluminum pie tin and it came out great! No overflow (though I put a baking sheet under it just in case). I did use your recipe for self-rising flour instead of buying it, so maybe that’s the difference. But, I am planning on making it again the same way in two weeks. Anyway great recipe!
Made this today using a 10″ angel food cake pan. A little on the thin side, but sweet enough and rich enough that it didn’t matter. Sprinkled with powdered sugar and filled in the hole with hydrangea leaves and fresh, red, shiny strawberries. Really, really good, though I might double the recipe if using this pan again.
I have made this a couple of times now but have added a Merlot wine reduction. 3 cups wine, 3/4 cup sugar, zest and juice of a blood orange and a splash of port. Reduce to a syrup. Delicious!
Hmmmm…I’m with the commenter who questioned why her cake was a little gooey after 60 minutes (I finally took mine out after 65 minutes and still didn’t feel it was done.) Also: I simply couldn’t get it to brown on top.
Tasted good…but didn’t take it to my office because the first thing we do is “eat with our eyes”; i.e. your pix, Deb. I actually met a cooking instructor on the subway (she was bringing a carrot cake to the office. Is this NY or what?) She said that sometimes cooking with fresh fruit makes the results differ due to the juicyness of the fruit. What do you think, Deb. I soooo wanted it to turn out…who doesn’t like fresh fruit in their cake?
I made this Saturday morning and I have to say my husband was impressed. For something so easy to make it tastes so divine. The tart of the strawberries and the sweetness of the cake just meld so perfectly together! It lasted until the end of the day and went so well with coffee! Thank you so much, Deb you keep my kitchen interesting!
HI! My son (8yrs. old) and I just made this cake last night. SO easy and we had a blast doing it. We have not tried a piece yet (it came out of the oven at 9pm – when he was already in bed) so today we can indulge. (He did lick the batter bowl clean though) I’m gonna take it to work and share some too. I have a feeling I will be making this one again with different summer fruits. Thanks for the inspiration!
I made this for a luncheon last week — it was a HUGE hit! Served it with mascarpone whipped cream, but it is good without anything, too.
My 10 year old son loved it, too, so today I made it in miniature, using muffin pan/cupcake liners. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it worked great. I doubled the recipe to make 24 cakes, used a 30 mm sized ice cream scoop to measure out the batter, baked for 10 min. @ 350, then lowered to 325 for another 25-30 minutes. There was a little leftover batter, so I poured into a greased small (8 in.) round ceramic baking dish.
Deb, this recipe is a truly a gem. I’ve made it twice (with some variations) in the past week, both times it was eagerly gobbled up with many appreciative murmurs. I swapped out the milk for cream, and some of the sugar for brown sugar, added thick slices of rhubarb and the zest of two oranges, and it was easily one of the best cakes I’ve made in a while. I love recipes like this that are simple and really allow the fruit to shine.
Ever since I saw this beautiful cake, I was on the look out for some local, sweet-little-gem strawberries. I made this and used buttermilk and white whole wheat flour in place of the barley flour. It reminds me of a cake that my husband’s dear family friend made in Germany. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for a long tine. Thank you. It is fantastic.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it for my family at the weekend for post-barbecue dessert and they all loved it. It’s my new favourite cake and will definitely be my go-to summer cake. Thanks again for this and all the other wonderful recipes – it’s my first time to comment but you are my kitchen saviour!
It’s my week to host coffee and cake night for my friends and I’ll definitely be making this :) Thanks for the delicious recipes!
I’ve made this twice with just regular flour, but with almond milk, and it’s been as wonderful tasting as it is beautiful to look at! I’ve shared this recipe with several people who have raved about it as well. I’d like to try it with the barley flour next time, but keep forgetting to get it at the store. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
I made this cake yesterday. It was so moist and delicious. It only took me 20 minutes of my time to make this. Also very cheap desert on a budget! Just marvelous.
A good everyday cake. My US friends just said “it’s good.” but my asian friends, who generally find american desserts way too sweet and rich, said “mmm! It’s delicious!” The only change I made was using 1/2 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup honey instead of 1c white sugar. And I sprinkled ~2 teaspoon sugar on top after it’s done baking. =)
Either I didn’t put in enough strawberries or bake it too high for too short, but unfortunately my apt did not smell like strawberry patch. =( And I wish it taste more strawberry ish. Will try again with ~2tbsp strawberry puree in the cake nxt time.
Dear Smittenkitten,
This cake recipe was so great! Thank you so much. I just tried it last night in a 10 inch pie pan and it worked out beautifully. I took your advice and used less sugar and felt nothing was out of place. It looked a bit like a clafouti recipe, but I like the fact it has less egg and dairy than a typical clafouti recipe. Anyway, thanks again.
Just made this today and it is soooo yummy!! I think that I will make it again for the 4th of July with a mxture of strawberries and blueberries and a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Also I was out of vanilla (gasp!) and subbed with almond extract. It paired seamlessly with the other flavors.
I added dollops of Nutella to the cake. I’m ridiculous…and happy. :-)
I made this cake this afternoon in a 9-inch ceramic, fluted, Emile Henry pie dish, according to all instructions. Dish was cooked in a convection oven at temps given. The berries all around the edge turned black. I’m not sure if they are burned, but they look a bit unappetizing. Any ideas what went wrong? My berries were very large and horsey, so I voted to cut them in quarters rather than halves. Is that the issue? Thank you very much for feedback.
I just tried this recipe a few days ago and loved the result. I had blueberries at home and tried it out with those and loved it. The cake turned out moist and flavorful and I especially loved the sugar sprinkled on top. It adds a great crunch to the cake.
I baked this cake today and it turned out perfectly. So simple, so tasty! I’m wondering how it would taste with almond extract. I think I’ll try that next time. How could it be bad? Thanks for a recipe I’ll be making many more time.
I made this today, and was happy how quickly it came together. I made the cake in a 9in cake pan, used 1% milk, weighed the ingredients and it came out well. When blueberry season rolls around, I may make this with those and lemon zest. Or perhaps it could be nice with the sweet cherries I bought today at the farmers market and almond extract. Thanks as always for sharing.
Mistakenly used a whole stick of butter instead of 6 TBS, and forgot to butter the pie plate. And still…it is PERFECT.
FWIW, I just made this with buckwheat flour subbing in for the barley, to excellent effect.
This is a fantastic cake. I’ve relied on Rose Levy Birnbaum’s Country Buttermilk Cake as my go to “cake to put fruit on” but this will be a new contender, especially when the apricots are ready for picking next month.
Thank you so much. I made this cake for my friends baby shower but used frozen raspberries (as it’s winter down here) and served it with a raspberry marscarpone cream. They loved it and I continue to recommend your amazing blog to everyone I can.
What a fabulous cake! I made it using oat flour instead of the barley flour, and added orange zest. my new favorite cake. thank you!
Oh my goodness! I just made this and it looks amazing. I am having friends over tomorrow night and I cannot wait to serve them this yummy dessert. Thank you so very much for this recipe. I have a wonderful homemade whole wheat banana chocolate chip muffin recipe if you would like it. Happy Baking!
I just wanted to mention that I was just at dinner with a group of girlfriends, and almost everyone at the table had made this cake!
I too am over-buying strawberries- cant help it they smell sooo good at the green market I have to buy them! Your recipe cam at the perfect moment- made this for a father’s day BBQ and it vanished! every one loved it. Thanks again for another AMAZING recipe!
I am probably going to use the cake batter for all the green market fruit I over-buy this summer, cant wait to try it with peaches (think I may try substituting almond extract for the vanilla)
This was hands-down the absolute favorite at my Mom’s house for Father’s Day dinner! I made it in a 9 inch square pan and it came out perfect. I’d love to try this batter with almond extract and pears.
Deb – This cake was amazing! I had a bunch of strawberries that were just starting to go past their peak and I was sad that I might have to dump them in the next few days, but I found this recipe and boy, am I glad I did. Yum, yum, yum! My bake time was considerably longer than what was recommended, though. I ended up having to put it in for at least 90 min and bump up the oven temp to 360. Weird, huh?
This reminds me a little of clafouti, the traditional french dessert that uses pancake mix and lots of fruit. Although this one is a little cakier. I would highly recommend you make a clafouti; they’re pretty damn good.
This was a HIT for Father’s Day – always a good sign when your dad, who doesn’t really love sweet things, keeps asking for more. Next time I’ll absolutely have to try it with our sweet Oregon strawberries. I just can’t keep avoiding them at the farmers market, and they won’t be around forever. So good.
This is my favorite cake right now. I have substituted flour for spelt flour and added peaches as well as strawberries, tastes amazing and is real light to eat which means you can eat more and not feel too bad, haha
This cake is delicious, perfect for showcasing strawberries, and oh-so-beautiful.
I used a 10 inch springform pan, as that was all I had available. It cooked for less – I just kept an eye on it until the edges were golden and a tester came out clean.
I will most definitely be making this again and again!
I posted about it here: http://thisistolove.blogspot.com/2011/06/strawberry-summer-cake.html
Funny thing – I read barley flour as buckwheat flour and it worked great in this recipe and it worked great. . . go figure.
Loved this cake. I made it in 8″ square pyrex and it was fine. Thinking I might try with super ripe peaches as well. A keeper!
Made this cake twice already – once with all purpose flour and once with a double recipe using half barley flour. Both worked well and now I love barley flour. The cake is fabulous on its own, but topped with the Rich Homemade Ricotta it enters a new dimension of flavor! Keep em coming.
I made it in a springform pan. As it cooled, the cake buckled and sank. But worst of all, when I undid the springform part, the cake fell apart. All along the sides, it simply collapsed. I used 1/2 cup almond flour and the rest white flour. Was that it? Was it my pan? Help!
I made this last night in a Pyrex 9-inch pie pan, and although it rose slightly above the rim while baking, it did not overflow for me. It looks beautiful, with the dark red strawberries peering through the cake like gems. I’ll be serving it for a picnic lunch for a belated Father’s Day. Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! I’m making TWO more today…and I’m not even a baker!
It’s in the oven, teasing me. How do I wait an hour for this deliciousness to bake? Also, it’s so damn cute! Thanks for the great recipe! I love that it’s summery and beautiful but still simple enough for a dummy like me to make.
This is in the oven right now and I can’t wait for it to come out! For everyone who has trouble with the batter – adding cold eggs and milk to room temp butter will make it look as if it is curdled. I always try to take my eggs (and milk if needed) out of the fridge early so that they can warm up a little bit. I didn’t when making this cake today, and my batter still smoothed out and looked okay in the end.
I have been following SK for about a year now & I haven’t tried a recipe yet that I didn’t love (and immediately want to show off to all my friends!) – thank you for all the smart, sassy & small-space friendly recipes…
This cake was delicious & beautiful – I couldn’t NOT try it for a memorial day cookout. Now I’m just sitting here waiting for cake #2 to get out of the oven but this time I added lemon zest to the batter & blueberries on top – can’t wait to taste test!
Made this twice and it’s my favorite baked strawberry cake ever. I think it’d be lovely with plums, raspberries, apricots, peaches – just about any berry or stone fruit. I just adore this recipe!
By the way, I made it with almond milk and it was delicious. I need to round up some barley flour and give that a try, too.
I’m a total novice in the kitchen (last week I put dawn in the dishwasher… A foamy bath ensued…), so I’m intimidated by some of your posts. This one looked manageable, so I gave it a whirl. Voila– my three male roommates looked at me like I’d turned into Betty Crocker herself. Loved it! Thanks.
I made this yesterday in a bake and give paper ring pan (the one from King Arthur Flour) it fit perfectly, and baked all the way to the top w/o spilling over. I did have to add an extra 10 minutes in cooking time because the cake was about 3 1/2″ thick. Very very yummy!
Made this yesterday for dinner with friends and paired it with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and everyone raved. I even got an “It was awesome” from my husband! Thanks for the recipe – I can’t wait to try it with other fruits!
Deb – This has become my go-to this summer! I’ve already made it several times. We are having guests over who keep Kosher, and I’m planning on BBQing. Any idea how/if I can replace the butter with oil? If so, how much?! Any help is very appreciated! It’s too good not to make!
Dana — Usually, oil can replace the same volume of butter, i.e. 6 tablespoons.
I will certainly make this cake for July 4th. I think I may toss some blueberries in for the whole red, white and blue thing. A twist on the traditional flag decorated cake.
I made this cake the other night. I made a double batch and baked it in a 9×13 pan. Next time I’ll use a divided brownie pan; I think the maxium crust is really necessary in each piece. I really think it would make awesome, easy-travelling cupcakes, though.
Thanks for the cake pan/pie plate update–planning to make tonight with the last of our fresh Vermont strawberries! Got my barley flour and everythang.
Could I use buttermilk instead?
Overflowed my 9″ standard (removable bottom non-springform) cake pan while baking, but only by a little. Delicious! I agree on cutting down the sugar just a smidge, lovely as it is with the full cup.
I made this in a 10″ springform pan, because that’s the only round cake pan I have, and scaled up the batter by half. I also used orange blossom essence instead of vanilla, but did everything else by the recipe, and it turned out beautifully. I made it again today with fresh mango in addition to the berries, and added a splash of vanilla to my orange blossom essence and it was even better than yesterday’s cake.
I noticed you tried it in a 9″ pie pan and it didn’t work. I made it in a standard 9″ cake pan (well…my attempts at measuring it looked more like 8 1/2″) and it overflowed ever so slightly. I bake anything that’s super full w/ an old cookie sheet below it so, it didn’t matter to me. But there’s your warning. Also, all of the strawberries have no hope of fitting into that small of a surface area. Pie plates work better for layering the strawberries, for sure. And, finally…it took quite a bit longer to cook. At least 75 minutes in the cake pan! BUT delicious as always!
I just baked this cake in a 9 inch round cake pan, and it worked beautifully, but I do agree that all of my strawberries didn’t fit on top even with squishing them together. It looks gorgeous though!
Can’t wait to share with family tomorrow!
Oh Deb, thank you for posting this recipe. I love, love this kind of cake. I made one last weekend for a crowd, and it was delicious and succulent and everybody was so happy. The recipe is now making the rounds of my small circle of friends who actually bake in their New York City kitchens! (it’s amazing how few people bake, or know anybody who does…). On a technical note, I replaced the milk with yogurt; I baked it in a 9″ cake pan, and it flipped out easily after cooling.
King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend is a blend of wheat and malted barley flours – perfect for making this absolutely delicious cake! Due to my daughter’s dairy allergy, I used Earth Balance and soy milk instead of butter and cow’s milk and it worked very well. For my dairy-eating guests (and myself!), I served it with pistachio ice cream. DIVINE! My daughter had her slice with chocolate sorbet and said it was “super awesome”. Can’t wait to make it again!
Summer has been slow to arrive in Vancouver, but I had been feeling optimistic when the first strawberries arrived at the local farmer’s market. Sadly, they were uninspiring. I decided to give this recipe a go nonetheless, and just macerated the offending berries in a bit of sugar first. I then followed the recipe, using 7/8ths of a cup of sugar in the batter and just one tbsp on the top. It just came out of the oven and I had to they a sample while it was cooling. Wonderful!
I picked a huge basket of strawberries from a local farm on 7/2, so decided to bake this cake for breakfast. I used my cast iron skillet because I did not have a deep dish pie plate. The skillet measures 9″ at the bottom and 10″ at the top. It worked perfectly. I did not use the barley flour and had a few berries left over after layering. Otherwise, no changes. Cake had a nice dark brown crust and golden top and was absolutely delicious served warm from the oven.
i made your raspberry buttermilk cake a couple of weeks ago, and this graced the table today, on the fourth of july. it was just as delicious, and though it’s similar, it’s also completely different. loved it!
We made this for the holiday weekend….. BUT we have a celiac disease sufferer…. so, we used gluten free flour and can I tell you it was still absolutely divine!! Thank you for this recipe! :)
This made a tasty, easy-peasy Fourth of July dessert. My strawberries sank more than yours did from the looks of your picture, but it was no problem; just made it a bit more of a “strawberry surprise” cake. Thanks for helping to minimize my time in a hot kitchen on my favorite holiday!
I made the mistake of storing the cake at room temperature but the next day the strawberries turned into awful purple-y bruised masses. It looks disgusting and it took some time convincing the guests that it tasted better than it looked. Eventually I served up my other baked good, a classic cheesecake that was instantly devoured. I’ll keep in mind to make this cake the day of next time, since i want to preserve the beautiful bright berries color but I think its still best to pop leftovers in the refrigerator if you have the room.
Catherine — That may have happened from using a baking powder with aluminum in it. I kept ours at RT for days and it never discolored.
Absolutely loved this recipe!Made it for the 4th of July weekend and people were licking their fingers! xoxo
I made this cake twice, once with small, freshly picked strawberries and once with large, store-bought berries. The cake is great either way but the smaller, fresher berries do make a huge difference that’s worth going out of your way for. As others have mentioned, the bigger berries float on top so it becomes a vanilla cake with strawberries on top, while the smaller berries sink in and become the puddles of jammy-goodness mentioned in the description.
I’ve made this cake all but one weekend since it was posted and it has been a ridiculous hit (the reason I keep making it). Yesterday I made it with blueberries instead of strawberries and it was equally as delicious and I highly recommend it! Thanks for a lovely summer winner of a dessert. I might try raspberries this weekend.
I’ve made this three times in the past week and it had received rave reviews each time (even the one I left in the oven too long and forgot to top with sugar). Thanks for sharing it with us!
Just made this cake – again! – and have to say how much we all love it. The house smells heavenly while it bakes and it tastes amazing. I don’t have barley flour yet, so I subbed white wheat flour, and couldn’t be happier with this cake. Thanks for another great recipe! And I love the name of it, btw. :)
Oh my goodess, if you bake anything at all this summer it MUST. BE. THIS. CAKE. The cake is buttery, moist, rich, and vanilla-scented and the strawberries are sweet and jammy, just like Deb said. Please come to my house and eat a slice or I will be forced to eat the entire dream myself (and because I made it on a Saturday morning while home alone…anyone wanna take bets as to how much is left when my husband gets home from work?).
I agree with Deb’s comment that the cake could benefit from a tad less sugar, so when I make it again (soon, VERY soon) I will use the 7/8 cup instead of a full cup. I also did not use her lovely suggestion for barley flour (just because I didn’t have any), but I did use half all-purpose flour and half cake flour (only because I had it and she mentioned that that the barley flour was similar to cake flour). Either way, this cake is UH-MAZING. And I can only imagine that it would be delicious with other summer fruits, such as fresh peaches. Hmmmm, I think I might have a few…
My wet ingredients also looked a bit curdled (comment #514 by Moosey), but I knew I could trust Deb, so I went with it. The batter came together beautifully when the dry ingredients were added. This cake is perfection.
Another staple in my home. Simple and delicious. Love this cake.
The strawberry cake was a huge hit at our neighbourhood 4th of July bbq. As a follow up, I am making the same cake, but this time with cherries. Will report back! Thank you!
I’ve made this cake three times since I found the recipe… I even have it in the oven now! What a great everyday cake and my boyfriend loves it! Thanks so much!
I’ve now made this cake 3 times (within like 6 weeks!), twice with strawberries and once with raspberries. Every time it’s been a big hit! So pretty and not overwhelmingly sweet. A great go-to recipe to bring to summer picnics and bbqs! Thank you!!!!
Just made this..it’s delicious! I followed the suggested baking time for cupcakes and they came out great!
Instead of mixing the berries in, I just scooped in the batter and put 2 strawberry halves on top. Then I filled in the spaces with diced strawberries. Came out moist and pretty!
I did it with chocolate chips and it was awesome!
I made this over the weekend and all I can say is WOW!! So moist. I paired it with vanilla ice cream and everyone loved it. Thanks Deb.
Quick note I baked mine about 15 minutes less than time suggested.
I just made this cake, it smells so good :) It was super easy and semi healthy in comparison to other baked goods! I can’t wait to try it!
i added some anise to the recipe to give it more of an italian flavor. very good!!
I made this last week with blueberries and pears. (Oh, the pears were heavenly!) I substituted 4 Tbsp of cinnamon applesauce for the same amount amount of butter and used almond extract instead of vanilla. The recipe fits perfectly in a 10 or 12″ ovenproof skillet. I’m baking another cake with nectarines right now.
My fiancé now thinks I’m the greatest cook in the world. Thanks!
I’ve been looking for a strawberry cake recipe – thanks for sharing ! x
I just wanted to let everyone know that I made this with King Arthur brand Gluten-Free flour and it worked very well. I didn’t change any of the measurements, just did an exact substitution. My sister and brother (both gluten-intolerant) were super happy and grateful to actually have a delicious dessert! They have asked for it numerous times already this summer. And best of all, it was super easy!
I don’t usually enjoy cake. I often hate it. Bbut as I hunting through the site looking for our next meal (I really eat with my eyes on this site), the strawberry cake announced itself to my husband, who turned around suddenly, looked at the screen, and said “oh wow, are you making that tonight?” How could I resist?
We used 3/4cup all-purpose flour and 3/4cup wheat, and decreased the sugar to 3/4 cup (light brown sugar) since Deb’s own admission was that the cake was a little sweet, and I imagine she has more of a sweet tooth than we do. We kept the two tbs sugar on top (dark brown). I baked it in an 8in pan.
It was incredible! I would probably bake it in a larger pan next time so I have room for all the berries (I ended up eating a few) and because the top layer of the cake was delicious, where the berries soaked the batter. Of course, the cake batter itself was absolutely wonderful, so the thick non-strawberry bottom was still awesome. It was a win-win situation.
“Did you make this? This is amazing!!! Can I get the recipe??”
“It’s on smitten kitchen!”
Made this for a bunch of boys and they loved it! Thanks for the recipe.
I tried this recipe this morning as my audition for a position at a bakery and it was a smashing success! The delicious, jammy strawberries and a dense but not-too-sweet cake were perfect!
I love this cake, and so does my family and everyone else who eats it. So far, I’ve made two for home, one for a BBQ and I took one to a friend’s house for tea. I use the lower amount of sugar (3/4-7/8 cup) and use the recommended 3/4 cup barley flour. I regularly forget the sugar on top. I’ve used strawberries, and also added a few blackberries. I’m about to make one with peaches. I serve it with whipped cream. It’s easy and wonderful!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this recipe! I have made it 3 or 4 times this summer and it’s been a hit each time. Everyone’s always so impressed with the appearance and when I tell them how easy it is they’re all “eyeroll, shut up” and I’m all “no but seriously.” Ive thrown in some blueberries a couple times and they turned out great too! Next I want to try with raspberries!
My new favorite cake! I have made 3 in the last 2 weeks for different functions. Used a 10-inch spring form pan and that works fine, just thinner slices. Thank you!
I love that the strawberries are the star of this dessert–it’s a perfect recipe for the gorgeous summer fruit we have right now. The batter was so thick that it really reminded me of a brownie batter, so I think I’m going to experiment with some add-ins next time. Maybe an apricot and almond variation?
Deeeeelicious! I have now made it with strawberries twice, and tonight I made it with raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries and half white/barley flour. Both times I used 3/4 cup sugar as I like my desserts less sweet. The barley flour definitely adds something extra and somehow makes me feel better about inhaling the cake even though the same amount of fat and sugar exists…the games I play with myself *sigh*. I use a 9-inch square pan and it’s perfect. So aesthetically pleasing, it’s perfect for company.
I just made this but substituted the butter with applesauce! tastes amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
Very impressed by number of comments. Made this for the 3rd time tonight, this time with wineberries! What a great recipe this is. Thank you.
I have made this cake 3 times and twice it has turned out amazing.
Third time I think I got greedy. All 3 times I used reduced fat margarine instead of butter. Third time I thought I would step it up a notch and use baking Splenda instead of sugar (I’m on a diet). The wet ingredients curdled (which did not happen the first few times) and once I added the dry ingredients it became very thick and doughy. It looked like I was baking bread. I scooped it into the pie plate and it just sat in a lump. The first two times it was runny like cake batter. I forged ahead and smoothed it out and put the strawberries in. I used real sugar to sprinkle on the top. As it baked the top of the cake was covered in liquid from the strawberries. It was flooded like the batter/dough was repelling the water. I drained it off a few times because the batter was not cooking. When It finally cooked it was thick like bread by the edges and like un-cooked pancake batter in the middle. The strawberries didn’t even sink into the cake.
I don’t know what made the batter so dense. I have used Splenda in recipes before and it worked fine. I have racked my brain to make sure i didn’t use too much flour or forgot the milk or something. I think I did everything correct (Like I said, I have made this twice before). Anyway, from now on I will make this with sugar, diet be damned. It really is a great recipe.
I made this for a babyshower that I recently put on. let me say that there wasn’t much left after the party was over. :0) the secont time i made it it was perfect, and i doubled the recipe and put the batter in a 9×13 pan and it baked up perfectly and in a shorter amount of time.
I made this again last night, only this time, I used fresh blueberries. It is divine.
Love the recipe!
I made this three times with strawberries and all purpose flour, and am about to try it with peaches and the barley flour option.
Rita @433 and Matt @655,
I used granulated Whey Low (sugar substitute) for all the sugar in the recipe (cut down to 7/8 cup, per the suggestions above — Whey Low measures like sugar).
I did want the extra crunch of the sugar on top so I used regular course sugar for that. But you could skip that of course.
I strongly recommend Whey Low (sweetener made from whey). Not sure if I should link to it but you can google it. I have no connection with the company, and would never have heard of or tried it if I did not see someone raving about using it for ice cream on Chow.com or somewhere.
I use this product for baking and you really cannot taste the difference. This is the only artificial sweetener I would use. It comes in granulated, powder, brown formulations, and one just for ice creams.
Note: The only thing it doesn’t work for that I’ve tried is sprinking the powdered version on top of things — it just melts in. But I use it for ice cream, cakes, cookies, etc. to great effect.
I have been making this cake all summer. I started with strawberries and my husband said it was just like strawberry shortcake. Then I made it with raspberries and blueberries. Next I used just blueberries and my husband said it was like a blueberry muffin. Last I made it with peaches and it tastes like peaches cobbler. I’m going to try it with apples next.
I tried this cake and it came out delightful!
Made this for the 2nd time yesterday. First time was for a big family BBQ and yesterday was with my little girls “helping”. Delicious both times. My dad thinks the cake part tastes similar to the cake in pineapple upside down cake. All I know is it’s delicious and easy to make. Thanks so much!
I made this cake recently. It was pretty good but I am again reminded that the gods of high altitude rule in Denver and nary a strawberry was in site…they all sunk to the bottom and sort of created a jam base. Very good and all…but yours is pretty. Sob.
One of the reasons why I’ve been buying lots of strawberries at the farmer’s market this summer! I made this cake twice so far and each time, they never lasted a day. I’d turn my back and 2/3 of it would be gone! My friends and fam love it. The first time I added a few blackberries – love the mixed berry jam that forms. The second time I made it I pulled the cake out about 15 min early – resulted in a moister cake :). Thanks so much for sharing this. This is a cake I’ll be baking regularly!
I tried this cake with raspberries on top instead of strawberries. It was a disaster! The raspberries did not become jammy, instead they were dehydrated hairy little things that started to burn on the edges. So disappointing. I think I’ll try your raspberry buttermilk cake everyone else is raving about.
On a completely separate note, I LOVED the Dobos torte- thank you!!!
For those folks (like me!) who don’t have a kitchen scale, 450 g strawberries = 1 lb strawberries and according to the University of Illinois Extension website on strawberries, there’s 1.5 pounds strawberries in 2 pints or 1 quart, so that 1 and 1/3 of those 4″x4″x3″ boxes or 2/3 of those 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 3.25″ boxes respectively. Oh, and I’ve made this recipe three times with great reception. Thanks, Deb!
I’ve seen some suggestions in the comments about the (rather obvious, I guess) idea of making this cake with plums, but none that have reported actually doing so yet, so I here I come to bridge this gap…
I made the plum version last week – it takes about 8-10 plums or so, quartered and sliced (don’t go by weight, since plums are denser than strawberries so you’ll probably need different amounts to get a good coverage – just keep cutting plums and adding them on top until it looks good). Remembering that I was not crazy about the fruit-to-batter ratio when I made the strawberyy cake, I also used a larger pan (a 28cm/11″ springform, lined with baking paper), and was very happy about the result. The cake is a bit lower, but I feel that the fruit-to-batter ratio is much better, with a lot of delivious plums that mostly stayed on the top getting all jamified and wonderful. The slight tang of the plums also made a very good contrast to the sweetness of the dough. I am itching to make this cake again, and we haven’t even finished the last one yet!
I have this cake committed to memory because it is so good I could barely think of any other dessert that has turned my head like this one has this summer. That said, I came across another very similar recipe that uses peaches; it’s this recipe’s alter-ego! It is so good that I thought you should know about it, Deb. It uses 2-3 peaches chunked up instead of strawberries, has 1/2 cup ground blanched almonds (almond flour) instead of the barley flour, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp almond extract. It uses buttermilk instead of plain milk plus the usual 1/4 tsp baking soda added to the flour. Sounds a lot different when I say it here, but proportionally, it’s the same and the technique is too. It’s almost like a subtle frangipane in flavor but as a very moist cake. It becomes almost custardy, rather than jammy, around the peaches. it’s heavenly. From Savour at Food52, Simple Summer Peach Cake. Hope you consider it before peaches disappear for the season!
This is my new, go to summer cake. It tastes great, and is so easy to make. People are constsntly requesting I make this. I make it in a 9″ springform pan and serve it with a side of fresh whipped cream with a hint of Grsnd Marnier. Thanks for this great recipe. P.S. I learned the hard way that the standard 9″ pie pan doesn’t work.
this cake is so pretty! just finished making it for friends and family. i added a sprinkle of blueberries as well.
I have never seen a recipe with so many posts before! Here goes one more –
Our friend asked for “Strawberry Cake” when it was birthday time. As I googled around I was disappointed to see recipes calling for strawberry-flavored gelatin, oh please. Why I didn’t think to look here first…. anyway, thank you so much for what I’m sure will become a family favorite!
I have been making this cake all summer! It’s amazing! I have done it with strawberries, blueberries (with lemon zest in the cake), blackberries, and peaches. All are delicious but our favourites are strawberry and peach. I also subbed the egg with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce and used soy milk instead of regular milk. The cake turns out just fine, you would never know the difference. I did try it with the egg once and we actually prefer it with the applesauce because it’s a little more moist.
Just made this cake this afternoon and it’s very, very good.
The only problem that I have is that the strawberries sunk to the bottom of the cake and formed a (very tasty) soggy pinkish bottom, instead of the picture above.
Perhaps I overmixed the batter? I used a 9inch (24cm) springform and about 400gr of strawberries.
Did this happen to anyone else?
Just for the record. Made this last night with Italian prune plums from Union Sq. market (used a TON) and used almond flour instead of barley and almond extract instead of vanilla. A. MAZE. ING. I have made this cake a dozen times this summer. So incredibly versatile and WAY better than it has any right to be. I keep looking at the ingredients and going “Huh? why is this soooo addictively delicious??”
I have made this so many times now and every shot comes out PERFETTO! Grazi grazi grazi Deb! It’s so easy to make and comes together before you know it.
I use my 9 in wide 3 in deep pyrex casserole dish with perfect results.
I don’t sub the barley flour and now use it in practically everything.
Allergic to dairy so I substitute dairy free margarine (Nuttalex) and soy milk. When I add the soy the mixture curdles like crazy but bakes up with such a gorgeous crumb. I also reduce the sugar in the cake by half (I’m not a huge sweet tooth, but love baked goods).
I am just about to try with raspberries and am certain I will have the same, amazing results.
Just chiming in 2 cents. I make this cake extremely lazily and it’s still great.
1) I like my casual cakes to be square – easier cutting of snacky bites maybe? So I make this in an 8×8 square pan lined with parchment. It’s full but doesn’t overflow.
2) I hate baking/cooking peak produce so I make this with 1lb frozen bags of strawberry or peaches. I usually push whole frozen strawberries into the batter (not a lotta time for thawing and cutting with 2 kiddos!)
3) Using half whole wheat and half brown sugar is an easy way to add interest with stuff I already have (sorry barley flour!)
4) I’m about to find out if hand mixing is okay because I didn’t want to wake up kiddos with the mixer noise… that experiment is in the oven now.
For 1-3 at least I know the result is still great. Maybe not puddles of jam, but I definitely devour half of each batch.
How did it go with hand mixing? I also don’t wanna wake up my kid…
My sister & I made this cake this past weekend for our mom’s birthday. Although the selection of strawberries weren’t the ripest, the cake still turned out great!! Thanks :)
Just made this last night because we are about to come into Summer down here in Australia, I subbed in almond flour for the barley, and delicious!! Served it with vanilla ice cream, but next time I think I need to squeeze in more strawberries, thanks for the recipe, I am going to try make them in cupcake form, or maybe just in individual ramekins :)
I think this is the first time I’ve ever commented on your site, but I am an old and loyal follower (I think I’ve made quite a few of your cakes especially for my partner’s birthday to lots of success)
but this cake is amazing, and very rustic. I made the sugar reduction you suggested, and accidentally put too much baking powder in but it still turned out alright. thanks!
I also love your photos – I’ve been trying to also use high-quality photos on my newly minted blog!
Hi, I made your cake for my son’s 2nd birthday and came out great. http://ahaar.blogspot.com/2012/01/strawberry-birthday-cake.html Thanks much for a wonderful recipe.
I made this cake for a Christmas potluck with wholegrain flour and used about half the amount of sugar thinking the strawberries will make it sweet enough. I will be definitely using the full amount next time as the non-strawberry cakey parts were almost flavourless :( it looked beautiful though and very summery.
Found this recipe and thought it would make a nice cake for a birthday party, did a test run, this cake is AWESOME! Super easy to make, super tasting.
Wow, I had to scroll far to comment! I just tried this recipe, loved it and wrote about it on my blog here
http://thelettuceedge.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/strawberry-summer-cake-in-february/.
Thanks for posting it. One question, if you were using frozen strawberries, would you pour on all the juice. I wasn’t sure so I poured half (I split the difference), maybe I should have poured it all. It sort of pooled a little, but mostly soaked in.
I made this last night and it was amazing! I’m not a baker by any means, but I just had the ingredients laying around. So I figured.. why not?! I used wheat flour and baked it in a regular cake pan. It kind of tasted like corn bread with strawberries in it. I love corn bread & so does my boyfriend so we were quite happy :) Thanks!
I am not really a baker but this cake came out awesome!!!
This is my first cake ever and it is so delish!!!
Can’t wait to make it again!
Loved this recipe Deb! SUPER easy to make and a great way to finally use all those strawberries I get – a lady who rents a room in our house works in the strawberry fields and gives us bunches of fresh berries whenever she can!
I think I may have slightly undercooked the cake however – it looked done when I tested it, but then the cake bits started to slightly pull away from the berries when cooling and was a tad gooey – guess my berries where extra juicy or something? What do you think?
Well, gooey or not it was still a hit! Will just try to cook it for 60 min instead of 50. Thanks so much!
Made this cake for an equinox party I hosted this weekend and it was a HUGE hit. A breeze to make and a fabulous result. Thank you!
Hi there thanks for this recipe! I am from Europe and found your metric conversions very handy! But I found a slight problem, if you could call it that. When I tried beating the butter with the sugar using a hand mixer, some of the sugar flew out of the bowl creating a mess in my kitchen :(. The butter was at room temperature but although I mixed for the stated time (3 minutes), the butter/sugar mixture did not turn out creamy at all, it was like the butter and sugar combined into large soft “crumbs”. I couldn’t mix any further because of the reason mentioned. I wanted to ask if this was the right consistency? Because when I added the milk, egg and vanilla I couldn’t mix until ‘just combined’, I had to mix quite a lot to get rid of lumps, and I still had quite a few small lumps here and there, not a smooth as I thought it would be. When I added the flour mixture I did not get quite that thick of a consistency as your picture shows. It was quite liquidy and had a few lumps from the butter. But something happened in the oven, and the cake turned out just fine after 45 minutes! It looked just like your baked version! I have no idea what happened. When it cooled I sprinkled on a small amount of icing sugar, and we took a piece and it was fab but quite sweet, although I reduced the sugar as suggested. This morning though, the icing sugar had vanished, seems it’s been absorbed by the cake!! Thanks for the recipe I loved the taste! :) but please could you answer my queries regarding to what might have gone wrong? What consistency should the butter/sugar mixture look like?
Kim x
Scratch part of my previous comment. I just searched ‘how to cream butter and sugar’ on google and I really did get it wrong! I never made cake before (and certainly not american desserts… this is the first time!!) and I wasn’t aware I had to beat the butter on its own before gradually adding the sugar. It’s no wonder the sugar flew out of the bowl!
Well, I still don’t know how I still managed to get a good result after not even getting the first step right! The texture didn’t seem to be effected, it wasn’t too heavy and had the exact same crumb as the one in your pictures! Hmmm!!
Anyway, keep this blog going! I’ve been reading for over a year, never commented or tried a recipe before! I just love coming to your site to read about food and see your beautiful pictures :)
Kim x
Needed a simple but stunning dessert to add to the pineapple upside down cake I was making (recipe courtesy of Simply Recipes :). Considering I goofed right off the bat and used salted butter my mistake, it came out perfectly beautiful and delicious! Everyone already thinks I’m a STAR baker, but this deliciously moist and sweet concoction just wowed my family. Thanks for sharing. BTW, I used a 9 inch spring form pan with great success. I opted for this option rather than the pie dish just because I like to show off whatever I bake on an antique glass cake pedestal.
this is great thank you :P
I made this yesterday, but the strawberries ended up on the dry side, not gooey like the pictures and I can’t figure out why…anyone else had that problem? Still tasty, but I wanted goo! ;-)
Added in a few blueberries, delicious cake – thanks deb!
To make this in an 8 inch pan, should I 2/3rd the whole recipe? really confused here.
Let’s see… a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate like what I used here holds about 8 cups batter. An 8-inch cake pan holds about 4 cups so you might even want to halve it. That said, the batter didn’t make it to the top of this pan so you might just need to 1 1/3 it. Hope that helps.
Just saw this in a post on MommyPoppins and had to revisit it…I’ll be making this ASAP!
i ‘ve found UR wonderfull site just right now..& i’m very glad 4 this & bookmark it.. tanx .
This cake is fantastic, however, I think for European palates it would be WAY too sweet with the full cup of sugar. First time I made it I cut the sugar down to 2/3 (as I routinely do with American recipes) of a cup and my colleagues still though it was a little too sweet, and the one baking in the oven right now has only a scant half cup of sugar – the batter tasted perfect like this!
My husband has declared that this is the very best dessert I’ve ever made for him, and I’ve made many from this site. In fact, he even picked up strawberries at the store today and asked that I find time to make another one before our baby arrives next week! Lucky for him, this recipe is so easy that baking while pregnant is no biggie. Thanks so much! Can’t wait to experiment with this when peaches and/or cherries come into season.
Hi there,
About how many cups of strawberries are equal to 1 pound of strawberries?
Thanks,
Lindsay
Today I tried this cake, it’s delicious! Unfortunately, my strawberries are sunk in the dough but the taste is great.
Thanks
Ade
ps: the photos are beautiful!
Hi there,
What can I use if I do not have a pie plate?
Many thanks,
Lindsay
Hi Linsday — I list alternative cake pan options in the recipe.
Hey Deb! Just wondering if frozen strawberries that have been defrosted would work? I’ve made this cake countless times over the summer – I’ve even had my boyfriends grandmother who was visiting from Scotland ask for the recipe! – but its winter here in New Zealand and a small punnet of strawberries is $7,and I’d need two punnets for the cake… pricey!
Oops, sorry, I missed that. I didn’t read it carefully! I made the cake today for Mother’s Day and it was such a hit. Thanks for the recipe.
Would frozen strawberries work?
i add oatmael and almond silvers. it was delish.
I have made this now several times in a regular 9-inch cake pan without any problems! I didn’t adjust the recipe, I just crossed my fingers each time, and it seems to have worked!
More about pans: i made a double recipe, one for us and one for a friend. I wasn’t sure how well it would come out of a cake pan, so i hedged my bets and made one in a 9″ cake pan, buttered and lined with parchment paper, and the other in a 9″ springform, though not lined. The batter all came from the same bowl, but the cakes are different. The one in the cake pan browned beautifully and came out cleanly (thanks to the paper). The one in the springform didn’t get as crispy and yummy on the top, i think because it’s a deep 3″ high pan, and then i couldn’t get it off the bottom; should have lined it. Lesson: line the pan if you want to get it out, and don’t use a deep pan if you can help it because it won’t brown well.
After becoming a summer staple last year, I haven’t made this cake for many months because I was waiting for a summery day. Today I went out and bought some strawberries on the swelteringly hot walk home – today just felt right. And I’ve just realised that it’s a year to the day since you posted the recipe! Must be fate. Thanks for a great summer treat, Hx
Deb!! Can this be made with frozen/tinned fruit??
Hi Deb! I just picked up my first bunch of strawberries for the season and can’t wait to make this recipe tonight! It was a big hit last year! I love your website!
I prefer this cake with fresh strawberries but many commenters (299, 232, 497, 419, etc.) seem to have made it with frozen, if you’re looking for tips.
I’ve made this 3 times this spring and its been a hit! I added about 1/4 cup of powered sugar for extra sweetness ;) I also made this same batter and added cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and chopped apples for a super tasty apple spice cake for my husband!
I have made this cake twice in the past two weeks and can’t wait to make it again. It’s the greatest thing to do when you go overboard picking strawberries or snapping them up at the farmers market. A few years ago I tried making strawberry muffins and they were a big disappointment. With very ripe fresh strawberries, 3/4 cup of sugar plus the two tablespoons sprinkled on the top provides more than enough sweetness and it came out perfectly in a 10-inch pie plate. I brought the second one to a picnic and based on that think that this is an ideal dessert for four school-aged kids and four adults.
I made a double batch of this for work last week, using fresh cherries and almond extract rather than strawberries and vanilla. It was a mega-hit. A double batch fits a 9×12 pan. I was surprised by how many men commented on being so fond of cherries in baked goods.
So, I’ve made this cake at least 10 time and it is always great and a hit with everyone. So I decided it might even be better if I put the strawberries on the bottom (ala pineapple upside cake) and put it in a springform pan.
So let me be clear DO NOT DO THIS!!! it does not work and comes out mushy and inedible and just gross.
But on the up side… I remade the cake the right way and it was awesome!! I now know the recipe by heart too :)
Thanks for posting the link to this recipe yesterday. I made it last night since I had exactly a pound of strawberries in the fridge from picking over the weekend. I think your oven runs hotter than mine, and I over-compensated by cooking it a little too long. My other mistake was putting the berries in a beautful pattern (not necessary since the cooking moves them like an earthquake) and too close to the edge. It was still good, and I will try it again sometime.
I made this for breakfast today with almond milk instead of regular milk, and it was great! Also, I used giant store berries instead of small locals, since it’s still a little early for those here in the Pacific NW. The berries “melted” well anyway, but smaller berries would still be nice and probably create a more even covering of berries over the cake.
Hi deb, i made this last night but it didnt come out with such a dark crust…just golden but since the tester had come out clean i decided to take it out. I didnt serve it to my guests because it seemed undercooked. I will try again. Thank u so much for such a wonderful site. I really enjoy reading it. Just one suggestion… Even hough using the internet to convert should be easy enough it gets harder with a 2 yr old… Would u mind putting oven and butter conversions too…thanks again.
Hi Adriana — I added the butter weight and temperature. Filed under things I have learned since I posted this: Did you use a glass pie pan? If so, I have learned that glass dishes are best baked at 25 degrees lower temperature because they can cause cakes to brown too quickly. Might that have been what happened?
Delicious–and soo easy! Made this last night and loved the texture of the strawberries on top; it was perfect served with whipped cream. I’ll definitely be making this again during the summer for cookouts and potlucks!
Wow! I love it when a simple recipe turns out yummier than you imagined! This was sooo good! I made it with fresh picked berries and everyone loved it! This is a new summer favorite in our house and I know I will make it again and again! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I love Smitten Kitchen. Over the years I have used so many of your recipes and I’ve even started adapting them to Gluten free after I discovered my allergy. Was snooping for a strawberry coffee cake and this is really what I was searching for (and I didn’t even know it!). My husband HATES cake, but oddly enough loves a good fruit buckle. I’ve decided to try and adapt this version into a gluten free snack cake for Shabbat. I’ll let you know how it turns out and share the recipe if it works! Shabbat Shalom!
I just made this and OMG – another home run courtesy of Smitten Kitchen!
My only dilemma is figuring out how to eat NOT eat the entire pan. Ha!
FYI, I used frozen strawberries that I thawed in the fridge overnight. Perfect!
This cake has gone viral in my family. I used this recipe with my little 5 year old niece as her very first cake ever. I snapped lots of pictures – she really got a kick out of seeing simple, familiar things from the fridge turning into delicious cake! What? You can take an egg, some milk, a bit of butter and some sugar, nonchalantly throw a bunch of berries on it and have it turn magically into THIS? This is truly a kid-friendly recipe!
I have made this half a dozen times. I made it once with blueberries – my husband flipped out as blueberries are one of his favorite fruits. I have one right now in the oven with leftover cherries sitting in for some of the strawberries. I want to try this with apricots and also with prunes. I will post again to let you know how those turn out when I get around to making them.
This recipe is such a winner – but I guess at this point, with the number of comments this got, there really is no need to say how good it is. I mean, by now, EVERYBODY KNOWS!
P.S.: I use a 9.5-inch glass plate. It does brown quite a bit, but I don’t really have any trouble other than a few little pieces of batter popping out once in a while. I put foil on the bottom shelf to hold them and pick the escapees right up and pop them in my mouth while the cake cools. Problem solved!
my husband opens the door to our studio and his eyes pop out of his head as the cake aroma hits his nostrils. he was drooling b4 the first bite. delectable!
Three gorgous cakes just came out of the oven, my husband said “Is one of these for us?” and then took his first bite. Then I took mine. Oh is that good! Really. Really. Good. I did 1.5 times the recipe thinking that would be enough for three, aluminum, 10-inch cake rounds. And it was. Doubling would have been better but I ran out of butter! I used two eggs for my 1.5 recipe and it seems to be fine. I am absolutely adding this to my regular summer dessert repetoire. (I baked two extra cakes for neighbors.)
This cake is amazing and so easy to make! I added more strawberries :)
I’ve made his cake twice in a week! But the second time i used a sugar substitute instead of the granulated one (my dad has diabetes) and it turn out great for the whole family!
Thanks for sharing the recipes :)
I have made this 5 or 6 times this year. The family can’t get enough of it. After picking up strawberries at Saturday Farmers Market it’s likely that one of these will go in the oven. I’ve done the last two with the barley flour. I’d say the the difference is subtle but noticeable. If you can’t track down barley flour this is still absolutely fabulous with all white flour. I think it’s going to be a staple in our home for many years to come.
I made this with the suggestion you made to dial the sugar back to 7/8 & keeping the 2 tbsp sprinkled on top, and I still found it way too sweet. Maybe because the berries from my local strawberry farm were so sweet. I’m thinking next time I’ll dial it back significantly- maybe even to a 1/2 or 2/3 c. Loved the fresh berries puddling into a jam-like consistency!
OMG, this cake was stunning! I didn’t find the sweetness an issue. The cake had a fabulous crumb, it was simple & perfect in every way. All I could think while eating it was “I forgot how great a cooked strawberry is”…and realized we don’t normally eat them cooked! Just in preserves. Wonderful. I’ve passed this on after the raves. Deb-you R the best!!!
I love this strawberry cake so much. So simple to make, and SO delicious. I made it twice this weekend and might just have to make it again tonight. It disappears from the dish THAT fast. Thank you!!!!
I made the cake and it was loved! I put the dry ingredients in a zip-lock and packed so that while we were at the beach house, I could finish it! Delicious! Thanks so much. It’s great for breakfast and for after dinner desert (and for lunch and any snack). The only reason that it lasted more than 2 days was that on the third day, I made key lime pie for the family.
Love the recipe! Went fast in my house. Posted some photos over at: http://cyberscullery.tumblr.com/post/25592431159/like-a-pulsing-strawberry-heartbeat-followed-a
I make a similar cake with apricots in a cookie pan with a raised edge (a recipe from Austria). Sift powdered sugar over it at the end and it is gorgeous.
Gave this a try today, after finding it on Reddit. It came out really good! I had no butter, so I used margarine. Im at 5,400 elevation and didnt see any problems. Here it is while cooling. http://imgur.com/Zo8yf Thank you for the recipe!
I made this cake twice this weekend – one for a party and one for home. The first one I made as presented, but the second one I made with brown sugar instead of white and a mixture of strawberries and raspberries. Both were awesome! I’ll be making more!
Hi Deb — I love this recipe! I have made it a bunch of times and even begun to adapt it with 2 tablespoons of lemon zest & 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, which has made the cake even more vibrant and delicious! I would never have been inspired to change the recipe, which I have NEVER done before, without your brilliant and ingenious developments of recipes and the ways you play with your own recipes. It inspired me to play without being too scared it would “ruin” the cake — so thanks Deb!
**Question: I want to make a chocolate version to try with strawberries or raspberries. Do you have any suggestions for how to do that with dutch cocoa powder &/or dark chocolate chips (which I could melt if needed)?? I’d love to get some insight from you on how to make these transitions without making the recipe inedible! I know its possible to replace some flour with dutch cocoa powder, but I don’t want to replace too little or too much. Any thoughts you have would be awesome!!
Hallie — Glad you’re enjoying the cake. I’ve never tried to adapt it with chocolate. I think chocolate chunks sprinkled over the top with the berries would be delicious. Or, as you mentioned, you can try swapping some flour with cocoa powder. I wouldn’t do a lot, however or you’ll lose the correct texture of the cake (i.e. cocoa doesn’t have gluten).
Made the cake in a 9 inch springform-delicious ! Whole foods had a sale on strawberries and I knew how I wanted to use them! The whipped cream really adds a nice touch!
Picked 12 pounds of organic berries two days ago and this was the perfect showcase for them!! I find it a bit sweet and will reduce the sugar in the cake next time. On a lark I have one in the oven with fresh mango. I had a case of mangos that I had peeled and sliced. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is as delicious. Definitely a keeper recipe, as so many of the ones on this site are.
I have two of these baking in the oven right now for this evening’s barbecue and they smell delicious. One is just strawberries and the other is a mixture of blueberries and raspberries. Two very different looking cakes since the blueberries and raspberries just sit on top of the cake rather than sinking (not surprising given their lighter weight) and don’t seem to be getting all jammy. Perhaps other types of berries need to be cut in half next time to get them to turn into goo?
I divided this recipe between two small spring form pans (A 6″ and a 7″) and took each to a small dinner party, (respectively 4 diners and 6 diners) where I served each miniature slice with barely sweetened whipped cream and a beautiful whole strawberry. People went crazy. I will make this again and again and again. I used one whole cup of sugar plus one tablespoon. I might (might) try adding some grated lemon rind next time just to give a little contrast to the sweetness, but it’s pretty darn perfect as it is. Yours is the most wonderful, funny, down-to-earth and photographically spectacular food blog I’ve found and I press your web address onto everyone I meet. Thank you so much!
Made this in a heart-shaped cake pan for Valentine’s Day this year for my husband. I’m not really into cake too much and I normally dont eat strawberries either. This cake was SO DELICIOUS! It was the best cake I’ve ever made! so so so good! LOVE it! I’m thinking of trying it with raspberries in a week or so!
I made this for the 4th of July. I used a 9-in pie pan, but left a little bit (maybe 3 tbs?) of the batter out to guard against overflow, and that worked perfectly for me (I’ll admit I also enjoyed sampling the leftover batter). I loved, loved, loved this cake, as did my husband and mother. In fact, we fought over who would get the last piece! So easy, so pretty, and absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!!
Just pulled this out of the oven. Smells amazing, but my strawberries sunk. :( Perhaps I’ll just serve upsidedown.
I made this in a 9 inch springform, and it came out gorgeous. SO good, definitely the best strawberry cake I’ve ever tried. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I made this several times last summer and we all loved it! When the strawberries reappeared the first thing I thought of was to look up the recipe again. One of the family was diagnosed with a lactose intolerance recently so I substituted non dairy spread and soya milk. It works just as well and tastes great. Thanks
I never bake. This cake was fun and easy to make. Everyone who tasted it wanted more. I topped it with Strawberry whipped cream!
So, I made this the other night when it was a “It’s 98 degrees in Chicago and my partner just bought me three (!!!) pints of local organic strawberries and I want to have friends over to hang out on the porch and drink beer ’cause DAMN it’s hot” type of night, and it got – hands down – the best compliment I’ve ever gotten for a dessert. (Which was “ho-lee shit,” but the inflection and facial expression were really what made it, so never mind the fact that the words don’t really pack much of a “best compliment” wallop.)
For what it’s worth, I swapped rye flour for the barley, just because I had the former and not the latter.
I made this with 1/2 cup of wholemeal flour and I think 2/3, close to 1/2 cup a sugar instead of the full cup (as that would have made it crazy sweet with our strawberries). This cake was simply DELICIOUS and looked amazing too :) I think the whole wheat flour gave it a bit more fluffiness and also supported the strawberries so they didn’t sink as much. All the recipes on this site are amazing-it is my number one go-to place!
I made this cake on Saturday with some almost-about-to-die strawberries! It’s completely delicious; as if you didn’t need to have a 752nd person tell you that! It is definitely a touch too sweet for me, I’m going to try lowering the sugar by about a quarter of a cup next time. Can’t wait to try this again with the better fruit I picked up in Sunday from the farmers market! Love the website :)
I made this cake twice and it turned out pretty well. The first time I grounded up some pearled barley in my mini cuisinart since I could not find barley flour in any of the 3 supermarkets in my town – it turned out good. The second time I used only all purpose flour – also good. But….I don’t think this is a make ahead, serve tomorrow at a pot-luck kind of cake – which I did. It was a bit dry and the strawberries got to looking quite tired and sad. I would suggest eating it shortly after it’s baked with a touch of whip cream!
I’m not sure how other commenters got such raves serving it the day after it was baked…
Hi Dee Dee — Usually cakes with juicy berries or other fresh fruit in them get more moist after the first day as the fruit slowly dampens the cake. Sorry you didn’t find that to be the case.
I think you know by now what a hit this cake is but to add my penny worth, I make it as a tray bake to share at work, and it never makes it to the 2nd day, and it is probably my favourite cake recipe. Love the blueberry suggestion, and it works with traspberry and chocolate drops too.
I just wanted to share that I made this yesterday, but with peaches instead. I doubled the recipe and it fit perfectly in a 9×13 pan. I sliced four peaches and arranged them on top, followed by a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar. It was awesome. Thanks Deb!
I also made this cake today and it was really good! Delicious! Thanks a lot for the recipe and greetings from Germany :)
I am waiting for my cake to come out of the oven as I type this!!
The is my first real baking attempt. During the mixing stage I found it hard to get my butter and sugar to a fluffy light pale stage, the batter kept getting stuck in my mixer blades so I gave up and added the flour part. I found that I needed to add more milk as my batter was way to doughy. Maybe I over-mixed it?
I became nervous when pouring the batter into the pan as it only seemed enough for a thin, thin, layer (9.5 inch springform) so I poured the batter into a smaller pan, there was probably no need to do this as the cake did rise a lot. As usual I was freaking over nothing.
So finally I got to the strawberry stage and found that I used only half of the stawberrys, probably because I used a smaller pan due to my freak out.
Next time I will be sure to stick with the original sized pan and mix less.
I don’t smell stawberrys as the cake bakes either.
The cake has been in for 64 minutes now but seems like it needs a bit more cooking as the top doesn’t resemble the same browning as shown in the photographs.
I have just checked in on the cake at 69 minutes and after poking a skewer into the cake it did come out clean and I heard very faint cracking which to me tells me the top is almost perfect.
My cake has been in the oven for a whopping 80 minutes and it’s ready to come out! It does not look over cooked in the slightest. I have a brand new oven and doubt my extended cooking time is due to the oven, maybe it’s due to my small pan size?
Hopefully all is ok when I cut into it.
P.s. I couldn’t find barely flour in Melbourne, Australia, I looked everywhere.
Just hallucinated the smell of strawberries looking at your photos! Unfortunately have no oven but a girl can dream! Thanks!
Deb,
I made this cake today, but substituted most of the flour with ground almonds. The strawberries didn’t sink, but the cake was a bit soggy when it came out. Delish though! I baked for an hour and 10 min. Could it be because of my very clever ground almond substitution :( ?
I’m going to try once again with all flour.
Okey, I need help!
This is my second attempt and this time round the cake has risen completely over the strawberries! They have disappeared!
I am using a 9.5 inch springform.
Golly gosh.
I made this and it is delicious! Had to bake it 5-10 minutes longer but that’s my oven. It tastes just like strawberry shortcake to me, I just need some ice cream to top it off. Thanks for posting.
I loved the strawberry cake! Now that it is fall, I am wondering if concord grapes would work. What do you think? I love the taste of the cake part and I can’t seem to find a good base cake for a grape kuchen.
Thanks!
p.s. I guess I mean a grape puree once I seed/peel them and cook them down.
Made this for a party dessert last night and just want to say it is the best dessert I have made EVER. Yummy easy pretty what more can I say…cooked for about 65 min, a huge hit -do try it people! I tried to be very symmetrical with strawberry placing, it doesn’t matter as batter rises up and around and the pattern doesn’t matter, so pile on those left-over strawberries that don’t fit! Thanks for a great recipe
So, I baked this cake last weekend, and it was a HUGE success! I love the semi sour taste of the strawberries mixed with the sweetens of the cake… I served it with a little scoop of cream fresh on the side – Yammi. it was just lovely. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
One of my favorite cakes for the summer. I’ve substituted half of the butter for 1 1/2 tbsp plain greek yogurt, used oat flour instead of barley, and bake in a 9″ cake pan.
This cake is in the oven RIGHT NOW!
I can’t wait to “test” it, I also have another pound of berries I’ll use for a Mom ‘n’ Dad Cake on Sunday. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Your newest fan :)
This cake is simply amazing. I made it the day before yesterday and it was the first thing in two weeks that hasn’t made me sick (I’m suffering with Hyperemesis gravidarum right now.) I was able to eat three pieces AND hold down a litre of Pedialite the day I made it. Basically, this cake saved me from having to go to the ER because of a lack of calories and fluids. I made one just now for my parents, though I reduced the sugar in the batter by 1/4 cup (they aren’t partial too super sweet desserts.) Its still divine. I also cut the berries into smaller pieces to make it easier for them to navigate. Its the weirdest thing, the cake baked up with a small slice missing… Lol. Only a bedraggled pregnant woman would bake a cake to give someone and eat a slice, but its the only thing I can hold down so I don’t think they will mind too much :)
Hi deb :) must say I LOVE this recipe, was absolutely delicious. Was just wondering if it would be possible to make it into muffins or would the lesser cooking time not allow the fruit to become as gooey?
I haven’t made them as muffins but if you do a “muffin” word search in the comments, it looks like commenters #177, 530 and 563 made them as muffins and offer tips.
Great news. This cake is baking in my oven now.
Even better, I think it will come out alright, despite my haphazard attempt at making this just now. First of all, I used almond milk. I think this is why I may have overmixed the wet ingredients; they never seem to come together completely. Maybe because it was almond milk and not cow milk….I don’t know…Anyway, I overmixed the wet ingredients and when I poured the batter into my 9in springform, the batter did not spread all the way to the edges. Even after trying to smooth w/a spatula. I put my over rippened local farm strawberries on and hoped for the best. I peaked inside the oven – the cake is soufleting up with the berries nestled in pillows of pink some sunken and jammy juicey. Suceess!!!!
Hello there. I would love to try out your recipes but am lactose intolerant and cannot use butter- How can I substitute oil for this and all your other cakes recipes. Any guidance will be much appreciated.
Valsh — In most cases, a non-dairy butter can be used — you might try auditioning olive oil (a light one), vegetable or safflower oil, virgin coconut oil, etc. I know many vegans use an Earth Balance faux-butter and speak highly of it in baking.
Thanks Deb. Would you know how I can replace the oil with butter, from what I read butter is fat and water where oil is purely fat so would I have to increase the milk and in what proportion would I replace the oil for butter in your recipe. On a separate note, I tried your Zucchini muffins today with great success.
Valsh — There’s just a tiny, tiny amount of water in butter and for 99% of recipes, especially a cake as forgiving as this one, it won’t have any effect on the result.
In the interest of trying ‘different’ flours I made this with half buckwheat … unappealingly gray for sure, but incredibly delicious. Surprisingly very light and fluffy in texture. Didn’t brown much on top though, but the strawberries stayed ‘afloat’ in a 10″ spring-form. Mmmm … gonna go get me some more!
Hi Deb, the “buckling” here reminds me of Marian Burros’ plum torte (my husband’s favorite cake) but your photos with strawberries look so much sexier! So I’m going to try this cake this weekend as a bid to impress him. (He very cleverly gifted me your book for Valentine’s Day – no small feat considering it was the US version and we live in Zurich. They’re both keepers.)
Questions: Will the sugar sprinkling on top be enough to create that crunchy faux-streusel texture? Is there a spice-combo I can mix with the sugar topping that goes well with strawberries? Should I macerate the strawberries in aged balsamico before adding to the batter, or will that mess with the acidity? (As you can see, I just can’t leave well be…sorry!)
Trushna — Sure won’t give it a streusel effect but you can always rub some butter into flour with sugar to make some. I don’t think an authentic aged balasmic (which would be mostly sweet) would throw off the acidity too much.
You are the best! Thank you so much for responding so quickly – I ended up adding just a bit of blood orange zest (leftovers from some margaritas, hmm) and tossing the strawberries in balsamic for about 30 minutes. Lovely. I had to leave most of it with the hostess, so I might make it again in a couple of days. Thank you thank you!!
HI Deb,
I made this recipe this week and it turned out really delicious and good. The recipe was easy to follow and instructions are not difficult for someone like me. :)
This is my favourite go-to cake to make from now on.
Thank you!
Hi Deb
I tried to make this with coconut oil instead of butter and almond meal instead of flour and blueberries instead of strawberries and it didn’t work at all. It never cooked in the middle and burnt all over after 2 hours in the oven!
Would have been great if it did as it looks divine. I am lactose intolerant and on a wheat free diet so am trying to adapt recipes. Any suggestions?
Thank-you
Sia
Hi Sia — When something bakes too fast on the outside before baking through inside, it usually needs to be baked at a lower temperature. I’d start there, and see if you can get the temperature right next time. You also might do better with a partial swap with almond meal, and partial swap with a gluten-free flour mix, for more body.
Saw it, made it, LOVE IT! Thank you, Deb!
This recipe is absolutely delicious! My sister made it for my birthday a couple years ago and it has become a tradition ever since. Just made it tonight for no reason other than the berries at the grocery smelled so fragrant and wonderful! Just wanted to say thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
xoxo
Alexia
The recipe simply looks wonderful and very appetizing. I cant wait to try it.
Thank you for posting.
I made this for the second time last night because I was so excited that strawberries are back in season. It is my new favorite springtime dessert!
Okay, I am a recipe tweaker, and here is what I did:
Used 1/2 C cornmeal and 1 C white whole wheat flour instead of 1-1/2 C white flour
Swapped the 1 C sugar for 1/2 C honey
Heated the milk to a sturdy simmer and then infused 1/2 tsp saffron threads in it
Skipped the vanilla (I figured it was already honey-saffron and I didn’t want to muddy those flavors)
Proceeded with the rest as written (i.e., baking times, pan size, etc.)
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!
Just served this yummy spring cake for dessert! What a hit! Even my 13 year old son loved it. The strawberries were a little tart, but the cake and sugar on top made this dessert just sweet enough. Already bookmarked as a favorite!
I made this today to be served in 2 days. Do you think it will be as tasty if I leave it out of the fridge loosely covered, or do you recommend countertop? If not, I can make it again:)
I used a 9 1/2 inch glass Pyrex brand pie plate and the cake just fit. No spillage, but no extra room in the dish either! I used 2% milk and it turned out very well. Required extra baking time for a total of about 75-80 minutes. Only make this cake when you have some time on your hands to wait for it to bake. It’s delicious!
Wow, oh wow, this cake is amazing. I got some tiny, sweet strawberries at the farmers market yesterday and we made this cake (with the barley flour) and topped it with fresh whipped cream. If I hadn’t promised my son another piece tomorrow, I’m afraid my husband and I would finish it off tonight.
Just astounding! The perfect thing for Memorial Day weekend–although it didn’t make it to Memorial Day…
Still my go to recipe once the Oregon Hood berries ripen. I know the recipe by heart, can make it anywhere, anytime;) Thanks for giving me my number one staple, I prefer this to strawberry shortcake.
A hit today in Sacramento, CA! Thanks!
Made this using two 7 inch cake pans and the recommendd 2tbs less sugar in the batter. Baked at 350 for 10 mins and 35-40 mins at 325. Just phenomenal, best cake I’ve had in a long time. I can’t get over how good it was! The best part is the crunchy edges and the batter that gets stuck to the bottom of the cake pan (even though I buttered the pan). Used strawberries from my garden, which were not as sweet. The cake pairs so well with the strawberries. Thank you so much for sharing!
I just pulled this out of the oven and it is so gorgeous, and smells so heavenly. I am so excited! I, too, go into joy overdrive when fresh strawberry season is finally here. There is nothing seasonal I look so forward to as strawberries. So when I did the same thing – bought several quarts – and then realized we could never eat that many before they turned, I remembered this cake. I even found barley flour at the farmers market a few days later, so I made the cake exactly as described. I am so excited! I do have a question, if you have the time: why do we turn the temperature down after 10 minutes of baking? What does 10 minutes with an additional 25 degrees do for the cake? Why not just 10 more minutes at the lower temp? I followed the instructions and the cake couldn’t have turned out more perfect, but it is a mystery to me what effect that has. I’d love to know.
I love this cake! I posted a slightly healthier/lower fat/lower sugar version on my website: http://pumpedupchick.com/welcome/fit-in-the-kitchen-strawberry-summer-cake
I decided to bake that cake today to bring some sunshine during this rainy day.
I only had 2% milk so i added 1 teaspoon of butter “just in case”. Well… The cake turned out perfectly !
Thank you for sharing this recipe :-)
Last night, I made this for the third time in a month. I love this cake so much that it will surely become a yearly regular in my home during strawberry season. Last night I had no egg and no milk (I used an imprecise amount of olive oil + the same amount of water you would have used for milk). Somehow, it was still fantastic. (I also substitute half whole-wheat flour, which I think makes it even more interesting. I’ll have to try barley flour next. Deb, thank you for your abundance of fruit-cake recipes (apple cake, this cake, dimply plum…).
I make this every summer and it gets better each time! This time I baked it in a springform pan and it turned out beautifully! I’ve discovered that the key to getting the strawberries all gooey and jam-ish is use to small local strawberries (eg from Quebec or New England) rather than the huge ones that are imported from California. Also, the reduced sugar option is perfect.
Lovely dessert!
I made this for the first time yesterday in an attempt to use all the gorgeous berries I picked the other day before they lost their luster. I added about a tsp of fresh thyme to the batter, as well as 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb (both of which grow in our garden). Stellar results! Not too sweet (I also went easy on the sugar like you suggested), and I could definitely see myself serving it for brunch.
I just made this tonight and I seriously think this is the best cake I’ve ever made. What a fantastic recipe! I did part barley flour/part all-purpose flour and I kept the sugar down to about 3/4 c. Amazing.
Oh, and coconut milk instead of regular milk.
Any idea whether this would work in a 9″ cast iron skillet? (A new purchase, and one I’m wishing to use as often as possible!)
Hi Natalie — I have not made it in one and probably wouldn’t because I’d be concerned about the fruit discoloring where it touches the skillet, which is reactive. Nevertheless, it sounds like commenters #619 and 641 baked it in one successfully.
I made this in a 9″ square pan using apricots and substituted half the milk for sour cream. It was so good, I had towrite about it. It’s the perfect summer cake. Thanks, Deb!
Would browning the butter before putting it in the cake mess up the texture or be too much, thoughts?
I am sure it could be tasty. Personally, I don’t usually bother with browned butter in recipes like this. I suspect the flavor would come through very strongly, and I find toastiness a little clashy with lemon and berries. But if you’d enjoy the flavor here, there’s no harm in trying it out.
I had this cake tonight at a friend’s house. It was absolutely wonderful! I am definitely planning on making it soon, with the strawberries from our garden. Great recipe!
A colleague of mine recommended your recipe. Tried it for a brunch party for my in-laws and totally impressed them. I find it really difficult to search for a strawberry cake recipe that embraces the natural taste of strawberry (not too sweet). Thank you so much!
I’ve tried this cake a couple of times and each time I was DESPERATELY hoping it would be wonderful. Believe me, I was shocked when I discovered I wasn’t crazy about it and even more so when my mom was struggling to tell me she didn’t care for it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not horrible or anything, it’s certainly edible. It’s just not the normal WOW recipe I often bake. There’s a possibility this MIGHT be due to expecting it to be like another cake. It might be that not only myself but my family members were expecting it to be similar to an old family recipe we have that bakes a heavy yellow cake with either sweet (my preference) or sour cherries (some other family members preference) in it. That cake we often eat warm or even hot right out of the oven with milk on it or it is still great at room temperature and eaten plain. For some crazy reason that recipe all my life has been called Cherry Pudding although there’s nothing pudding-like about it in the sense of what we Americans think of as pudding. I sometimes wonder if this recipe didn’t come from the UK where they often call anything for dessert “pudding”. I guess I’ll never know. Anyway, I can’t really say what it is about the strawberry cake that doesn’t appeal to me, it just doesn’t which is surprising because I usually quite enjoy most things I try from this site. But, as they say, everyone’s taste is different and everyone likes different things. But the fact that even my mom, a well-known “cake-a-holic” from way back didn’t care for it speaks volumes. I still have the cake in my “keepers” recipe file and may try changing it a bit, experimenting a little to see if I can work it till it’s more to my taste. That’s what most people with the cooking blogs do anyway.
I just made this tonight for the first time. I used an 8″ x just under 10″ metal pan, which was 1.5″ deep. I creamed the egg with the butter first, by mistake, and then added less than a cup of sugar afterwards and continued creaming. My strawberries were local English ones and were quite large so I cut them into more than half pieces. I also put more than the 2T sugar on top, again by mistake as I read my handwriting wrong (no printer) but even though I don’t have an overly sweet tooth, it didn’t seem too sweet. I have had two pieces plain and intend to have more tomorrow, this time with vanilla ice cream. I baked it in a convection oven for the ten minutes first, at 170 and then reduced down to 160 for 40 minutes, so total time was 50 minutes. Excellent! Am also going to try your raspberry buttermilk next I think. I had been making some crisps and cobblers with raspberries strawberries and nectarines but this cake beats a cobbler any day.
I made this cake for my nine-year-old niece’s birthday yesterday, since strawberries are her favorite food, and it was a hit. It was perfect with some gourmet vanilla bean ice cream. Everyone in my family agreed that it’s one of the best desserts they’ve ever had. Strawberry season where I live ended a few weeks ago, so I had to use some mutant store-bought berries trucked in from hundreds of miles away, but it still smelled so good that it was difficult not to smash my face in it and go to town!
I’ve made this cake many times, with many kinds of fruit, and it always turns out wonderfully. I’m currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Kyrgyzstan and I just made this cake (with peaches) with my host sister. It was a hit!
I can’t imagine anyone not loving this cake!! I have made it 4-5 times and everyone is crazy about it! I have used all sorts of strawberries – not very good ones, extra ripe (nearly rotten?) ones, sour ones, and the cake is still wonderful! Thanks for a keeper recipe!
I paired this with the mascarpone/whip recipe from the Red Wine Chocolate Cake entry and some Grand Marnier soaked berries…divine. My anti-dessert brother-in-law went back for seconds!
I’m late to the party.
I came across this recipe this afternoon while sorting through and deleting bookmarks….And here I am.
I have a similar recipe that I use w/ our overabundance of blueberries, both in summer, and during the winter months when I pull a quart jar from the freezer.
I’m a definite less sugar is more kind-of-girl. I like to taste the ingredients, especially at this time of year when berries are so fresh and sweet on their own. Any recipe I use associated w/ Martha tends to get an overhaul of less butter and sugar as a matter of course. lol
I use a lot of whole wheat pastry, and white wheat in my baking. Barley flour would make an interesting addition.
I just picked a huge bowl of strawberries from our garden last night. I’m headed to the kitchen to make this right now!
Thanks for sharing. :-)
I just made this with fresh cherries (de-stoned, when will someone invent a tool for this??), cut down the sugar and sprinkled a tbsp. of ground almonds over the fruit. Awesome lusciousness, confirmed by my strawberry-phobic partner.
This is quite possibly the best cake I baked this year. Baked in a 9 inch deep pie pan with tiny farmhouse strawberries & peaches. This was the best solution for the semi-sweet strawberries! Thanks so much, Deb!
This was delicious and very simple. Btw, I didn’t think it was too sweet at all. And it was so beautiful.
Even if you forget to put the berries cut side down (whoops!), this is still an awesome cake.
This cake saved me last week! My husband is not a cake man, but loves fresh fruit and lightly sweet things. I searched for hours for a birthday-like “cake,” and came across this with great relief. I ended up making citrus whipped cream to top it with, and it was perfectly bright and wonderful. He loved it! Thank you for posting this great recipe.
Summer is well and truly in full swing here and when my daughter requested a strawberry cake for her 4th birthday I looked here as your site has always provided me with awesome cake recipes in the past. I was rushing to bake this cake and didn’t properly read the recipe (sigh) and as a result my cake ended up falling apart a bit. I used a 9 inch springform and tried to take not out of the pan too soon! It crumbled significantly but was DIVINE to eat. Absolutely delicious. Thanks.
Wow there are a lot of comments! I just made this and it disappeared in ten minutes flat! I used vanilla soy milk instead of regular milk and vanilla extract and it worked just fine. I’m definitely going to try this with other fruits, maybe even chocolate! The cake all by itself was delicious, and it was all I could do not to eat the batter!
I used frozen strawberries. I thawed them in the fridge overnight but they were still a bit frozen in the morning, but the cake still was finished in the recommended baking time. I use a 9 inch glass pie pan and the cake did not overflow the pan. The cake was very good and not too much work–I should consider bring this to potlucks and maybe using it as birthday cake at parties because it’s less work than other cakes I’ve made. And we have a lot of frozen strawberries in our freezer. I used a little less than 3/4 cup of sugar in the cake mixture.
I am not much of a baker but made this tonight. The recipe was easy to follow. I usually don’t have much success with baking as generally my husband finds most baked goods too sweet and my kids (2,4, and 4) are just fickle. Tonight everyone was happy and ate their cake. Since it’s not too sweet (with bland off season strawberries) and has no frosting, it could even make a nice breakfast or snack.
My husband absolutely adores this cake and it’s about the easiest thing in the world to whip up. (I also used your wedding cake recipes to make my own wedding cake last year, which was also a huge hit, but quite a bit more work :) )
Deb, if I wanted to make this cake in a 13 X 9″ pan, would I double this? I want to do this for our family’s Memorial Day party!
Barbara — Yes, you can double it in a 9×13.
Thanks Deb! Happy Mother’s Day!
It boggles my mind that this is three years old. I love this cake so much.
Love this cake. Delicious and deceptively simple. Baked one this morning for my nephew’s super hero themed birthday party – i’ll be baker man. thanks smitten kitchen!
Love this! Made it tonight. We went strawberry picking on Monday and have surplus berries. It was delicious! I just discovered you through Pinterest and I want to pin every single one of your recipes! Looking forward to trying the next one! :)
This is one of my favorite recipes that you ever posted, so simple, made it again yesterday but added some fresh grated cinnamon and fresh grated nutmeg and a handful of shredded organic unsweetened coconut to the batter…..one of the reasons I like it so much it is very versatile, I find, thanks again, so much, for your wonderful recipes, I realize you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time, but you have always pleased me, have a great day……
I just made this tonight for my brother’s birthday. I needed a simple, seasonal cake, and this fit the bill. I served it with whipped cream. (Dinner beforehand was Chinook salmon cooked with ginger & black pepper; plus the broccoli & sweet potatoes from your broccoli/sweet potato miso bowl.) I’m looking forward to attempting a gluten-free version, and to trying it with different berries as the summer goes on.
This is in my oven right now – I just moved to France for the summer and am doing my first baking test here using a) French butter that comes with no measurement ruler printed on the side of it, and I have no scale and no measuring utensils except for a large cup that shows measures for a lot of different things in weights, and apparently some French butter has a higher fat content than North American? b) French type 55 flour, whatever that is c) “levure chimique” instead of baking powder, again estimated amount from an 11g packet, d) no electric mixer e) a type of small Samsung oven thing the size of a microwave that has both microwave and oven functions, but no rack to allow air to pass under what is baking. The good news: using sweet, super fresh strawberries from the market! Wish me luck!
I have made this several times for my friends and they all request that I keep making it again and again. This time I subbed in spelt flour for 1/3 of the flour and the results were amazing. It was the best one yet!
I made this in a 9″ pie pan (not deep dish) and made 3/4 of the full recipe (so 4.5 tbsp of butter, etc…) It was done in 40 min and wonderful!
You have been a true inspiartion to us… My kids do not ask for any other cake any more! Here is our version…
http://www.handfulofrecipes.com/strawberry-cake-with-barley/
Thank you!
I just made this recipe yesterday for my daughter’s 6th birthday. I really didn’t want to mess with frosting this time and we couldn’t have been happier with the results! We have 5 birthday’s in 5 weeks among our 7 children. I’m finally trying to really not over do the cake and I have to say- this is an unexpected, yet beautiful change to the classic birthday cake. We served it with ice cream and ate by the pool! Thanks again for all the inspiring recipes. I look forward to making more of your lovely cakes in the coming weeks!
So so beautiful and delicious.
Delicious! I made it in a cast iron because I couldn’t find the right size pan and it worked beautifully. I also used a gluten free flour blend I had because didn’t have barley flour on hand. Served with fresh whipped cream!! Outrageous!
this was the absolute best-est first birthday cake for my strawberry-loving toddler- especially with fresh-picked local berries.
Thanks!
Perfect easy amazing. Thank you.
Exactly what I was looking for! I made it with cane sugar instead though as it was all that I had and although it took a lot longer to cook (more like 1hr 45) it was delicious! Thank you!
I just finished baking this cake. It was really easy to make and it tastes divine!! I just wish I didn’t start baking at 9pm on a work night!
This looks great. I want to make a yummy strawberry cake for my son’s 2nd birthday (he loves strawberries.) Do you think this would hold up to torting/stacking and icing? If so, is there an icing you would recommend to compliment the flavors?
Thanks!
I’ve made this again and again since the start of summer 2014 – though mostly with blueberries, as strawberries don’t tend to last long enough to be baked! It’s not only a hit with our family of three, it’s also a hit with my husband’s co-workers, our friends, and my son’s preschool teachers. I’ve actually got one in the oven right now, with cranberries on top, because that’s what I had on hand tonight. I don’t doubt it will be divine. Thanks for a terrific recipe that’s quick and easy, and so delish! :)
Made this last sumer with strawberries and again today with some mirabelles that I froze from over the summer (I went out picking and came back with about 3kg of mirabelles) – success!
Also realised too late that I had no eggs left, so I just made up the difference with more buttermilk (1/4 cup) and added some almond extract for kicks. DELICIOUS! Most definitely my go-to berry/fruit-studded cake :)
Wow..the house is smelling of strawberries.Thank for such a nice recipe.I used salted butter as I did not have unsalted butter.
Would be baking it again .
I’ve been making this cake since you posted the recipe. Made it for a gathering of family and friends, now they think I should open a Café based on this cake alone! Thanks Deb, you always make me look good!
Hey! what is the oven temperature after the first 10 minutes?!
it currently reads “Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F…..”
what’s 325°F
thanks for clarifying! looks delicious!
nadia — It’s 325. The 176 gibberish after was mistyped HTML… now fixed. Sorry for the confusion.
Tried adding zest and juice of one lemon and used BlackBerries instead, yummy!
This is our favorite summer cake. I’d love to try this with a strawberry-rhubarb mixture (swoon!). Can I simply swap half the berries for diced rhubarb? I’ve considered using frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained, to avoid excessive moisture and sogginess. Any suggestions?
Christina — You can, but no need to drain them. The juiciness of the fruit is what makes this cake special.
Deb – I wanted to make this in a square or rectangular pan so I could cut in squares to serve for a large event. What size pan do you think would work? 9″ square or 8″ square? thanks!
I make your Raspberry buttermilk cake all the time (with raspberries or blackberries and I’ve even made a chocolate orange version) so I am sure I will love this one too! Thank you! :)
I made this last night and was really happy with it. I didn’t have enough granulated sugar, so used mostly brown sugar- just sprinkled the top with granulated. It was rich and delicious and different from any other strawberry dessert I’ve tried. Yours is the only blog I read online. Thank you!
I made this today and it was fabulous!!!
I used a 10 inch glass pie dish and cooked a total of 55 minutes, reducing the heat to 300 degrees for the last 5 minutes as it was already a lovely brown. I didn’t use a full pound of strawberries. A pound is a lot! I was worried I had too many in there, but the cake does rise around all those strawberries.
Here was my swap: I used 3/4 cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup almond flour/meal.
(Bob’s Red Mill brand). I increased the baking powder to 2 teaspoons.. I don’t have a gluten problem, I just love the taste that almond flour provides.
I will definitely be making this again and again! Yum!
I just made this recipe, and as always – it was fantastic! I added some blueberries to make up the pound of berries, and it really turned out to be a pretty dessert! Perfect for summer holidays! You were right, it barely lasted 24 hours. Even better after it was really cooled and the strawberries were at their jammiest! Great to munch out of hand, but certainly wonderful for company as well.
Thanks for re-posting on Facebook. :)
Louise — Theoretically, you can double this in a 9×13 for a crowd. It comes out slightly thicker. However, the time I did it this way, I could NOT fit all the strawberries on top in a single layer, even overlapped, left some out and was bummed it wasn’t jammy enough. Regardless, you asked about a 9-inch or 8-inch square. You could use either, but I vote for the 9-inch here if you have it. You might need a little less baking time.
The strawberry-rhubarb version was wonderful! Thanks for the advice!!!
I wasn’t sure I had the correct pan for this, so I made a dozen cupcakes, using 1T granulated sugar and 1T turbinado on top. I also added an extra egg yolk. I ate two that night and one (or more) for breakfast the next morning, when they magically transformed into muffins. I have a very good feeling that I will be making this recipe all summer long. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I have two of these cakes in the oven right now. I had picked several pounds of strawberries from my garden earlier today and needed to use some up. I followed the recipe, other than substituting cashew milk for cow’s milk. I used one 10″ standard glass pie pan and one deep dish 9.5″ glass pie pan. Both of the cakes have slightly overflowed the pans. I have a nice mess that I will need to clean up on the bottom of the oven tomorrow. They look like they will be delicious, but I’m disappointed that the pan size did not seem to be adequate (and I used what the recipe recommended).
I just took this out of the oven…I am not sure it will make it to the intended destination! Yet another great recipe from you, thank you!
I finally tried this and it’s great! Very flexible recipe too. I swapped 1/2 cup of AP flour for buckwheat flour, used almond milk, and baked in a 9.5in glass pie pan that is slightly deeper than usual.. It started to come over the edges just a little bit but the crispy edges were a nice addition.
I made this last night. A double recipe in a 9×13 pan. I used buttermilk instead of regular milk, and after covering the batter with strawberry halves I dotted in some blueberries. Other than that followed the recipe exactly. It is very delicious, but a tiny bit dry. Anyone have a recommendation on how I can make it more moist?
SusanR — I think that you will find this cake even better on the 2nd day. This is true for most cakes with baked fresh fruit in them.
going strawberry picking with my little ones today!! i have jam to make && now this looks great!
I have two adorably fresh containers of strawberries from our CSA just WAITING to be made into this (and hopefully also into your strawberries and cream biscuits). I have a question, however. Because I can’t leave well enough alone, do you think that swapping some of the flour for almond flour would work? I have almond flour, and love the texture/flavor it gives baked goods, but I wouldn’t want to mess with perfection. I have no idea how almond flour compares to barley flour, so didn’t want to take it on faith that it would work!
Hi Emily — I have not used almond flour here; they’re not going to work the same but it doesn’t mean it won’t work. Commenters #596, 673, 676 and 862 all say they’ve used some here (with details) with success so I think you’ll be just fine.
Great! I think I’ll just swap 6T (or 1/4 of the volume) of flour so the structure isn’t too altered. Will report back. :)
Deb – oh my goodness. I swapped 6T of the flour for almond meal/flour, and 1/2 tsp of vanilla for almond extract. Delicious!! The almond made it extra rich with a tad more chew. I can see doing this with cherries or blackberries! Amazing.
Made this on Tuesday and it did not disappoint! I’m out of practice at the baking game and this was a perfect way to ease back in. I’m making it again for a party this weekend!
I showed this recipe to the kids a couple of weeks ago, and they have been begging me to make it ever since then. It is in my oven as I type this, and I cannot wait to taste it!
I have a 2.5 year old who cannot handle cow’s milk. We took a 2 year hiatus from this cake, but decided to make it with coconut milk (unsweetened) and coconut oil in place of the dairy. I definitely need to cut the sugar even further next time to avoid the coconut cake sweetness, but I am impressed with how it turned out. Still the best recipe ever (though I do miss the butter).
Sorry – neophyte question. What does “prepared pie plate” mean? Greased and floured?
Thank you!!!
Just made this as a delicious ending to a non traditional 4th of July dinner of mussels steamed with ale… We loved it!
PM — No worries. By prepared, I just mean that you prepped it (with butter) in the first step.
I froze several quarts of stawberries after strawberrry picking this summer. Could you make this cake with frozen berries?
I just made this cake with local plums. It was a big hit at the potluck! Thanks for the recipe.
Just made this on the recommendation of a friend and it lasted two days in our house. SOOO good. Like a strawberry pie and strawberry shortcake made and delicious baby. And perfect for strawberries on the brink.
This comment is long overdue. Absolutely the best thing I’ve ever baked, thanks to your wonderful and painstakingly precise recipe. Going to bake it every strawberry season. Thanks :)
Best way to use up strawberries, especially those that don’t look like they’ll be perfectly red ripe and sweet to eat raw. Also, really good on the second day.
I bring this cake to workplaces a lot, where there’s always someone dieting, so this last time I did work out the total calorie count if you use the version of the recipe in which you use 1 cup sugar total, taking the two tablespoons that go on top, out of the cup that goes into the batter.
612 calories in 6 tbsp butter
680 calories in 1.5 cups all purpose wheat flour
3 calories in 1.5 tsp baking powder
775 calories in 1 cup butter
75 calories in 1/2 cup whole milk
10 calories in 1 tsp vanilla extract
150 calories in 450 grams strawberries
tots up to 2305 calories.
I made this last night… using a 9″ springform pan. I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup vs 1 cup for the cake, and 1 tbsp & 1 tsp vs 2 tbsp for the sprinkling. It was delicious and had the right amount of sweetness. Thank you for sharing. Anyone try this recipe with fresh pitted cherries? or blueberries? Love to hear how it came out. Thanks! Amy
I have made this maybe 5 times this summer and it is a HIT. Everyone loves it, absolutely everyone. I’ve made it with raspberries in addition to the strawberries as well as with a duck egg and it really is wonderful.
The cake is excellent! I did it twice and it rocks. Once i wasn’t able to get strawberries in the groceries and did it with peach, it was very good
I love this cake and my family often requests it. However they are now asking for a chocolate version. How would you recommend adding chocolate?
Amanda — Two ways to add chocolate would be to add chocolate chunks (this would be my choice) or to replace 1/3 the flour with cocoa powder.
Strawberry season is beginning here in Florida, so I made this yesterday for some house guests, and everyone loved it. I made it in a 9-inch square baking dish and the cake was neither too thick nor too thin. The only other change I made was to increase the salt and vanilla just a little, and to add about 1/4 tsp. cardamom, which I highly recommend. It pairs wonderfully with the strawberries.
Made this two times and my family was fighting with each other to have the last piece. Made and sent it to my brother and he was so happy. Love the look, feel and taste of it, it’s amazing!!
This is such an amazing recipe!
I made it twice last year and was just waiting for strawberry season to come around so I could bake it again. Making it tonight. Thank you so much for this!
@heldenmommy just tweeted this recipe! The incomparable Christine Goerke!
Just made this. It came out Awesome! Everyone loved it. I topped in with maple whipped cream. I did however mistakenly add a whole stick of butter not paying attention :) but no worries! Next time I’ll pay more attention and do 6 tbsp butter and use 2 tbsp less sugar for the batter like deb suggests. Another great dessert Deb!
I made this last night for the second time (I was comment #504 the first time I made it). This time, I made it in a 9″ springform pan. It looked gorgeous when I took it out of the oven, exactly like your picture, but I woke up this morning to see that the cake fell overnight. I am wondering if covering it too soon after taking it out of the oven kept it too humid and made it fall. I was kind of worried about that, but I was baking late and needed to get some sleep! I’m sure it will still be delicious for Mother’s Day when I see my mom today!
Gluten-free success! I made this with Bob’s Red Mill One for One flour and it knocked everyone’s socks off. So much, that they requested I make 3 more for grandson’s birthday party. This time, I used a different brand of flour and it was a bit mushy and grainy–what you don’t want in GF desserts! People still thought it was very good–it’s hard to go wrong with all those fresh strawberries. I’m fortunate to live in a town where we have great, locally-grown berries. Thanks for this recipe, it’s a keeper.
Hello! Does anyone have any thoughts on whether this could be adapted to be a birthday cake (in an 11-inch deep springform, for example)? Will the recipe fail if it’s made in a deeper pan?
Any advice would be so appreciated…
Valentina — Believe it or not, I’ve been trying to birthday cake this for a couple summers with only moderate success. The biggest problem with a deeper pan is that you cannot fit as many berries on top which means you lose the luscious proportion of berries to cake. Still tastes good, but as that’s my favorite part, I’m still back at the drawing board. Hopefully by the end of berry season, I’ll have an update.
It works using half quinoa flour, too. Thanks for another great recipe; it will be a staple of mine for the local farmers’ market strawberry season here in Nashville!
Wow! 902 readers can’t be wrong! I don’t know how this recipe has escaped my notice for so long. I will be doing this with strawberries and then with sour cherries and then with peaches as people have suggested. Thank you.
The regular granulated sugar I use is the c&h or Costco organic sugar and also I use superfine baker’s sugar sometimes – since the organic sugar has a larger granule than regular granulated sugar – which sugar do you think would work best for this recipe? ( I was thinking the larger granule may not be great for a cake or for the topping on the strawberries? but not quite sure). I usually bake cookies.
Thanks!!
j — I just use regular granulated sugar here. If you’d like to use another, it will probably work but you’ll want to make sure to use the same by weight.
Wonder if this would work with other berries. I have a lot of blueberries right now, & wonder if they would work in this?
Karin — It will but I like this cake best for blueberries.
Made this today (with less sugar) and it was a hit!
I discovered this recipe last year — made it several times and love it. It smells just like strawberry poptarts :) I make it with a gluten-free flour called Cup 4 Cup; the ingredients are the same, but I find it needs an additional 8-10 minutes baking — rather than 50-60 min (after the initial 10), I usually end up at about 68-70 min.
Made this with a flaxseed egg and used apricots from my tree. It was INCREDIBLE!! Vegan version had zero issues. Great recipe.
I made this for a bbq today- it was amazing! I used all APF, and cream instead of milk. Baked it for 60 minutes but it probably could have used about 2 more minutes. At a party of mostly bachelors, no one wanted to cut into the strange looking “pie” but once the first one tried it, the two cakes I made were gone in less than an hour. 2 cakes and 10 people. I think I made a good impression with my boyfriend’s friends :)
I made this for brunch. Yummy, pretty, and so easy!! I baked for 55 minutes – next time (yes, there WILL be a next time), I’ll bake for the full 60 minutes. I topped my portion (actually my THREE portions) with maple syrup and served with bacon. Oh, mommie…
I’ve made this many times and it’s been a great hit but there was always a niggling feeling that something was missing from the cake batter, So yesterday I added a heaping teaspoon of grated lemon peel and took out the 2T of sugar.Everyone was happy and people who had eaten the cake before commented on the difference.
I made this on Friday for a friend’s birthday, and it was dynamite! I am obviously not the only one who had this idea, but I added a tsp grated lemon zest (with the sugar and butter to make sure the zest could get some abrasion from the sugar). I also added a 1/2 tsp almond extract. Delicious. The only bad thing is that it all got eaten that night, so I did not have the pleasure of seeing how much more jammy and delightful it would be the second day.
I used a 9 in springform pan, and that worked very well. No leakage-it’s a thick batter.
I just made this in a bunt pan and it was delicious! I love your recipes and use
Them all the time! You are a marvel to do this, with 2 babies in tow!
Deb — I made this recently, for the second time, and loved it. A wider dish definitely works better than a less wide one — more surface area for the berries.
I then wondered about how it would do with other fruit, which led me to think of the Purple Plum Torte which is supposed to work well with a variety of fruit and lined up the two recipes, because I’m anal, but why not. To my inexpert eyes, they look remarkably similar, except for this one having less butter and more batter (sorry!). It felt like the kind of discovery that you would already know about and/or have something interesting to say about, maybe? I also compared it to the Raspberry Buttermilk Cake batter, but that one looks “more different” in proportion.
Anyway, what I’m hoping to do with this one is to make it in a 9×13 with the same amount of batter but twice the strawberries. Maybe 3/4c sugar in the batter, and 1/4c on top. What say?
HoS — Funny, I’m rather obsessive about lining up recipes but have never done so with those two. I’m surprised too! So, I did and though they seem SO much the same, to me, they’re really not: this uses less butter (6T vs. 8T), more flour (1.5 cups vs. 1 cup), fewer eggs (1 vs. 2), additional liquid (.5 cups milk vs. none) for the same amount of sugar and close to the same amount of fruit, although the ends results have similarities. The raspberry buttermilk cake is closest to a thin yellow layer cake (1-2-3-4 cake, even, if I remember correctly). I think of this and the plum cake as optimized for the fruits they use so if you’re using peaches or another very ripe stone fruit, use the other recipe, and if you’re using berries, use this one.
Love this recipe! I didn’t have strawberries, so I made it with cherries instead, and it’s sooooo good! I also reduced the sugar by about a quarter cup, because I don’t like desserts that are super sweet and subbed whole wheat flour because that’s what I had on hand. It’s still so good that I have to hide it from my boys before they try to eat the whole thing (they’re 4yo and 18mo). Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Just made this cake this past weekend for a beach party. It tasted and smelled like summer! Everyone loved it and it took all I had not to sneak a piece before bringing it to the party. I think next time I might try it with a little less sugar as you suggested. While it was delicious as is, I’d like the flavor to be more of a fresh strawberry flavor. Another great recipe, thank you!
You may find this Insulting, revolting or just plain rude of me to say but….The cake tastes like Twinkies with strawberries on top! I loved Twinkies as a child so this is a big plus in my book. I did add an extra egg yolk only from a second egg. Don’t ask me why but I just did and it made it very very moist almost crumbly moist so if that’s something you’re going for, one might try two egg yolks instead of one egg.
Thanks Deb for your always inspiring everything. I’ve become very interested in baking now thanks to you. Great for the lips but not so great for the hips! Oh well!! I aspire to eat a slice or a piece, then give the rest away but that almost never happens with your recipes. I owe it all to your unique genius! Thank you!!
In joy!
Kristine
Great cake idea :) Unfortunately I messed it up as I misread the end of the recipe and did it as an upside down cake (which does not look too good). I also accidentally superficially burnt it, which was not beyond repair as it was upside down. Flavours were good, so blaming it all on my own carelessness and will keep trying.
My mom and sister (who helped eat the cake) were commenting that it reminds them of a pineapple upside-down cake a bit … So you might not be too far off though I agree that the strawberries are quite pretty on top!
:)
My batter (despite using your weight measurements) ended up not very thin – it was more of a scoop into the 9” springform vs pour. Any ideas on why?? Will see how it turns out.
If I double it, will the cooking time be longer?
LOVE this recipe and have already made it twice in the past two weeks. I doubled the recipe the second time and made 12 “muffins” in addition to the cake. Everybody loves them. It’s the easiest and most delicious cake.
PS–I melted the butter, whisked it with the sugar, and then added the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. It came out great, and no need to dirty the Kitchen Aid! Also, I made these dairy free using margarine instead of butter, and 1/2 cup orange juice + water instead of the 1/2 cup milk. I used a bit less sugar to compensate for the sweetness of the juice, but I’d say the bit of citrus was very welcome in the cake too!
This!
I wanted strawberry cake but couldn’t face dragging out the stand mixer, so, thinking about Nantucket Cranberry Pie*, I just melted the butter instead of creaming it, and it was GREAT. I’ve made this cake a lot, and I couldn’t tell the difference. And makes it a one bowl/wooden spoon recipe.
*NCP is so great, if you haven’t hit it. Laurie Colwin wrote about it (More Home Cooking), and it’s in tons of junior league kind of cook books. Super easy, one bowl, people go nuts for it. Weirdly, there are variations out there that make you cream the butter, but the whole point is that you don’t have to. Don’t need to chop the cranberries, either. Comes together in about two seconds. So good.
PPS–I just found my original comments on this cake from 2011! Wow! I’ve been making it for 5 years now!!! Thank you, Deb!
Just looking up the recipe again….like Tamara in the previous post, It’s probably my fifth year too!!!!! Greetings from Dublin, Ireland
I’ve made this a few times … the best versions are almost exactly as Deb suggests. Less sugar (3/4 cup is perfect) and switch out part of the flour (for oat flour) make for a perfectly spongy, moist and almost muffin-y cake.
Your strawberry summer cake is my family’s favorite cake. There are never any leftovers. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Yum! I had some strawberries in the fridge that were not good enough to eat, almost on edge of throwing out. This cake saved them, they were perfect for this cake.
No milk, I used kefir. It was fine. The pie pan I used was a Pyrex 9.5, and it was perfect.
The family was happy.
Thanks for the comment re your 9.5 inch pie pan! I’ve been combing comments to figure out if I could use mine for this!
Oh Tks so much for this recipe! I made for my 3 y old son picnic birthday. Taste just like summer. I don’t know why but the season of strawberry in Brazil is in the same time as in the USA. So I managed to taste summer in winter! <3
I love this cake. It’s my birthday cake this year. Just my jam…. :)
Yesterday I made this with strawberries. Fabulous. Today I made it with chopped up peaches that were a little too far gone to eat. Again, fabulous. I used buttermilk instead of milk. I’m going to be making this a lot.
What was the consistency of the cake like after using buttermilk?
It looks like lots of people in the comments used buttermilk, which I was also wondering about. Seems to have turned out fine, with a little tang to it.
Have made this many times over the years exactly as written and with various tweaks. Current favorite alt is an almond twist… subbing out some of the flour for fine almond flour and adding almond extract with the vanilla, and decreasing the sugar by ~25%. Makes it a delicious breakfast cake!
I have been doing the same: almond flour and almond extract. Trying it now with a ton of cranberries.
I made this cake with buttermilk and it was just fine.
This cake is so great! I bought a bunch of strawberries from the farmer’s market yesterday and came straight to Smitten Kitchen for ideas on how to use them in a dessert. I saw this and knew I had to make it. I’ve already had two slices…
I LOVED IT…but that’s no big surprise. This cake helped me land a client. They were suitably impressed.
Please note: I made this because I had a glut of strawberries I’d already chopped & sugared for another dessert and needed to find another purpose for the leftovers. I’d recalled a friend recommending this recipe a while back, and BOOM! It was awesome. You don’t have to use brand new, uncut strawberries…I used 1/2 lb of previously unprocessed strawberries, plus a heaping cup of chopped strawberries that had about 1 tsp. of sugar on them to macerate them two days before…I just left behind the resulting liquid.
I served with coconut whipped cream & homemade lemon curd (OMG). It was a perfect combo. Thanks for yet another great recipe, Deb!
I made this with peaches, yesterday, because it’s what I had, It’s the “bees knees”. Can’t wait for another slice tonight!
I had bought strawberries to make ice cream but it turned out the brand new ice cream maker had a giant crack in it. Smitten Kitchen to the rescue! I was a little skeptical of baked strawberries. Not anymore… The cake survived less than 24 hours, and bonus points that for once my 10-inch pie dish is an asset!
I used less than full cup of sugar and am thinking about adding lemon to the cake batter… Zest and maybe juice … Because there will definitely be a next time! I will make this one again.
Another great success due to your excellent recipe and clear guidance. I made this as part of a programme of baking presents for a poorly friend and it tempted his appetite and made his out of town visitors promise to return for another cake. My brother also has requested this for his birthday cake.
Measures by weight are really helpful and much appreciated.
Thanks Deb!
I made this with just-past-their-prime strawberries, decreasing the sugar to 3/4 cup + 2 Tbs. None of the 4 of us (all with different taste and texture preferences) cared for it. My sweet-tooth 8yo son only like the strawberries, my husband and I only liked the cake. I won’t be making this again (and, in fact, will probably pitch the rest of it).
Maybe try it again – I’ve made this cake over 20 times and each time maybe a little different but same basic ingredients – blue/ black/ strawberries – I’ve never heard anything but “wow”- using almond/ wheat/ oat/ barley flours (whatever I had at the time) – not sure why yours came out the way it did- I’ve even cooked it at the wrong temperature (forgot to turn down the oven after the 10 minutes) – my advice is to try it again- you won’t be disappointed.
I’ve made this with strawberries and it was excellent.
I’ve made this with wild blackberries with fresh peaches around the outer edge–even better
This time I’m trying peaches alone, and expect it will be another wonderful dessert.
Next time I’ll try the barley flour option.
This cake is not only beautiful but delicious, as well as quick and easy!
I made this today and used buttermilk instead of milk. Flavor is great but cake was a little dry.
I made this last night. I like sweet but will also dial back 2 tbl of sugar next time. I added zest of 2 lemons and a couple of grates of nutmeg to the batter as I love how they compliment strawberries. This recipe will be great with all different kinds of fruit. Kids loved it with whipped cream and it was really good with my coffee this morning!
I doubled the recipe and used a 13×9 pan. The baking time was about the same. I also subbed buttermilk for the milk and it made a VERY fluffy, moist cake. It was raved about a gobbled up at a picnic. I think it’s delish with or without the whipped cream.
Can these be made into muffins??
I made this, tastes good. Took a long time to bake which isn’t a big deal but I had to go out :) I want to ask, what sort of texture is the cake meant to be like? Mine wasn’t very Cakey, it was more firm and juices kind of.
Deb! We love this cake! If you haven’t tried it yet, I wanted to let you know two important innovations I have made to it (after of course enjoying it as you originally made it!):
1. This cake works excellently made non-dairy. I use soymilk + Earth’s Balance margarine (and scale back the salt because the margarine is salted). A delicious and well received dessert when we can’t have dairy.
2. In an ultimate moment of laziness, I substituted the strawberries for (thawed, frozen) sliced peaches. THE CAKE WAS FANTASTIC. seriously, this works crazy well and means you can have yummy summer cake IN THE WINTER.
Hi Deb,
I’ve made this cake numerous times. I love it. Do you think it would be insane to turn this into a layered cake? I have made the Pink Lady cake but I prefer the taste of this one. Thoughts? Thank you <3
Hey. Sounds delicious. Was wondering if I could use less than a cup of sugar? Sounds like a lot and strawberries where I live tend to be sweet. Would it work?
You can reduce the sugar but we do not find this cake overly sweet (I’d warn if so, we’re very picky about this) and if you do so too much, it loses moisture. But yes, a couple tablespoons less shouldn’t be an issue.
HI! wondering about using brown sugar in this cake, instead of white sugar?! I just love the depth and richness of flavor that comes with brown sugar, what is your expert opinion?!
I don’t see why not. The main thing is that it’s going to be beige against red instead of almost-white. Otherwise, shouldn’t be a problem.
Do you think I can use frozen strawberries / berries?
I made this (or a cake inspired by this) with a lot of substitutions and it was delish, moist, still sweet, and not heavy. Thank for such a solid recipe to riff on!
-Subbed 4 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp full fat yogurt for the butter
-subbed 1/2 c apple sauce for 1/2 c of the sugar
-subbed 1 c whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 c almond flour for the AP flour
-subbed 1/4 c full fat yogurt for the milk (reduced liquid bc of apple sauce)
-used 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda
It was done about 5 minutes earlier than Deb’s timing.
This cake was beautifully moist on the inside and developed a nice crust on the outside. The strawberries were nice and tart and complimented the sweetness of the cake well. I will definitely be making this again!
Would it work to make this (very tempting!) cake with frozen strawberries? I buy Costco’s flash-frozen berries. They are individually frozen and they are not frozen into sugar syrup.
My work group is having a Pi-day event this year. I feel like coloring outside of the pie this year. This cake looks pie-like, and it is certainly Pi-like!
Thanks for your opinion / speculation about this question!
Did you try this?? How’d it go? I’d like to use frozen berries too!
Emily, I eventually made the cake with fresh strawberries.
Deb said in a comment, “I prefer this cake with fresh strawberries but many commenters (299, 232, 497, 419, etc.) seem to have made it with frozen, if you’re looking for tips.”
The numbering on comments is gone in the new site design. But I used search to find “frozen” on the page and found many commentors who used frozen strawberries or raspberries and were happy with the results.
Can I replace the butter with coconut oil?
How do you use search in the recipe page? I want to search the questions to see if others have used spelt flour I instead of the barley sugg3stion
I make strawberry rhubarb pie with individually frozen berries and the secret seems to be to put berries in crust or cake dough when they are 3/4 frozen. Can slice them at that stage too. (Confession… can’t control myself in a strawberry patch)
do you mean 10 minutes at 350 and then another 50 to 60 minutes at 325? or do you mean total 50 or 60 minutes?
An additional 50 to 60 minutes. Hope it’s a hit.
I had this today. It was THE BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE. I AM 42 and obsessed with dessert. MAKE IT.
This cake is sooooo good! thank you so much for it. I really want to try these with other fruits to see how it turns out!
This was delicious, and will be my summer cake! I added half a stalk of rhubarb :) next time I’ll try it with strawberries and blueberries. Thank you!!
I made this as written with some farmer’s market strawberries that were merely OK – it came out great, and with a really intense berry flavor that was missing in the raw berries. Great summer recipe!
I would love to make this cake but wonder if I could swap it out with almond flour? If so, how would be the ratio?
I was having the exact same thought! Did you ever try making it with some almond flour? I’ve made the recipe before, as is, but reading it again, thought that mixing in some almond flour would likely be delicious.
I’m eager to know, too! Anyone?
Has anyone made a dairy-free version of this cake? I love, love this cake—it is summer to me!—but I’m currently restricted from dairy.
Here are responses from people who have made this recipe with almond flour:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739463
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739541
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739544
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739732
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-935242
i made this cake and loved it, but the batter was very thick (not quite like coolie dough but close), and the cake ended up very dense and a little dry, almost like cornbread. it was still quite delicious! and the jammy strawberries were perfect. but what happened?
I’ve gotten into the habit of making this every Sunday to use up whatever fruit is on its last legs, and this week I swapped out 50g of the flour for almond meal and added 1/2 t. almond extract and 1/4 t. nutmeg. I think it was the best one yet, and it’s held up well over the last two days.
Can I switch out the strawberries for blueberries?
Here are comments from people who have done this:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739213
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739404
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739443
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739494
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739525
Sounds delicious! Will make this weekend. And may make another swapping the barley flour for almond flour.
hello; I am wondering if you have some ideas about how to make this gluten free. Thank you!
Here are a bunch of comments from people who made this gluten-free who explain what they used/how they did it:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739338
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739488
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739511
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739769
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739779
Would whole wheat work in place of the barley flour?
Absolutely.
Could you use another fruit like blueberries or raspberries?
Made this cake last week, loved it so much I’m making it again on a whim today. Really the perfect light and lovely summery cake. Made it with the reduced sugar and liked it very much — probably would be too sweet with the full cup.
I made this cake yesterday with beautiful sweet strawberries. I don’t like cakes that are too sweet so I only used about 100g sugar which is perfect for my taste. Sadly, the berries all sunk to the bottom of the pan (I used a 9″ springform pan). It’s still a very tasty cake, but I think it’d be a lot better if they had stayed at the top. The dough did have a good consistency. What did I do wrong? I wasn’t too careful measuring the baking powder, could that be it? I’d love to try again and get it right next time.
I had exactly the same issue when I made this last night. We don’t get all purpose flour in the UK, so I used self raising and wondered if it was maybe that?
The thing is, this style of cake — a buckle — is supposed to encourage the berries to sink. The cake rises up over the fruit and “buckles” it in. Mine doesn’t usually go clear to the bottom, but a piece or two might. So, I’m not sure if anything went wrong. I’m sorry I cannot be more helpful.
Oh good, it wasn’t me having done something daft then!
I know this comment is from years ago but for any other UK based home cooks, use plain flour in place of ‘all-purpose’ as self-raising has additional raising agents (obvs) so you’ll be getting more ‘pouffe’ than the recipe planned for. Can testify, having moved across the pond, that this is very confusing!
I came to ask this question too. Mine sank completely both times I’ve tried this cake. It’s very good but it doesn’t look like the photo.
The thing is, this style of cake — a buckle — is supposed to encourage the berries to sink, so it’s not a bad thing. The cake rises up over the fruit and “buckles” it in. Mine doesn’t usually go clear to the bottom, but I tend to use smaller berries, but a few pieces always do.
My best friends from college are coming over and guess what I’m baking? Also guess what she was planning to bake too? That’s right, strawberry cake. Mmm
Oh my! I was looking for something to make with the small, not all that amazing strawberries picked this weekend–weather has not been good for berries this spring in MO. Saw this recipes, as well as the original Martha Stewart version, and one that used fewer strawberries. DO NOT USE FEWER STRAWBERRIES! We used a scant pound, and it was wonderful; a few more would have been even more fabulous. It was so good, two of us had to resist eating the whole thing in one sitting. Follow the recipe and you too will be tempted to eat the whole thing!
Made this today using half AP flour, half sifted spelt flour, and it is delicious.Just as good as promised, especially the crispy-chewy-caramelized edges. Re-reading recipe, I realize I only used 1/4 cup milk rather than 1/2 cup, and it still came out fine. Also my berries weren’t the nicest, but they still turned into puddles of jammy goodness.
Since it’s spring and I had rhubarb, I did 50/50 rhubarb and strawberry. I wanted to do almond flour, but it was out of date so I did 1/2 cup of fine cornmeal reducing flour to 1 cup. I only had 1/2 cup of milk so added half and half to make it 1 cup or so. I sprinkled the fruit with 1 tbsp of sugar and then sprinkled another tablespoon on top. I sprinkled rosewater on top as well, probably a tablespoon. It took 70 minutes to cook. Delicious!! I just can’t leave a recipe alone- ha!
I want to do a 50/50 rhubarb this morning! So only a little extra sugar was good for the rhubarb?
Hello-
I don’t think I did any extra sugar, I used a bit less than 1 cup in the cake, tossed the strawberries and rhubarb with 1 tablespoon of sugar and then scattered an additional 1 tbsp on top- tasted great :). PS- added nutmeg to the cake and also used a bit of rosewater on top of the cake as well. Good luck!
I saw “short on steps” and jumped ahead missing the “long on bake time.” Oh well, what we missed out on for dessert for Memorial Day, we had as a lovely breakfast the next morning! No complaining from the children in my household, especially since Mom was feeling generous and still made the fresh whipped cream to dollop on top. This cake was amazing! (And the Jacked Up Banana Bread already sitting out on my counter made a very nice substitute dessert that pleased everyone.) Thank you, Deb!
I live in the Los Angeles area and we are fortunate to have Harry’s Berries at our Farmer’s Market. They are fabulous but very expensive ($23 for 3 baskets) so you don’t want to risk throwing any out. In order to keep them fresh you can line a flat Tupperware container with a paper towel, place the strawberries in one layer, cover with another paper towel, cover with lid and place in fridge. The strawberries will last over a week in this manner. You will have the ability to make anyone of your amazing strawberry recipes.
Harry’s Berries are awesome; quality comes at a price but well worth it. Their farm is practically historic and they’re very conscientious. The Tupperware storage method works really well, especially for fragile raspberries.
Saw your newsletter post and just had to say – we wait for strawberries every year just so we can have this cake. In Arizona we see strawberries earlier than you do and it is now my daughter’s birthday (April 2) request. Can’t believe we have been making this cake for six years! Thanks, Deb.
Tried this the evening I saw the recipe and I’m FLOORED. This cake is incredible! So easy to make (I used a 9″ cake pan) and the flavor was perfection. I made two at the same time, which increased my baking time to a total of about 1:15. Super moist, I found it to be the right sweetness (my berries were a little bit tart still), and an easy crowd favorite. I brought one to work and it was completely demolished. The other is at home getting demolished by my fiance. haha! Thanks Deb, for another incredible recipe!
I bought fresh strawberries at the greenmarket yesterday and they’ve already turned mushy. Does it matter?
Nope! This cake is perfect for such things.
This might be my favorite cake. It’s such a quick, easy recipe and always a crowd-pleaser. I like it with closer to 3/4 cup sugar in the batter and use about 1 tbsp on top. I’ve made it with both skim and almond milk and either works great. It’s especially delicious warm with vanilla ice cream. Make this, you won’t regret it!
I have two 7 inch spring form pans, will this work? I’m trying to take something to neighbor’s who are moving, I don’t want them to have to worry about my cake pan.
I think it would. Will be a little thinner, not necessarily the end of the world.
Thanks Deb, I doubled the recipe and used one 7 inch springform and an eight square pan, lined with parchment. I could only fit about 1 1/2 lbs of berries, but they both turned out great.
Does this cake freeze well?
I haven’t frozen it, but expect that it would.
Made it 2x last weekend and will make it once more tomorrow! It’s easy, tasty, and lovely to present. And, it doesn’t hurt that the strawberries this year are amazing!
FWIW, I made this cake dairy-free for kosher purposes – margarine instead of butter and soy milk instead of milk – was still moist, delicious and devoured within 24 hours!
The English strawberries are here and I used them in this recipe. The cake was so moist, delicious and easy to make. I cooked it in a 9inch square loose bottom pan and it turned out perfectly. This has now become number one favourite cake in our house. I wanted to take a piece to a friend and my husband wouldn’t allow me to take it to her. He wanted the cake to stay right here! That’s when you can tell the cake is a winner
This is our go-to cake. I’ve probably made it two or three dozen times or more. Yesterday I tried it with blackberries and we think it was possibly the best yet. Didn’t cut them in half and they were beautifully jammy nonetheless. I always use the 50 percent barley flour version ( or toasted oat flour from Anson Mills) and over time have upped the amount of butter to 8 ounces. It has a wonderfully dense and flavorful crumb. Can be put together in minutes and is always delectable.
Unfortunately we thought this was too dry. It was worth the try – it looks so good! I cut the sugar to 3/4 cup and used buttermilk.
Try it again on day two. It often takes a day to hit its full potential. Also, the sugar might have been a problem — sugar contributes to moisture in cakes, so when it is reduced (understandable for tastes, but not good for final crumb), cakes always end up more dry.
Never knew that about the sugar, Deb, thanks. Planning on a nice treat for elevenses tomorrow!
WOW made this last night and we could barely keep from plowing through the entire thing in one night – and there were only 3 of us! I used less sugar and didn’t do the confectioner’s on top, we used freshly made whipped cream instead. Already dreaming of the next one!
I made this cake for family yesterday and it was a huge hit. HOWEVER, I had a huge problem with the baking time. At the 50 minute and 60 minute mark, the center of the cake was still batter. (I was baking it in a 9″ springform.) I thought maybe my oven was off, but the separate thermometer in there said it was 325. I ended up having to bake it for about another half hour. In the end, the cake did solidify, but the top remained sticky, not that sort of crispy top I expected.
I did make one change, in that I used half and half instead of milk, because I didn’t have milk in the house. Could that have changed it so much?
As I said, everyone still loved it, especially the balance of tart and sweet, and I will be making this again (with milk!!)
I just made this yesterday as well, and for whatever reason it took mine a lot longer – after an extra 20-25 minutes I got frustrated and raised it back to 350 and it was done in another 10 minutes or so. Not sure it’s the half and half either – I used 2% milk in mine. I’ve made it before, though not in a while, and I don’t remember it taking that much extra time. This is the first time using half barley flour, though. It also isn’t my oven; I have a thermometer hanging in there and it is always at or above the set temp (it hangs on the bottom rack). In the end it was great thankfully. In my case I’m wondering if it’s because I had two baking and not one.
I made this over the weekend and didn’t read carefully enough, so I just baked it for 50 minutes at 350, rather than lowering the temperature. I was worried I’d ruined it, or at least made it kind of dry, but it was perfect. I’ll probably just do it this way from now on instead, since it’s easier to keep track of. I wonder if giving that a try would help with the raw middle for you.
You are right about leftovers. We ate about half the cake the first evening. I was thinking it would be perfect for breakfast the next day. Someone had other ideas. When I got up it was gone! This one is a keeper. I’ve made it 3 times in 2 weeks!
Thanks, Deb, I like your recipes.
I only have a 9.5 inch Pyrex pie pan (scalloped with little edge handles but I don’t know if this qualifies as “deep dish”) and an 8×8 square cake pan. Can I use one of these, or will I have an overflow problem? Does anyone with more baking experience have any insight? Thanks!
I took very detailed and long overdue measurements the last time I made this (refresh coming within the week with more notes). The pie pan I use holds 8 cups water exactly before hitting the lower edge of the fluted rim and spilling. It’s 9.5″ across top at the widest, not including rim, and about 1.75/2-inches deep. I hope that helps you pick the right pan.
FWIW, I think that with this cake a slightly larger pan is always better than a smaller pan in bottom area because as the cake gets smaller, it’s harder to put all the berries on top and I always regret every single berry I cannot fit. Slightly thinner with a surface area easily covered by berries is never a bad thing.
Brought this to a housewarming party tonight as a gift and it was a total hit! Easy recipe that makes me looking like a baking genius- great recipe as always.
I made this cake tonight and while it’s delicious, it rose ENORMOUSLY. I used a 10in casserole round pyrex dish, so I’m not sure if it just had the room to do it, but it is quite puffy, which means the ratio of strawberry to cake is a little off. Any suggestions as to what I might do differently next time?
You may well be right about just leaving it on 350 the whole time. I wonder why people have such different experiences making this.
Mine is in the oven right now! The other one is cooling! I made two back to back – such an amazing and simple recipe. One to take to a BBQ tonight and the other for a dinner party at our house tomorrow, I used the half barley half white mix, I think that’s what make this so special. Well, that and the sugar drizzled over the strawberries which results in a delicious sticky berry topping. Yum! Serving it with ever so slightly sweetened whip cream, and some fresh lemon curd. The tartness is divine. It’s a go to recipe every summer and guests rave about it. Another Smitten Kitchen winner 💕👍🏻😃
Mmm lemon curd sounds delicious with this! Thank you for sharing :)
Made this yesterday for friends who came over for coffee and cake. It was delicious. I followd the advice of some of the other commenters, and only used 150 g of sugar. I also scattered some lime zest and just a hit of lime juice over the strawberries. It was still on the sweet side – but so yummy! The dough is to die for, so soft and moist, and not dull at all, like sometimes these kind of doughs are. Going to try it with redcurrants on Friday, since they’re in season now here in Vienna. Can’t wait!
Saw the version of this recipe in your instagram stories that was more of a sheet cake size- 9×13″? How did you adapt the recipe for that size and what would you saw the yield turned out to be? Trying to scale this up a bit for my son’s 2nd birthday.
I doubled it. Actually, I 1 5/6-ed because I was playing around with proportions but doubling is fine. The essential bit is to everything in your power to get all 2 pounds of strawberries on. Do not skimp or it always tastes like it could use a couple more. Slight overlapping is fine.
this cake is the best! i made it with 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, the rest white flour, and 1/2 cup brown sugar and the rest white sugar and did it as cupcakes and omg it’s delicious! i think i will cut down the sugar next time too but it’s so good!
I have made this cake twice now. Everyone loved it so much that I keep getting less than subtle nudges to make it again…!
This has been my go-to dessert for picnics and BBQs for several weeks now. In Deb’s tradition, I have made the regular size and a mini size using a cupcake pan. For cupcakes, I got a dozen using a scant ice cream scoop per shortcake and use whipped cream (beat as stiff as I can get it) for topping to try and make it a little easier for handling. To that end, I have also used cupcake liners. Even with these little helpers in place, anyone who dawdles, will be in a race against this dessert. Last note: I think others have mentioned, don’t skimp on the amount of strawberries.
Ok, I finally made this after flirting with the recipe for weeks. IT IS AMAZING. I used a Pyrex 9.5 inch pie plate/pan and put a tray underneath in an abundance of caution, but there was no overflow. The cake is crispy yet chewy; the strawberries roasty little puddles of jam. This recipe makes me wish strawberry season lasted longer. My wife and I have already eaten half of it. Lasts for two days? HA. As if.
I made this with fresh peaches and it was delicious! I also used 1/2 cup of fine cornmeal in place of 1/2 a cup of the flour.
I made this GF (used KA GF Flour instead of AP Flour) and it was delicious! Add a few minutes to the baking time, and it’s perfect!
I made this tonight, and it was delicious! Might be my new go-to cake recipe; I’m going to try it again with blackberries later this week. I scaled this down to fit a 6″ cake pan and thought others might appreciate having the scaled down ingredients list:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt (heaping)
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 egg white
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract (a little less than 1/2)
1 cup (150 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved
I lowered the temperature by 25º in each stage and kept the baking time around the same, checking regularly.
I love this cake. I’ve made it a few times.
Could you double the recipe and bake in a 11.5 x 2 glass pan?
It should work, will be a little thicker.
I’m eager to make this with locally grown Maine strawberries, but I don’t have a kitchen scale. Do you have a volume measurement for the strawberries? Apologies if this is answered somewhere. I skimmed both the questions and the comments and didn’t see it.
I don’t mostly because it’s going to vary so much by how big they are. Here’s the trick: cover ever speck of the top tightly with halved strawberries. Nudge them in if you must. That’s what 1 full pound looks like on a 9.5-inch diameter cake pan.
Could you make this into cupcakes using a muffin pan ? My daughter just loves this cake. Thinking I could
Freeze portions as muffin / cupcakes if that would work
I have made this several times this summer and it is a major hit every time. Also very forgiving. After the first time I double it and use 2 deep 9in pie dishes. I used @ half almond flour yesterday and it flew off the dessert table after immediate word of mouth. I definitely use a full pound of strawberries each cake. I have ordered the barley flour and will try that next. Thanks Deb …. again!
Deb, I love this cake. It’s become an absolute favorite for when I want something simple but impressive for serving guests. Earlier this summer, I saw you make a sheet cake size version of this on Instragram, and I was wondering what size pan you used and how you did it – just doubling the recipe? Or something else? I’m thinking that a big sheet of this would be a lovely dessert for a bridal shower coming up soon.
I used a 9×13 pan and doubled the fruit (it’s tight but just jam it in) with like a 1 5/6 of the cake recipe. I haven’t put it side-by-side with a full recipe so I cannot be certain the proportions work better, but I have in the past doubled it fully and found it too cake-y. However, I also hadn’t succeeded in fitting 2# of berries on top and that might have been the problem.
This cake is my favorite use of strawberries! I’ve been making it for something like 5 years now? and it’s the best use of almost rotten strawberries in the world. I prefer this to strawberry shortcake because I love the cooked down texture of these strawberries better.
This is the first year I made my own homemade whipped cream to go with it, and it’s sooooo good. [you can store the whipped cream in a mason jar in the fridge! just put plastic wrap over the opening and then spoon out as needed.]
Even my husband who is not huge on sweets or cakes at all went back for seconds on it.
This recipe is SO simple but so amazing. Definitely go to summer cake recipe. and I bet it would be amazing with all sorts of other berries too!
Simple, minimalist, and tasty! I needed a quick contribution to a dinner at the in-law’s and this was no-stress enough to throw together last minute and pretty enough to bring to a party.
Thank you!
I know the big joy is the fresh in season berries, but how do you think it would work with frozen?
I absolutely loved this cake and can’t wait to make it again! My strawberries didn’t get gooey or runny like in yours and I want them to! Any tips ?
I made this favorite for a millionth time tonight, and saints, no leftovers. A bit of a recipe change, tho.
I have buttermilk, which seems to be in two quart quantity in my grocers. Buttermilk for broccoli slaw. Buttermilk to marinate chickens for roasting.
I used buttermilk instead of milk. I love dense creepiness of original, but buttermilk could ntributed a lightness
Deb, do you think this would work with cranberries, a la “Nantucket Pie?”
A made this…at least a hundred times now. With strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. With fresh sliced peaches, (peaches and blackberry together are my favorite), sliced plums (meh), and even halved, pitted, fresh cherries (the skins are too sturdy, they don’t get that lovely crystallization from the sprinkled sugar). My best friend asks for this every July for her birthday cake, lol. It’s so quick to put together, and so utterly delicious. THANK YOU.
This is one of my favorite recipes of yours, and likely the first thing I ever baked for my husband before we started dating. It never fails me and is a true family tradition now. Lower amount of sugar works for us, as does reducing the salt slightly and using salted butter, as it’s what I always have on hand. Thanks Deb!
My mom has a strawberry dance too!!
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. So glad you featured it in your weekly newsletter, Deb! Strawberry season is almost upon us in NW New Jersey and I can’t wait to make this again!
Happy Memorial Day Deb! Can I substitute buttermilk for the milk? What would the effect be? I will be using half barley flour as recipe suggests. I want to make this today!! Thanks so much!
It should be fine here.
I made this cake last night. Big hit at a dinner party. It was plenty sweet with 7/8 cup of sugar in the cake batter. I kind of gave up on smooshing all the cut strawberries into the surface of the batter, and left out maybe six slices of berries. Should have jammed them all in, though, and I will next time. And there will be a next time, soon.
Also for extra jamminess I made a bit of strawberry compote and brushed it lightly on the berries when the cake was cool.
Has anyone tried this at high elevation? What adjustments did you make, if any!
Anyond make any adjustments for high altitude? Thanks!
I haven’t baked at high altitude before but King Arthur has a helpful guide.
I have made this cake many times from the Martha post years ago. I always add orange zest to the batter. It is one of my favorite summer cakes. Thanks for sharing. Everyone should make it now that strawberries are in season.
Hi Deb – wondering if you think this would work with half almond flour and all purpose or even with all almond flour for gluten free.
I haven’t made it with almond flour but several people have commented here about it, here are just 5:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739463
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739541
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739544
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739732
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739743
Made this today with less than perfect berries that arrived in CSA. Followed the recipe to the letter, which I rarely do. It is perfection. Didn’t even need the recommended whipped cream, although I suspect such addition wouldn’t ruin things.
This looks amazing. I’m wondering if I can bake two and make this into a two layer cake with some sort of “filling” and a semi-frosted naked exterior. If so, (a) what “filling” would you recommend using to complement the two layers, and (b) do you recommend simple syrup in between the layers (or will this make it way too sweet) to keep the cake moist? Thanks!
It’s not really ‘cake’ in that fashion. I’d try making and serving as is first, so you can see. I always just serve it with fresh whipped cream, sweetened with just a bit of honey.
I have played with this a few times and never gotten it quite right but I do think you could make a whipped cream-filled two-layer cake with this easily. I don’t think this cake requires simple syrup, especially if being served (which is best to) on the second day, after the strawberry juices have time to sit with the cake.
Wow – we were planning to make the Rhubarb Snacking Cake, but alas no rhubarb to be had, so got strawberries – and I was going to make that cake with strawberries, but the comments there kept saying how good this was, and I had all the ingredients in house, so glad! It was great, and even forgave me for messing up on turning the oven down.
I was a little confused about the texture when beating the butter and sugar, didn’t seem as fluffy as I expected, but it worked great.
Thanks again Deb and Team!
Hi, I made this lovely cake today. I found it to be on the dry side, and I don’t think it needed an additional 50 minutes, added to the 10 minute start. I will make it again, maybe add a little more milk, and only bake it for 40 minutes, and see how that works out.
You should come back to it tomorrow; it’s so much better on the second day when the juices have a chance to settle in.
Just added strawberries to my grocery list! Thanks… I just moved from Kentucky to Colorado and have not tried baking at high altitude yet. Here we go!
OK, I have made this twice now and both time my strawberries sunk straight to the bottom making a somewhat squicky layer of light pink cooked strawberry that looks NOTHING like your picture and NOT like a buckle–matter of fact a slice looks kinda like a jam sponge. After the first time, I scoured the web for advice and found a tip to cut the berries smaller if they were great big (which both times they were). The same darn thing happened, and I think the fact they were cut exacerbated the problem. Used weights rather than cups and my dough was lovely and thick (I was sure it was going to work). I did use British flour and sugar, but I’m not sure why either of those things would matter for this dough. I used the absolute correct amount of very nice sweet strawberries, as well. My pan is a ten-inch deep-dish pie plate and looks much like the one in the picture. Does anyone have any suggestions, ideas?
I think I’ve seen bakers on GBBO mix their fresh fruit in a light dusting of flour to keep it from sinking. Has anyone else tried that with this recipe?
So, two things: I don’t find that it makes any difference in sinking. Fruits sink in cakes because the batter is thinner. Thicker batters suspend fruits well. But the second part is that this cake is a buckle-style cake: the fruit is supposed to fall into the cake a bit.
I made this cake yesterday and EVERYONE LOVED it!!!!
It was super easy to make and so delicious!! We ate it room temp, but I imagine it would be great warm. Also thinking of other fruit to use! Also could be topped with Vanilla ice cream, but whipped cream was awesome!
Made it yesterday. Served it room temp with lightly whipped cream. Looked fabulous, tasted even better. A keeper!
I made this over this past weekend for a crowd (before I saw that Deb actually did “double” the recipe once). I truly doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9 x 13 glass Pyrex pan. It was very good, and I do want to try the original recipe the way Deb made it as written here. In response to the person who thought it was too dry and Deb responded to let it sit a day, I concur. I really did not need to double the recipe, the original would’ve been fine, so I had leftovers which were much more moist the next day. The office loved the leftovers! I am wondering though if I should try to make this with fresh strawberries that I have frozen in a single layer and put in a Ziploc bag; has anyone done that & did it result in too much extra moisture?
I’ve made this several times (even commented about serving with coconut whipped cream & lemon curd to impress my clients), but I’m dying to know what results the slight differences between this recipe and the SK buttermilk raspberry cake recipe yield. Anyone have any experience? I kinda wanna do a side by side. If I do, I’ll be sure to report back. When I make this recipe, I always use buttermilk of some kind – either actual buttermilk or buttermilk powder or sour/soured milk.
The buttermilk cake is more of a straight yellow layer cake with berries on top. This is a bit more biscuity/firm, which is why it handles the avalanche of heavy strawberries so well — and it wouldn’t be great without them; the raspberry buttermilk would probably be fine, if I my memory serves correctly.
Wow, I made this last night for a family dinner. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Everyone agreed (even my chocolate lovers) that it was delicious. A perfect summer cake. I used a 9.5″ pie plate and it fit perfectly.
Delicious! My husband loves a good strawberry shortcake for his birthday cake. This year with travel and work commitments this was a time saving ‘strawberry shortcut” cake. Served with whipped cream…he didn’t feel cheated and I didn’t feel guilty! A winner….
This is such a lovely summer cake! It really is nearly better on the second day. I made it with buttermilk (if you do this, be sure to use an extra couple tablespoons, since buttermilk is thicker than milk, you need a bit more liquid to avoid a drier cake) and the zest of a lemon added into the sugar+butter. I used about 350 g of sugar for a double recipe, and the sweetness was perfect for me.
I doubled the recipe and made two different sizes, one in a deep 10-inch cast iron, and a smaller one in a 9-inch ceramic tart pan. They both came out with a lovely cake texture; I wasn’t aiming for the more biscuity character of this cake from when I made it the first time.
IMG_0052.JPG
Not sure if you’ll get the photo, but letting you know this is the SECOND time this week I’ve made this. I live in Oregon, and the Hood berries are in full swing. It’s a winner. Used part barley flour as you suggested. Yumm,yumm,yumm (with vanilla ice cream,and warm cake from the oven) thanks Deb!
Have both your cookbooks and have made many things from each. I love reading about your adorable family and the trials that go with how you manage what you do along with being a great mom and wife (of course I have no proof of what kind of wife you are, but I can guess based on how you mother, so I suspect you have a great partner and you are an amazing wife!) Don’t stop what you are doing, unless of course, one if the kids get sick :) you are more real than any blogger or cook/chef/baker I’ve ever followed!
Delicious and oh so easy to make. Strawberries are just starting in our area and this cake was a perfect way to start enjoying them. Made the cake for dessert for a dinner for my husband’s cousins who all grew up in our area and were back for a visit. Served with whipped cream made from cream straight from a local farm
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes, absolutely.
Thank you Deb for another easy and delicious recipe!! It turned out so delicious. Added a little lemon zest for fun. Only issue was it stuck to the pan a bit; maybe I didn’t butter it well enough? Might try parchment paper next time (and there is sure to be a next time!!) :-)
Do you think it’d work to sub in ricotta for part of the milk? TIA!
You can, but it’s a bit more dry/thick. It’s not necessary here, but if you do, I might use 1 extra T of milk.
I love this recipe and I have made this cake 3x now. This time I added Meyer lemon zest and swapped out the vanilla extract for almond and it was divine, but honestly you can’t go wrong with the original version either. :) I used 150 g of sugar and sprinkled turbinado sugar on top for an extra crunch. Thanks Deb for a great way to capture the tast of summer in a cake! Xx
Just made this last night, years late to the incredibleness of Strawberry Cake, and WOW it was amazing. After having nice civilized slices on a plate, hot out of the oven with a little homemade vanilla ice cream, my daughter and I then proceeded to eat many many more bites directly out of the pan! So good, will definitely be a new summer staple in our house.
Made this last night. While it is delicious, mine took FOREVER to bake (80 minutes or so). However, I could have misjudged and thus overbaked by about 10 minutes. Also, my strawberries did not “sink” at all, and all remain on top, which looks odd, and leaves all the “jam” only on the surface. Nonetheless, delicious!
I used a 9″ Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum cake pan. Anyone else notice slower browning/longer baking in these pans? I may need to bake a standard 1234 cake layer in it to properly judge. Seems much slower than my 8″ USA Pans (silver non-stick coated), but I only have this cake to go by.
The high end of the baking time range is 70 minutes, so 80 might not be that crazy, especially if you think you could be over by about 10. Sometimes my strawberries sink, other times, they only do a little (as shown ere). In a 9-inch pan, it must have been thicker than shown here, yes?
Yes, it was a bit thicker than shown here, but not much thicker than a typical cake.
I’m wondering if mixing half the berries into the batter, and arranging the rest on top wouldn’t help sink some? Or, reserving 1/5 of the batter to place dollops on top of the arranged berries. I may try one of these approaches next time.
Thank you for the reply!
Were you able to fit all pound of berries on top? I suspect with a 9″, you wouldn’t be able to, yes?
Correct, I wasn’t quite able to fit all on top (I snacked on those ones, haha). Nonetheless- it was completely covered. I can’t believe none sank! If I get another shot before strawberries are done for the year, I will try the half folded into batter/half on top approach. This would guarantee I can use all berries, and that some will “sink”.
10/10 would recommend this with some home made whipped cream on the side. I made this last night at altitude. Great recipe! The dough passed the first taste-test and with a generous 1.5 cups (probably closer to 1.6c), I did 1 cup whole wheat and 0.5 cup white flour. I was a little more reckless with the slicing of strawberries but did make sure to not over load the top so the dough still rose around them. Thank you for the recipe!
Good recipe! Like others, I used 3/4C of sugar and found the sweetness to be perfect. The strawberries were delicious but mine did not become as jammy as I’d hoped. Next time, I’ll try with peaches.
Terrific! Everything we have tried of Smitten Kitchen’s recipes has been adored.
The Summer Strawberry cake: we’re at 5280 ft, tried recipe verbatim to start (used the 7/8 c. sugar advised). Baked 25 minutes longer than suggested. Delish! Texture/taste — great contrasts in every bite/slice. Texture of cake was somewhere between clafouti and shortbread.
Did a quarter of the cake with apple vs.strawberry. Strawberry wins.
Eager to make again! Will adjust for altitude (slightly less on the sugar and bkg pwd, slightly more on the liquid and upping temps 25F)
Made the adjustments for high altitude. Awesome! Not sure which I like better, however. May have to do a side-by-side. ;-) Thanks, Deb!
As to accompaniments, I prefer the whipped cream vs. vanilla ice cream, which allows the flavors of the fruit to shine. And, blueberries are great for visual and flavor, but the strawberry is the star. So far.
I made this for the first meal cooked in a new house. New ovens, new mixer, new kitchen arrangement, lots still in boxes. It was wonderful. The roasted veggies would have been better if I hadn’t turned off the bottom oven when I meant to turn off the top oven and then didn’t notice for . . . I have no idea how long; but the cake was fabulous.
Just made this and it was delicious, but i think the Raspberry Buttermilk cake is way better ;)
I made this cake this past week (I’ve been making it for years now) for a 9 mo. pregnant woman with 3 girls under 5. She called it stupid good so I sent her home with the leftovers. I hear she fell asleep back home with the rest of the cake on her belly. That’s a good cake…
As an aside, this is a good way to use up strawberries that are starting to turn; they just get jammier in the cake. .
I just made this cake with a duo of fresh peaches and plums, peeled and sliced. Not only is it stunningly beautiful, it tastes like summery heaven! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I made this yesterday using a 9 inch spring form pan. I was a bit concerned that the batter was too thick but it came out perfectly. It looked just like Deb’s picture, which I consider a success. We didn’t use whipped cream; I guess if we had some vanilla ice cream that would have been lovely. I’m looking forward to a piece for breakfast with some iced coffee. Yes, I reduced the sugar to 3/4 of a cup which was plenty sweet.
I make this every strawberry season and despite the 33 degree weather and a townhouse lacking a/c….I decided today was the day. Hot kitchen very much worth it.
Making this for the second time. It is a very yummy, simple cake. I’m wondering if it would work with frozen berries or maybe sliced apples in the fall & winter.
Absolutely and also in this category is the very famous purple plum torte; you could use that instead.
Made this tonight with strawberries and blueberries, in an 8 inch square cake pan as I can’t find my pie plate at the moment. I took it out after 75 minutes, worried that the strawberries were getting dark. We shall see!
It was amazing – the strawberries and blueberries were jammy and perfect; the cake was biscuity but tender and sweet. The bottom and sides got a bit darker than my taste, but it didn’t impact the actual taste, if you know what I mean. I think it took longer to bake because the cake was thicker, using an 8 inch square pan, than when I made it before in a 9.5 inch Pyrex pie plate. I think I actually preferred it in the cake pan. I served it with whipped cream sweetened only with a smidge of vanilla. Such a great recipe for berry season.
You have no idea how happy it makes my heart that you provide gram/mil measurements, saves SOOOOO much work for my math deficient brain
I followed this recipe to a T and it’s remarkable how exactly it came out as you described. The strawberries were sweet and jammy – and the cake part was a tad too sweet. Frankly, I just poured a shot of whiskey over the cooled cake to temper the sweetness – but maybe next time a lemon curd dressing? Unfortunately, I ate half of it myself shortly after it came out of the oven- just standing in front of the cake with a fork. Whoops! But it was a great hit with my roommates too.
I made the cake today and it didn’t cook properly. It’s edible; buut I would like to know what may have caused it to not fully cook?
This is in response to Wendy who just wrote that the cake didn’t cook properly. I found (the hard way) that my oven was under heating by 25 degrees. Just a suggestion that maybe she needs to test and see if that could be the problem. Oven thermometers aren’t that expensive and by knowing my oven was off, I just heat an extra 25 degrees; it certainly helped save many meals.
Hi Deb,
I’ve made this strawberry cake twice–it was that delicious and easy, and been a hit every time! Wondering if it would work just as well with raspberries (now that they’re plentiful). Thanks for this lovely summer cake recipe. I
My husband and I LOVE this cake. I made it with apricots quartered instead of strawberries. I used all-purpose flour because that’s what I had on hand. The cake was not too sweet. Nice texture and the apricots were gooey/jam-like. Delicious!
This cake turns out exactly as pictured and tasted great. I scaled back the sugar (in the cake) by 25 grams and it was still too sweet for my taste- will use even less next time. Might mix in some demerara sugar in the topping for extra crunch, too.
My family has a traditional strawberry cake used for spring late spring birthdays and summer family parties. This one may have just supplanted it. I have made it twice in a 9″ Pyrex deep dish pie pan, and it was so full both times that I put a pan under it just in case it cooked over. So far, it hasn’t; but I plan on continuing to be careful.
Followed all of the recipe, and mine is dark brown and can’t see the pretty berries. Drat!
Hi all!
Just made this but with a few swaps: used 1/2 strawberries, 1/2 raspberries. I also used 3/4 flour and 3/4 sprouted wheat flour. I cut the sugar in half and used baking stevia powder for the remainder. I topped it off with a mix of cinnamon and raw sugar. Beautiful presentation! Thank you.
I want to make this! Has anyone tried mixing dark chocolate chips into the batter? Trying to modify this to be a birthday cake for my chocolate-loving husband. Any advice around the incorporation of chocolate would be so helpful and appreciated!
It may be controversial, but, perhaps not everything is improved by chocolate!
If you disagree, maybe cocoa replacing some flour?
Let us know!
Abby
I don’t think chocolate would improve this particular recipe. Why not look for a chocolate cake recipe if he loves chocolate…?
Thank you Deb for another flawless recipe. This one is pretty much foolproof. The batteries in my kitchen scales died, so I had to eyeball the 85g butter – no probs. Then my reading comprehension failed and I dumped the wet ingredients into the dry, instead of gradually adding dry to wet – no probs there either. Also, I only had 250g strawberries – still turned out great.
This is now my favorite cake <3
I made this (way out of season berries) with ginger in the cake as well as candied ginger and used both white and brown sugar. Epic.
Excellent cake. I cut down on the sugar a bit, used only 150 grams of sugar in the cake and 2 tbsps sprinkled on top
I made this into a layer cake for my friend’s birthday. I made two cakes using a 9-inch springform pan. I let the first cool while the other was baking. I used a cream cheese frosting because I thought the whipped cream I usually serve with this cake wouldn’t stand up well when sandwiched between the two cakes. I frosted the top of the first, then flipped the second upside down and put it on top so the top would be flatter. I had enough frosting to frost the middle and top generously, then the sides ended up with a sort of “naked cake” look. Everyone loved it!
Be mindful of dividing one double batch of batter into two cakes because one of mine was definitely bigger and turned out a little drier.
Delicious looking cake.
I make this cake at least once a year every year since this recipe was published. It’s a keeper and crowdpleaser (or sometimes it’s perfect to snack on throughout the weekend). I cut down the sugar to 3/4 cup, and the cake is still plenty sweet and moist.
Cooked at 350 for 20 minutes (miscommunication with sous spouse) and it puffed up beautifully to a crisp crust on top and all the berries hiding underneath, so try not to leave it at 350 longer than the stated time. The batter will rise too fast to keep the berries on top. Used half whole wheat pastry flour and got excellent texture. Would not be afraid to try the variations with almond extract or lemon zest even on the first try. The dough seems pretty forgiving, and whipped cream fixes a lot of goofs.
I just made this again for the nth time…this time for teacher appreciation week and needed more cake then possible for a 10″ pie pan. I went with a 9×13 rectangular cake pan instead and increased the recipe by 1.5. It was the perfect amount and worked out beautifully. Thanks for such an easy, delicious recipe Deb!
This was surprisingly delicious (not that I really had doubts). Went with the lighter amount of sugar for the batter and kept the sugar for the top, as advised, and made it the day before I needed it. It was a big hit for Mother’s Day–so much so that my mom asked that this be a new Mother’s Day tradition. I found that the cake stuck to my springform pan despite generous buttering, so I’d put a parchment round in the pan next time. And we didn’t think it needed any whipped cream or ice cream–it was perfectly sweet without. The strawberries do sink a bit, so I wouldn’t take this to high tea, but if you call it a “Rustic” Strawberry Summer Cake, everyone will go along with the look :).
I’ve made this cake many, many times and it’s always a hit! Just wondering if it could be made in a bundt or savarin pan?
I haven’t because I prefer it shallow — I want the strawberries to be almost half the height of the cake once they sink. But I think it could work.
I’d love to make this gluten free. Do you think I could use gluten free all purpose flour instead of regular?
See my comment here.
Your posted recipes are so reliable that I never hesitate to try one; sometimes even if it has ingredients I’m not fond of.. A totally yummy cake! Quick to put together. Quality of the berries is key to a delicious dessert. Our were fresh from a local stand and red through and through, a sure sign of ripeness. Thanks for another winner!
Summertime! This has been our Memorial Day weekend cake ever since you first shared it. We all thank you! It is so moist & fruity and not too sweet at all. And it’s so pretty it makes my family smile :) We love it!
Would it be possible to make this cake with apples? Maybe pre-cooking the apples or slicing them really thinly since they’re much more dense than berries?
I made this cake as written last year and it is delicious! For anyone else who is looking for advice on doubling it, I also did that, in a 9×13 pan. The cake filled the pan and it took about an hour and 20 minutes to bake. The bottom got browner than I liked, but the cake was still soft and moist and enjoyed by all. Beware a brown bottom, but it worked out fine.
Hi Deb – do you gave any tips for getting the strawberries to stay on the top of the cake? I made this recently and love it but some of the berries sunk below the batter when baking. Thanks for your help.
They’re not supposed to stay on top. The type of cake is a buckle — the fruit going into the cake is what makes it jammy and wonderful.
I first made this for last year for my mother-in-law’s birthday (she loves strawberries) and it was a huge hit. It is so easy to make and the results are fantastic, especially if your strawberries are a little more on the ripe side. I think I will try it soon with blackberries (my favorite berry). Thanks for another winner Deb!!
My cake is baking right now and looks gorgeous. I made this last year and we loved it. Thank you Deb, for always having the best recipes. I turn to you first when I am looking for something new.
This is easily my favorite summertime cake. I’ve made it for so many different events and it is a crowd pleaser every time. I like the cake as-is, and like it even better with 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract, as opposed to 1 tsp vanilla. I look forward to strawberry season because it means I get to eat this cake. Thanks for sharing this classic summer treat!
This came together so fast, this recipe will go into heavy rotation this summer because I now must try with other berries/pluots/peaches, or whatever goes on sale at the store. I used ranier cherries, which wouldn’t have been my first choice, but they were spoiling fast. Pitted, halved, cut side down, in a bundt pan (I don’t have a deep dish pie plate, so I heavily buttered and floured the pan) which took about 55 minutes. It looks so pretty! The crust is amazing, the crumb is fluffy, the taste! And the boyfriend loves it. I did not add the cream or powdered sugar, so it will make an excellent breakfast treat tomorrow if it doesn’t all disappear tonight.
I just made this for father’s day and it was a huge hit! The family even requested that I make it again for our 4th of July party. I was wondering if you have any tips on what the baking time would be for cupcakes. Or, if you think this recipe wouldn’t work for cupcakes that would be good to know too!
Just made this – in a 9 inch spring form pan. So easy!
Looks great and tastes wonderful.
I like the cake so much I may give it a try with raspberries or blueberries.
This cake is really delicious, and I say that as someone who will normally choose raw over cooked strawberries any day. I used farmer’s market strawberries, and also reduced the sugar in the cake batter a bit as suggested and it was still plenty sweet enough for me (and I love sweet things). Heads up the batter will seem curdled before adding dry ingredients but it all comes together in the end. Thanks for the great recipe!
Is the 450 grams of strawberries measured before they are hulled or after??
Wooooowwww! This is making my mouth water…I’m definitely going to have to try this one. I’ve been looking for a good cake with fresh berries for the summer, and I stumbled onto this page. Looking forward to trying this!
I made this twice in two weeks – delicious and a crowd favorite both times! The first time I used tiny strawberries and put them in whole, the second time I cut larger berries in half. I think halving the berries and slightly overlapping them (as the recipe calls for) produced a more jammy consistency and beautiful presentation, but both worked. Oh, and a 9inch round cake pan worked fine-no spillage. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with the world (well, all of your recipes)!
Hi SK,
Can I sub almond milk for regular milk?
Thank you
I made this and cannot stop thinking about it. I can’t wait to make it again! It was sooooo delicious. My family ate the whole thing while it was still warm!
Fellow Deb-fans and readers, I’m here to tell you that in case you haven’t baked a cake in at least five years, and you get interrupted while pulling this together for a family visit, and you mistakenly add the sugar to the dry ingredients, instead of creaming it with the butter, all is not lost! After a few choice words to myself, I mixed the butter with the egg and vanilla and then followed the very-forgiving recipe as directed. It was a huge hit! I can only imagine how good it might be if executed with a bit more precision. Great and easy summer dessert.
Hey! I’ve made this cake upwards of 10 times! It is a family favorite, I get asked to make it any time a dessert is requested. It is also SO EASY! Even if you don’t have a mixer on hand (poorly stocked airbnb kitchen) you can mix it by hand with a wooden spoon, WELL SOFTENED butter and some elbow grease!
It is GREAT with strawberries, peaches, mixed berries, pretty much anything that will break down a bit while baking.
I just made one substitution, sub buttermilk for the milk. The first time I did it as a necessity since I only had buttermilk in the fridge (I know that is insane!), but it was so good that I kept subbing it. Also I only every use AP flour, again for ease.
Delicious! I made this with juicy berries fresh from the farmers market and they did indeed cook down into a jammy delight! I didn’t have the correct pan size and used a medium rectangular baking dish. My electric mixer is wholly inadequate and didn’t cream the butter well, at all! And then, my scattered brain overlooked the milk entirely. What I had was a stiff dough, not a batter, but I spread it into the buttered dish, crowded the berries over the top, set my timer and then turned the heat heat down to 325 after the first ten minutes. I thought I set my timer for the next 50 minutes, but at some point found that it hadn’t actually started to tick down the minutes. So, I guesstimated and started checking every ten minutes at a certain point until the bottom was looking golden and a toothpick came out clean. What I ended up with was a scrumptious cookie-like bottom base with a dense-ish cake-like layer topped by the sweet jammy berries. Wow! Topped with a bit of whipped cream, I ate a small serving after a short period of cooling, and almost couldn’t believe how delicious and beautifully textured this mess was! So, of course, I served myself another piece of strawberry cookie cake, and was delighted! All of this is to say, even if you’re scattered and had a rough day and forgot the milk, failed the butter, improvised a baking dish, screwed up the timing, even with all of that, you may just end up with a treasure! I’ll dare to say it is a forgiving recipe…..or I got lucky! And I sure did need a treasure at the end of that day. Thank you, Deb, for this delicious and forgiving recipe!
Lovely cake. Can it be made with less sugar?
On top, probably a little less. I know some people reduce it more inside and I think a couple tablespoons less will be fine, but any more, it will be more dry. Sugar provides moisture.
Dear Deb, I made this summer cake 4 times over past two weeks (one with apricots, super super good) and i’m really wondering how is it that you checked that this cake can be stored 2 days… locked it in Fort Nox or something?…
We live on a berry farm, so I’m always looking for new berry recipes. Right now, we have a toddler and a newborn, so I’m specifically looking for EASY berry recipes. I was able to throw this cake together in the tiny bit of time that the boys’ naps overlapped… so this one is a winner in my book! I ran out of all-purpose flour (awful, I know), so I subbed 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour. I also had less than a sup of granulated sugar left (can you tell it’s a struggle to make it to the grocery store?!), so I skimped on sugar in the batter and sprinkled brown sugar on top instead. Turned out delicious! Raspberries are just about to be ripe — I can’t wait to try your raspberry buttermilk cake!
This was divine. Thanks, Deb, we loved it!
I made this, with my toddler, to take to a picnic. I made it almost exactly as described, except:
-used half all purpose flour, half whole wheat pastry flour
-I probably was a little under 1 lb of berries
-I used a 10-inch springform pan
I checked the cake at 10 minutes + 45 minutes and it was done. It was not quite the lovely golden brown I wanted on top, though I realized it was probably a bit too low in the oven, but it was browned around the edges and slightly pulling from the pan, plus a thin knife emerged with a crumb (and no wet batter). I wonder if some of the complaints about a dry cake might be due to overbaking?
Anyway, it was delicious and we came back with only three pieces left over, which means next time we need to make the bigger version. I also want to try it with some almond extract another time. Will make again and again. Thanks!
Oh my gosh! This is so simple and good! My friend Stephanie emailed this recipe to me after we picked strawberries together. The first one I made disappeared quickly! Am making a second one now. I put one layer of cake batter,topped it with blueberries and vanilla sugar,then the rest of the cake batter topped with strawberries and more vanilla sugar. It will be kinda 4th of July. Thanks for a great recipe!
I replaced 88 g of flour with cornmeal and used almond milk. The cake was very good, almost like a sweetened cornbread.
Made this last night, super easy and delicious. My husband actually said it was exquisite! Perfect summer cake that is an excellent stand in for Strawberry Shortcake.
Well, this sure turned out AMAZING!! I subbed blueberries and raspberries since that’s what I had (and they’re my faves). Also used all AP flour and about 3/4 c. sugar. So easy. So delightful. I’ll be making it again before berry season is over!
This is a lovely cake! It will become a regular around here for sure. I used peaches and blueberries, added a touch of cinnamon, and used coarse sugar on top. To go with it I made a lightly sweetened custard, to add to the already yummy cake.
Not that strawberry season is over and peaches are plentiful, how would this cake work with peaches instead of strawberries?
Blackberries AND peaches are my favorite…or blackberries OR peaches, lol. I can’t think of any summer fruit I wouldn’t try, and come winter, I may even apple slices with cinnamon and turbinado sugar on top. They wouldn’t go jammy, but it’s better than going without for 9 months. Will make my family and friends happy too.
This cake and your mother’s apple cake were my fathers favorite. I made them frequently during his final days. I shared a piece of this cake with him right before he became unresponsive and died a few hours later. Thank you for giving me these recipes that are now family favorites which also provide wonderful memories.
I never comment – but needed to add to the chorus of how awesome this cake is. Thank you!
I’ve made this cake twice now and it has turned out… okay/edible, but not great. It has such rave reviews, and Deb is such a trusted cooking icon to me, that I really want to troubleshoot this if possible so I can experience the amazing strawberry cake everyone else is enjoying! :) Any suggestions would be appreciated!
1) My batter seems lumpy and never fully gets smooth… Is it possible creaming the butter and sugar could take waaay longer than 3 minutes… Like, 10+ mins?! I haven’t done it this long as after about 4-5 mins it doesn’t really seem to change texture. First time I thought it was unfluffy because my butter was too hard. But the second time butter was definitely properly softened. Still the batter stayed in separate little bits before adding the egg, etc. Baked texture is quite crumbly (aside from the soggy parts).
2) My cake gets fully cooked (knife comes out clean) and well browned, but ends up being soggy on the bottom. Rather than getting jammy, the strawberries seem to almost liquefy/disintegrate.
3) The strawberries almost completely disappear into the batter, and even the ones that are visible look like a faded pinkish colour. It might be the least attractive cake I’ve ever made! :'(
4) I know I’m using sad grocery store strawberries, but even when those are locally sourced and in-season, this cake has NOT been fragrant when cooking, even a little bit. What am I doing wrong?!?!
Please send help!!
1. I’m not sure why it would stay lumpy unless the butter wasn’t softened. It’s not a big deal if the butter isn’t softened, it just means you need to cream and scrape longer until it’s smooth and fluffy.
2. Not sure why it would be soggy, but it’s not exactly a crisp-bottomed cake either. The line between soggy and jammy berries *could* have to do with strawberry quality, but it also might just be interpretation.
3. This happens — it’s a buckle style cake, where the fruit sinks into the batter as it bakes, sometimes just a little, sometimes more.
4. Again, not entirely sure, but I do like using very ripe, peak-season berries here — I’m sure it contributes to the fragrance.
Thanks so much for your response, Deb! (And, welcome back from your adventures across the pond!) Thinking about trying this one more time over the weekend and using the stand mixer this time… :)
I’ve made this several times using my pyrex pie plate, usually with regular flour but it works fine with a gluten-free flour mix too. It’s so easy and quick to make. Everyone loves it and it’s been devoured on the same day. This time I tried it as cupcakes, baking the night before the party. Have to say they were not as good. You can see from Deb’s photos that the cake comes out somewhat irregular looking–just fine in a pie plate, not so great in a cupcake. Day-after texture was also not as delightful. Fresh out of the oven it has a light texture. The cupcakes were dense, and denser the next day.
Hi i love this cake, i bake it every time i get strawberries. Everytime i make this cake, when i add milk the whole mix curdles, even when i make sure everything is at room temperature. I am not sure why that happens?
Also can i use buttermilk instead of milk? Does that help in anyway with the crumb
It may appear curdled but should not actually be. Is it baking up fine?
hi, i am making this for tomorrow’s galentine’s night. there are five of us and i have and 8″ square pan. i also have a 9×13″ glass pan. not sure if i should make the smaller version and if so, will and 8″ work? or should i go for the larger size? would an 8″ feed five comfortably or even work?
8″ should feed 5 people easily
Can I make this with almond milk and a flax egg and vegan butter?
I did this today and it was delicious! I was most unsure of whether the flax egg would work, but it was great. I used half almond milk and half oat milk, Earth Balance sticks and 1 flax egg and would definitely make it again.
Hey ladies .i made the strawberry cake with gluten free flour.bad ideal. Just use all purpose flour and you will be making the best cake .i used blueberries.it is a good recipe little more sugar to my batter and on top before baking
Lots of pantry/freezer cooking and baking right now. Any idea if this will work with frozen strawberries? Love your recipes. Thank you!
Made today with store-bought straweberries. Can’t wait to try with farmer’s market strawberries. Used Oat milk instead of cow’s milk. Will try applesauce for egg next time (vegan in the house). Very yummy with an immediate request for an apple cinnamon version. Thank you
I make this using a Nordic Ware 9″ cake pan 2.4″ deep with great results. I line the bottom with parchment, butter it, cool completely, then turn out onto wax paper, backed by a dish towel so it doesn’t fall hard onto the cooling rack. I then remove the parchment, and turn onto cake stand. It makes a beautiful and amazingly professional presentation.
Hi there— I have a jar of strawberries in syrup. Would it be possible to omit the milk and use strawberry syrup as the liquid instead? I would also cut down on the amount of sugar. And then I was thinking to use some of the syrup strawberries on top alongside fresh strawberries. Trying to use up my ingredients in quarantine!
Not positive because it’s a lot of swaps. But can’t hurt to find out.
I made this cake twice, but both times the strawberries dissapear in the cake. What am I doing wrong?
That’s just the style of the cake — the berries sink in. Sometimes they stay more on top, it has to do with the berries and the depth of the cake, usually.
I baked this with toddler during lockdown and it was amaziiiiing. My son is just in awe he can make amazing cakes.
For some reason my strawberries were eaten by the batter |(maybe not enough strawberrie?) i confess that we did a bit of guessing with measurements, but nevertheless, amazing!
I just can’t love this cake enough. I have made it many times, subbing yogurt or buttermilk when I run out of milk, with many kinds of fruit both frozen and fresh, even canned. I usually decrease the sugar. It goes to dinner parties and camping trips. Thanks for such a simple, adaptable recipe.
Can you make this with cake flour ? All-purpose seems to be a precious commodity these days….
This is even wonderful with out of season strawberries, though I am anxiously awaiting June and the Oregon Hoods.
Deb, two quick questions (I’m sure you’re super busy these days, but thought I’d ask :-)
– Is there any benefit to making this cake a day ahead, like Marian Burroughs’ plum cake?
– Have you tried it with pat flour? Do you think that oat flour would give the same special flavor as barley flour? I can’t find barley flour these days.
Thanks so very much!
Sorry, I meant “oat” (not “pat”) flour!
Yes, absolutely. And oat flour isn’t… the same, it doesn’t have gluten, but I do think it could add some flavor. You want to swap it by weight because it’s very light. You can also use all white flour. I just think there’s a fun opportunity here to play with other flours, too (rye, etc.)
Oh my goodness….finally made this fast & easy cake with some sweet strawberries from the Fruit Stand. This is one of the best treats we have eaten in ages…wolfed it down with a little whipped cream! Made it with buttermilk and added a little cardamom and Deb is right—cram in the sliced strawberries!
Where can I purchase the mixing bowls you used and who makes them?
You can find them here.
Hi! Do you think this would work with earth balance instead of butter? Asking for a (lactose-free) friend. Thanks!
Yes
Thank you!
Hi! I’m so happy to report that even with lactaid, earth balance, post-peak strawberries, and no vanilla (oops, quarantine life), this cake is still impossibly delicious. You are the best.
This was so easy and yummy! Thank you! I am excited to try it with all our summer fruit!
Oh wow. I made this today, since I found beautiful berries at the farmer’s market. Subbed buttermilk for the milk #pandemicpantry and used turbinado sugar for the top sprinkle but otherwise followed as written. It’s super easy, very delicious and has exactly the right amount of strawberries, which is so many that it almost won’t hold together. ❤
I just made this for the first time today, which is odd considering how many of Deb’s recipes I make and how long this has been eyeing me from the blog. I used organic grocery store strawberries as our farmer’s markets aren’t open in IL, and cut them into quarters or even smaller because some were so gargantuan.
I used vanilla yogurt instead of milk, and skipped the vanilla extract. I reduced down to 3/4 cup of sugar in the recipe but still used the top 2 tbspn sprinkled on top.
I baked in the exact same pie pan that Deb does in these photos, but it took 90 minutes in my oven just for the cake to solidify. It looks and smells divine, and I tasted the batter after testing the cake’s doneness- perfect amount of sweetness.
Can a mix of gf flour mix and oat or buckwheat flour work in this recipe? Also can I replace butter with hardened coconut oil?
Thanks!
I love this with blackberries, 1/2 c of cornmeal and lemon peel
I just made this and am taking to my son’s house for a cookout this evening…came out great. My strawberries are a little lopsided.
My go to summer cake! Made it as written and it was perfect. We like to serve warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
I just made this cake and everyone loved it. It was so easy to make and not too heavy. I am sure I’ll be making it many times this summer.
This tasted every bit as good as it looked. Made exactly as directed.
Perfect in an 8 x 8 pyrex dish. We love this cake!
It is true, I do not have a ten-inch pie pan and tried it with a 9 inch. Bad idea.
I made this over the weekend and it was incredible! I made it dairy-free by using unsweetened almond milk and Miyoko’s vegan butter. The butter was salted so I reduced the salt in the dry ingredients by a small amount. The substitutions worked beautifully—the cake was absolutely gorgeous. To serve, I whipped the cream from a can of chilled coconut milk with a teaspoon of powdered sugar and dolloped it on top.
I also added two stalks of rhubarb, chopped, based on seeing comments that other had good luck with it. I used a 10″ cake pan and found that my cake tester came out clean after just 55 minutes in the oven. It could be that my oven runs a bit hot, though, as I’m in a new apartment and haven’t calibrated it yet. But I’d recommend checking five minutes early, especially if you use a 10″ pan!
The next time I make this I am going to add a pinch of cardamom to the cake layer. I think it would be a beautiful addition.
I made two of these cakes today. I used buttermilk in one and regular milk in the other. Both came out very delicious with slightly different textures. I will definitely make this cake again and am happy there is a sheet pan version. Cheers!
FYI – this fits perfectly in a 1.7qt rectangular tart dish (such as model 906034 by Emile Henry, about 14 x 5 x 1.5)
Can you use frozen strawberries in this cake?
Oops! I made the cake with a stick of butter ant the 6 tablespoons as directed! I’m made it for a dessert for after dinner with friends. What will happen in the result? Shall I still serve? It still looks beautiful… not sure of what the taste and texture will be due to my error? Can you please help,
Klaudette
Meant to and not the 6 tablespoons of butter as directed. So to be clear I used 8 tablespoons of butter
Do you think spelt flour would be ok as well?
I made this tonight with Bob’s Red Mill 1-for-1 gluten-free baking mix for a GF friend and it was amazing! Jammy berry perfection. Thanks, Deb!
DEE-licious! And beautiful! It was a little dry the first day and I thought I might have over-mixed the batter. But upon reading through the comments, I realized the amount of sugar I used (a little less rather than the full cup) might have made a difference, plus you said to wait until the next day for the juices and everything to settle. And sure enough, a day made the difference! I’m looking forward to trying it with other flours (only had AP this time) and fruits. It’s made to my top two favorite cakes. :) Thank you for another winner, Deb!
All the years this recipe has been posted on this website, and brought up again on instagram and in the newsletters, I had not made it until this evening. It was divine. Probably because I am not the biggest baked or cooked strawberry fan, but this was amazing. I am kicking myself for having waited so long. Definitely going into the repeat STAT files.
P.S. I served it with sour cream whipped cream. A must try! So lovely against the sweet berries.
This is the fourth year of strawberry picking followed by same day strawberry cake baking. This cake is always a tasty delight and I appreciate how fruit-forward it is. I generally mix a couple of teaspoons of ground cardamom into both the flour and sugar topping for a Nordic touch and it’s a great combo. I think the full sugar quantity comes out a good level of sweetness. Thanks Deb for this family tradition!
My strawberries didn’t “jam “ up. They just kind of dried out. Did I do something wrong?
How was it on the second day?
Love this recipe! Does anyone have the nutritional info per slice by chance? Thanks 🍓
Using the full sugar amount, 2% milk, and about 1 tsp of butter on pan, I calculated at 2430 for the whole cake. If you do slices of 8, about 300 calories per slice. 10 slices = 240, 12 slices =~200.
I made this and substituted 1 tbsp of the sugar on top for demerara sugar. It was amazing–added an extra crispy texture to the top of the cake! Highly recommend. The cake was delicious and I can’t stop eating it!
Oh wow. I have 2 huge strawberry patches and wondered what to do with all the fruit. This!!!!! Breakfast, dessert, afternoon snack… yep. This. I had to use gf flour and it still turned out perfect.
would this work with raspberries or blackberries? blueberries? pears?
Yes, however, I have a go-to cake for blueberries and a go-to cake for raspberries. Not positive about pears — they’d need longer and might be less juicy. You might make a scaled-down version of my Mom’s Apple Cake with pears instead.
I make this cake with a cubed pear and 1-2 cups bluberries at least a couple times every summer. The pears melt into the cake and the blueberries give it flavor. Try it with almond extract instead of vanilla.
This was the most insanely delicious simple cake I’ve had in a long long time. Our local strawberries (in Bermuda) cost $12-13/pound and I bought 5 pounds this weekend like a crazy person just so I can make it again before the season’s over.
This cake is delicious. Made with plant butter and skim milk. Next time I’m going to try peaches and some flavored sugar to sprinkle on top. Another great recipe!
MMM! I thought I knew what a strawberry cake was, and then I made this. Wow! The sourness in the berries disappear when’s you ate them, and you’re left with this beautiful cake with a soft touch of a sweet and tangy summer-like feeling. 10/10 would recommend!
If I wanted to incorporate rhubarb into this recipe would you have any recommendations on how to do so? Thanks!
You can swap some by weight, but it’s not as juicy as strawberries. For rhubarb, I have a couple rhubarb-specific cakes that I think show it off better: rhubarb snacking cake and rhubarb upside-down spice cake
Hi Deb! I have this cake in the oven now – it smells heavenly! I’m baking with ceramic Emile Henry pie dish and we are approaching the 90 minute mark but still have a pretty jiggly center, luckily nothing is overly browned/burnt yet. Should I adjust heat in future? Just account for longer cooking time? Use a different pan? Thanks for your help (and inspiring this morning’s baking!)!
Is there raw batter? If so, it needs more time. Some strawberries are just juicier, and lead to a cake that takes longer to set.
This looks amazing. I am planning on making this for my daughter’s bday this weekend. I am thinking of doing it as cupcakes and am wondering if you think that would work. My only concern is them spilling over like you mentioned about what happened w/ the 9” pan. Any thoughts/suggestions? Thank you! 🍓 😋
This is a bite of summer! A truly lovely cake. Made exactly as recipe instructed, using a 9″ springform pan, and it was perfect.
Such a delicious dessert! I used 1c flour and 1/2c cornmeal and subbed plain yogurt for the milk. It took 70 mins once the temp was reduced. I will definitely make it again and try subbing other seasonal fruit!
most excellent! here are the changes I made:
flour: I used ~50 grams whole wheat and the rest AP (could probably do even as much as 1/2 whole wheat)
sugar: I used WAY less, about 1/3 C or 70 grams, and it was just right–and I forgot the sugar on top!
fruit: I used slightly more, and I weighed before hulling or trimming–and I could’ve added even more. (I also don’t think it matters a whole lot to carefully place the berries, as you can’t really see them in the finished cake.)
I used my 9″ springform lined with parchment paper and only greased the sides of the pan. Came out super easy.
Another bonus: was almost as good the next day–and that was without whipped cream or ice cream! I just love this recipe, but it’s dangerous, because my husband and I finished it off in two nights!
I love this cake!! A friend gave me the recipe last summer. Since it’s strawberry time in Michigan I am making it for Father’s Day. This time I put down a layer of batter,topped it with blueberries,sugar,the rest of the batter,strawberries then sugar. It is so simple and simply delicious!
Does this cake freeze well?
Yes, I have to freeze most cakes because there are just two of us and I usually just want a couple bites…I lack a sweet tooth and my hubs needs to be saved from himself…lol.
Double wrap tightly and use within a few weeks!
I love this simple cake…today I scored some extra ripe berries! I have been rather enamored of rye flour in fruit desserts lately, never more than a quarter or third subbed in for AP. It has a lovely earthiness to it especially for more rustic desserts. Works great in this recipe!
YES. Since working from home, I have made this cake 4 times. I love the barley flour. I keep meaning to try it with other berries, I will try in a month when blackberries are in season. It’s so good and not too sweet.
I followed the directions to the mark and I ended up having to bake it for almost 2 hours…. It did not burn, luckily. Every time I put a toothpick in, it came out with cake batter on it! I’m not sure what went wrong. I thought the batter looked a bit too thick when I poured it into the pan. I will try again to see if it happens again.
I want to make a strawberry birthday cake for my son’s 2nd birthday. I am thinking of making 3 cakes with parchment paper in the pan so they won’t stick and the cream cheese frosting from the cookbook for the assembly. Has anyone else made something like this for birthday cake?
I haven’t but it’s on my to-do list. I’d probably use 1.5x of this for 3 (8- or 9-inch) layers. I think a mixed cream cheese frosting and whipped cream will go well with the berries.
Thank you very much, great idea the mixed cream cheese frosting with the whipped cream! The cake layers will be thinner than the actual cake, so I think I will have to shorten the baking time. Is this right?
Yes, but keep an eye on it because it can vary with strawberry juiciness
I was looking for a strawberry cake as I’d just picked a mountain of them. This cake doesn’t disappoint. I used a 9” cake pan and it took the full 70 minutes cooking time. Pretty sure this batter could be used with any fruit combo. It’s delicious and likely won’t last until the weekend.
Can I do strawberries and blueberries for a 4th of July cake? I love this recipe and I have made 4 times!!!
My sister in England introduced me to this recipe. My daughter and I made this yesterday adding some blueberries too as it was the 4th of July and to create our version of a Flag Cake!
It was a huge hit at the SD barbecue we attended! Very delicious and so quick and easy to make! Thank you for this recipe!
Something I very much respect about you, besides your humor, is that you clearly give credit to your source. Brava.
I made this with King Arthur’s 1:1 flour as I have to be gluten free temporarily, and I think if anything it added a lovely texture to it. Everyone thoroughly (some even loudly) enjoyed it, and I can hardly wait to make it again!
I make this every other week using whatever fruit is in my CSA share and it’s always delicious, especially using fruit that’s on the verge of going bad. I extend the baking time at 350 to 15 minutes before reducing the heat otherwise I’ve found that the middle comes out pretty underdone but that’s definitely just an issue with my particular oven.
i have made this twice and both times it has been good, just not– not the cake of my dreams i see pictured here! what’s going on?? the big thing that is happening is that my cake seems to get too much bounce… too much air. and so even though when i push in the berries it seems like i’ve loaded the thing silly with strawberries in the end there are no jammy puddles! its a very well-risen cake with friendly bits of strawberry on top. so, good, but… but… jammy puddles! help! should i try the bigger version of this and see if it solves this problem?
I love this cake and so does everyone I give it to. Has anyone used strawberries that weren’t the freshest with good results? I want to use some up but don’t want to make a cake that isn’t the best, thanks!
Could you use frozen strawberries on this if I slice them ahead of time? I want to make this cake for a special occasion but I think my strawberries may go bad by then.
Yes, it should work fine. Use them frozen, but give it more baking time (at most a couple minutes) if needed.
This is my favorite cake of all time! (I’m of the opinion that if a cake NEEDS frosting, it’s not good enough.)
I made this as cupcakes to send to daycare for my baby’s first birthday. I folded the fruit (strawberries and blueberries) in so it would distribute somewhat evenly. 25-30 minutes, and I had 15 cupcakes ready to go!
I finally made this yesterday but with some changes due to what I had. It’s a fantastic and forgiving recipe. I did bake in a deep dish glass pie plate. i used over-ripe nectarines in place of strawberries, and more importantly, I subbed coconut oil and olive oil in place of the butter (I weighed them to add to the same weight of butter in the recipe.) It’s a lovely, fragrant, summery cake and I’ll definitely be making it again. It went beautifully with vanilla ice cream. Thank you!
The strawberry summer cake is quick to prep and bake.
The cool down time can be painful since the cake smells so amazing.
Have made this 3 times now. Each time using rye flour rather than barley flour- since that is what we had on hand. And is oddly delicious.
If I use an 8″ or 9″ square pan, what baking time would you recommend?
I’d use a 9″
I have made this 4 different times now each time with different ingredients – it is such a great recipe! First time, I made it with all AP flour + strawberries, amazing. Second time, I made a vegan version for a friend with blueberries and subbed some flour for WW, so delicious (used flax egg, oat milk, and earth balance butter). Third and fourth time I did peaches and subbed some flour for WW, lovely. I do think the berries probably creat the best texture with the cake — they really get more jammy than the peaches do, but still, every version was great, super easy to make, and great way to use the lovely summer fruit we’ve been getting. I do recommend the lowered sugar amount – it can be on the verge of too sweet with the full cup, especially if you’re subbing some flour for WW or barley (the first time I did the full cup of sugar, but also the full gram weight of AP flour, and I didn’t find it too sweet, but when I subbed WW flour later, it was on the verge of too sweet albeit still delicious!). Thanks so much Deb for a solid recipe.
Deb, I don’t have enough strawberries to make the sheet cake version so I’m stuck here. THe real problem: no mixer. Does it matter? Help! I want cake!
No handmixer or no stand mixer?
For future readers, I made this without an electric mixer and it turned out great. You just have to make sure to cream the hell out of the butter/sugar with a fork for a good five minutes!
We love this cake and make it often in strawberry season. Sadly, strawberry season is behind us however our fig tree is producing tons of figs and I am considering using figs instead. Am I crazy?
I think it’s a great idea. Just use a lot!
Hi Elspeth,
I’m considering making this with figs today. How did yours go? And did you place the figs cut side down?
I’ve made this several times and commented before. We had a huge bag of frozen strawberries, so I thought I’d use them for this cake. If anything the berries were even more jammy. So the experiment worked. I put them on frozen, cooking time was the same. So in the middle of winter or whenever, go for it.
Commenting just to testify how foolproof and delicious this is. Considering I make it almost once a week during too-much-fruit season, you’d think I’d remember the proportions. HOWEVER, when I made it today, I accidentally prepped 1 1/2 pounds of fruit instead of just a pound. Didn’t have enough flour to just scale everything up so I used the Cooks’ Illustrated banana bread trick and microwaved the fruit, covered, for a few minutes until it began to break down. I let the fruit in a wire strainer for a few minutes to drain and cool, and ended up with almost exactly a pound of super-concentrated fruit mash. (I thought about reducing the drained liquid and adding it back in, but if I was interested in that level of effort, I’d have read the recipe more carefully in the first place!) Just pulled it out of the oven, and it looks just right. Hooray for a forgiving recipe and for knowing that I have a delicious way to unload even more fruit!
This is my favorite go-to dessert recipe! I’m trying it tonight with little Italian prune plums while they are in season, just to see what happens.
You should try this cake. It’s similar but famous for its use of prune plums.
Dear Deb, would you please advise if I can use frozen strawberries for this recipe? Thank you!
I’ve made this several times with frozen berries; laying them on while still frozen
I make this cake regularly using gluten free flour (cup4cup) and frozen blueberries instead of strawberries. My friends always beg me for the “blueberry cake.” Perfect for a beach trip, dinner party, or just snacking! It is a staple and I keep coming back to it again and again.
The original recipe is wonderful. So this fall and winter, we have been using this recipe as a base for apple cake. Substitute two peeled and chopped apples for the strawberries and add the zest of one lemon. Bake for 60 min at 350. It is so delicious.
An apple cake with this base- what a good idea! Do you add cinnamon or spices?
So good and discovered just in time for strawberry season in Florida. This is cake is currently all the rage at Rollins College. It’s been made and posted to FB by almost a dozen faculty and staff. Several have posted variations using different fruits (pineapple, blueberries, bananas). So simple and getting rave reviews across the board.
Could I bake this in a cast iron pan? Any tips for making that work?
What size?
This is our go-to cake in strawberry season. Tonight I swapped out 1/4 of the AP for rye flour, and added a splash of almond extract. It was delicious.
I’ve made this recipe twice in two weeks — once the sheet cake version, and then today a VERY similar recipe shared by a Google campus chef. The main differences in the Google version were 1) only 3/4 cup sugar, 2) turbinado sugar, a whole 1/4 cup of it, as the topping, 3) written for a 9×9 square pan, for which I instead used an 8×8 square brownie pan and it worked fine if thicker than my first sheet cake attempt. So next time I’ll just make this recipe and bake it in an 8×8 pan, with reduced sugar in the batter as I don’t miss it and swapping in turbinado sugar (but in the original amount here, 2 Tbsp) for a nice crunchy topping.
Made this recipe so many times! It’s my favourite summer flavor for desserts.
To decrease the leftover cake available, I make a half recipe and divide it between two 4.5” springform pans. Use the lower cook time and the same oven temp.
10 years later and I am still baking this cake. These days, I am subbing 1/4 tsp fiori di sicilia for some of the vanilla extract, which gives it a gentle complexity, and a heaping teaspoon of diamond kosher salt. Additionally, has anyone made this with rye or einkorn instead of barley flour? Any ideas on how the milk might need to be adjusted, if at all?
This was the first recipe I’ve made from Smitten Kitchen and am very disappointed. The ratio of cake to fruit was not what I expected and the flavor was flat. I’m an experienced baker, followed the recipe exactly, used a 9-inch springform pan, and bought tasty organic strawberries. Next time I’ll try Marian Burros’s plum torte, which I’ve made many times, and will try substituting strawberries. I will not be trying another cake recipe from this site.
So many of us love this and make ut multiple times each summer. Really Was this comment needed? And it was emailed to me!
I would would agree, the comment was unnecessarily snarky. Made it multiple times with both fresh and frozen strawberries. Always a winner. I’m also a pretty an accomplished cooked, although not an experienced baker but can do pretty well with straightforward with easy recipes.
Thanks for speaking out, I just deleted the comment but sticking up for Deb and all she does was the right thing. Too much nastiness right now in the world; kindness is needed.
Deb, if you can, take the nasty comment down. Life is too short for such bile!
Sorry Lorraine, I disagree—I’m accomplished as well and found this excellent!!
It’s so similar to Marian’s plum torte recipe, what do you think went wrong?
I’ve now made this twice using two 6” cake tins. And of course, my daughter wouldn’t let me give away the ‘extra’ 😂
I loved this cake made by my daughter-in-law. I would like to try a gluten free version for a family that had a celiac disease in one member. I hope it works because I think she would love it!
Can plain Greek yogurt be subbed in for milk? If so, what is the exchange quantity?
Yes — I’d thin it slightly with water or milk, so maybe 6T yogurt + 2 water/milk, or 7T/1T.
Smells amazing—just out of oven—gorgeous!!
Made with 50% buckwheat flower this year, which was not gorgeous, but was delicious. Used the 7/8c sugar and it bordered not sweet, but w/2T of Demerara on top and whipped cream it was perfect!
Delicious! My mods: 1) swapped 1/2c fine ground corn meal for 1/2c AP flour; 2) reduced sugar to 3/4c in the batter; and 3) sprinkled strawberries with 2T Demerara sugar….made for a cake with a bit of crunch to it.
Heavenly! Will almond flour work?
Hi Deb,
I made this cake and it took forever in the oven to bake, well over 60 minutes at 325•, after the initial 10 at 350•. I finally boosted the temp to 350• for ten minutes to finish it. I’m wondering if it could bake at 350• for 60 minutes? It is delish, so I will make it again. Thanks.
If yours seemed like it could go a little darker at the edges, you can try all 350. I think the baking time tends to range here depending on the vessel (I used a 9-inch springform recently and it also took 10-15 minutes longer because it’s deeper than the pie plate I usually use) and the size/juiciness of the berries.
This is truly a foolproof recipe! My 8 years old daughter has just made this cake for a school project.
Cheers from Belgium!
Wondering if I could sub in rye flour for the barley? Anyone try this?
I thought rye had too strong of a taste for this recipe. I’ve successfully used buckwheat, almond, and cornmeal.
I want to cry. I just tried to make the batter twice and both times something is going wrong at the wet ingredients stage. When I add the milk stage, I can’t get the batter to come together. It is just chunky and separated. I’ve been able to cream butter and sugar and make successful batters in the past… any idea what might be holding me up here? After the first attempt I thought I may have under mixed the butter and sugar so I creamed it for longer but same result.
Mine always breaks, it doesn’t seem to matter bakes up fine! Deb has a comment about it at some point over the years—I think it’s using ingredients that aren’t room temp or something?
This is totally normal and it happens with one-bowl cakes, as well as ones with a mix of cold and warm ingredients. It will bake up just fine.
Deb, do you think this would work well with peaches?
Yes but use very ripe ones.
Thanks to Cup of Jo for putting this on my radar screen; somehow in all the Smitten recipes I have bookmarked, this one had escaped my notice and IT IS A KNOCK OUT. I served it to French people this weekend and they were falling over about how good it is!
How do I adjust baking powder and/or add baking soda if I want to use buttermilk instead of milk. I can’t seem to find the answer. Thank you in advance.
You shouldn’t need to; just use buttermilk.
How did this turn out w/buttermilk?
I LOVE this cake. I want to make it for some friends at the end of the week. The problem is my produce market says there will be strawberries (wonderful, delicate Oregon Hoods) today and then not until after the gathering.
Would it be better to half the berries and freeze them or freeze the cake (if we can stay away from it while it cools 😊)?
Since I made this cake last evening (I have made it before) I had to “cover it loosely” to keep it overnight. Since I don’t know precisely what “cover it loosely” means, I just rested a piece of tin foil over the top of the deep-dish pan. Though it looked as good this morning as it did last night, the cake part felt a bit moist and soft to the touch. So I was disappointed. What do you do to “cover loosely”?
Basically that but I do, these days, prefer to leave it uncovered. It will dry out a little on top but the cake will stay moist because there’s so much fruit inside.
This is my favorite summer recipe! After making the original, I went crazy and instead of swapping 3/4 cup for barley flour, I’ve made it with the same amount of (1) ground pistachios (added 1/4 tsp additional baking powder to balance out the weight of the nuts), (2) cornmeal (cut the sugar in half so it was more like a strawberry cornbread) and (3) ground oats. Every single version has been amazing. I’ve also halved it in a 5″ round cake for smaller scale cake desires. Thank you Deb!
Deb, I have to tell you — I made this the other day but didn’t have butter on hand, so I made it with the same amount (by weight) of sunflower oil instead. It was life changing!! It literally tasted like sunshine.
Just made this with a teeny bit of buckwheat flour mixed in (like 20 grams) with the all purpose flour. Delicious!!!
Can I sub buttermilk? And add lemon zest? I’m looking for a slightly fluffier texture and I can’t resist using lemon with any fruit recipe.
You can do both!
Whenever I prep strawberries, I think of you and the strawberry “shoulders” haha. You might like the Joie huller. https://youtu.be/AZnG5Cc25Kw
I’m not usually a gadget cook, but I do like this. Delicious cake too!
Could you add lemon juice? Or rhubarb? (if yes to rhubarb, would you cook it beforehand?)
Yes and yes. No need to cook rhubarb beforehand.
This was absolutely outstanding. My hubby is a celiac, and I subbed Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour for the 1.5 cups of flour, made no other changes, and it was fantastic!! Picked strawberries today and they were small but sweet. Perfect for this recipe!! Can’t wait to taste it tomorrow.
I made this with sour cherries (1lb of prepared fruit) and it was exceptionally delicious. Give it a try!
A perfect little cake I come back to time and again! This time, I subbed in about 80 g of buckwheat flour and it turned out beautifully. I love the nutty flavor a buckwheat with fruit.
Here’s that cake that you can substitute raspberries with. Try it and tell me how you like it!
Hugs,
Mom
I don’t understand… I made it exactly, but even after 2 hours, it hadn’t risen or cooked through. I took it out because the top had burned but the inside was still dense and hadn’t risen at all. I guess it collapsed? I used an extra 80g of strawberries, on top, maybe that’s why? 😭 Or is it because I used baking powder and not soda? Super sad to waste all that fruit.
I love your “mom’s apple cake” recipe, maybe I should do that with strawberries instead?
I don’t know the chemistry but baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable. And the extra weight of the strawberries could have affected the ability of the cake to rise. I have made this cake dozens of times and it was always a success. The last time, I forgot to reduce the temperature and it was a bit drier than usual but still really, really good.
Can you make the strawberry cake with frozen strawberries?
I haven’t but I think you could. Don’t skimp on them — you still want a full pound.
This was a huge hit yesterday at our fourth of July gathering. The pie plate was empty probably 10 min after I set it out! Will be making again for sure. :)
I have made this twice. On the second try I used buttermilk instead of milk. Do that – you will not be disappointed. It was good with the regular milk just didn’t quite have the texture I wanted.
Made this tonight. It is so good.i decreased the sugar to one half cup and uses 1 cup gluten free all purpose and one half cup almond flour. A little more wholesome for breakfast. It is just amazingly good
I have made this about 15 times so far this year- strawberry, peach, plum, raspberry- any fruit works well, and you can make 2 layers of fruit if you want. I accidentally discovered that GHEE (85 grams) substituted for butter makes a moister cake . Less sugar (135-150 grams). And it works well with GF flour if you need to substitute. (I have used Open Nature brand GF pancake mix and deleted the baking powder)
I made this cake today and I don’t think what’s left of it will last very long! Even though the strawberries I got weren’t spectacular on their own, they turned out delicious once baked.
I made this cake today exactly like the recipe. I made it in a deep dish square cake pan as that is what I had on hand. I baked it 50 minutes, as stated, after turning the oven temperature down to 325.
The cake was perfect! So delicious and everything the author stated! I will make this again and again!
This was the easiest, most delicious, quintessential summer dessert that I made with homegrown strawberries. I couldn’t believe how good it was. Non-commercial fruit makes a huge difference! Deb, I love your recipes. I read them and want to make them ALL! Just like the movie Julie and Julia!!
I made this and it was absolute perfection! Did I eat it for dessert? Of course, breakfast-yup! Afternoon snack-totally. YUM!
Could this work as cupcakes?
I had some frozen strawberries in need of a home, and was hoping for a taste of summer. Very pleasantly surprised by this cake. I added lemon zest, subbed oatmilk for milk, and used a 9.5″ springform pan. My batter was thick enough that I had to spread it with a spatula. But it filled the pan and baked up great. Delicious.
I read all the I made it comments to see if someone else did this, but I see only summer fruits. it’s December. someone on one of those afternoon chats on go fug yourself about holiday cooking mentioned that they do this cake with cranberries and orange zest. I had those things, and some orange extract, so I also did that, and it is PERFECT. should probably not be a surprise since there are so many other fruits represented here, but the cranberries are tart and jammy and very very delicious.
I have made this cake so many times it is simply a summer staple. I literally have dreams about this cake. There is no other cake above this cake. Please make this cake. Share it with your friends. Sit outside in the summer warmth, serve while still hot because who can resist the smell? Don’t plan on saving it for later because this cake will serve however many people want to eat it and will not last.
Long time lurker, first time poster. I am planning to make this cake for company this weekend and was wondering what type of milk to use (I’m not a particularly confident baker). I assume whole? I do have some half and half I was hoping to use up, would that work? Thank you!
Any kind will work, even half-and-half.
I’m not sure how I’ve not discovered this recipe before since I’ve been such a huge fan of this site for so many years. The second cake in as many days is currently in the oven! The sugar/strawberries that turn into jam on the top are 💯.
Has anyone ever tried making cupcakes with this recipe?
Thank you for this recipe.
So simple and perfect. Not too sweet but was moist and amazing! I ran out of butter tragically but subbed half with coconut oil and it was still delicious and perfect.
I’m now making the sheet cake version in a 9×13 pan that’s supposed to bake for 46 min. It’s now going on 2 hrs at 350 and batter still not done. Don’t know what I did incorrectly. Over mixed?
Do you have any other recipes for barley flour out there to use the extra? Trying this cake (finally) this weekend!
This is one of the best cakes that I’ve made! I used farm fresh strawberries that were nudging towards the older side of fresh, and they baked up beautifully. It almost tastes like there’s brown sugar in there. I love that this is made with pantry ingredients, with the exception of strawberries. I will be making this again!
I made this tonight with Bobs Red Mill gluten-free AP flour. I baked it for 45 minutes and it was perfect. I did also cut sugar back to 3/4 c. Rave reviews all around. Don’t forget the homemade whipped cream.
This is so good! I made it tonight and my husband said, “this is what I think strawberry shortcake should taste like.” I love that it uses pantry staple ingredients (other than the strawberries) and that it’s quick and easy enough to make with my toddler’s “help.” Thanks for this recipe!
Just made this. Smells amazing. Can’t wait to eat it!
I’ve made this cake twice and while still tasty, my strawberries are not “jamming” or sinking as pictured and described. There is much fluffier/thicker cake and the strawberries all sit atop the cake. I *thought* I followed the directions well but not sure what happened. Would love some help!
This looks wonderful! How many cups of strawberries would make up one pound? I don’t have a scale. Thanks!
This was an amazing cake, even the next day. I decided to double down on my strawberry consumption and make some strawberry ice cream to go along with it!
Converting pounds to quarts, as that how the strawberries in my grocery come, calculated to be 2 qts=1lb. After hulling 1.5 quarts, it seems like aI will have more than I can possibly fit on the cake. Did I convert correctly?
I was thinking of making the strawberry cake with the merange and whipped cream that Deb had posted earlier in the week, but decided on this one because I didn’t want to fuss so much for a family Fathers Day dinner. Perfect choice! This is delicious and super easy; everyone loved it. This is a moist cake, but it’s not dense, so it “feels” like a lighter cake, and was a great dessert for a summer meal. I served it up with a big blob of whipped cream and a whole fresh strawberry on the side. I made it in a 9″ springform pan, followed the recipe exactly as written EXCEPT: used half flour/half almond flour and almond extract instead of vanilla extract, because we just love that almond flavor. This would be good with any berry or even peaches. Will def make again.
This is a delicious cake! I suggest upping the vanilla a bit. FYI it works in an 8”’square pan just fine.
I halved this recipe, there are just two older adults in our household so 8 to 10 servings is a lot. I baked it in a small (7 inch diameter) springform pan, and it worked perfectly. I didn’t halve the egg, just used a smaller one.
Yummy and we have more for tomorrow.
I love love this cake! Has anyone tried it in small muffin tins as individual cakes??
Absolutely delicious!! A girlfriend made this for a dinner party, gluten free with blueberries but I had to try the original recipe. It was perfection. Our family ate it up in one evening and was the perfect summer dessert. Thank you!
I have made this so many times over the last few years. It has become a summertime staple. This summer I decided to try it with rhubarb. I had frozen pieces that I thawed and swapped in instead of the strawberries. It worked pretty well, but I think fresh might have worked better. But, tonight I made an even tastier discovery. I layered rhubarb sauce (my mother’s recipe we used to eat for breakfast growing up) between two halves of the batter, then added more on top and swirled it in. I reduced the second baking time by 10 minutes and it came out perfect. The rhubarb sauce is kind of a rare treat these days, so I will savor this. Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s been a lot of fun sharing it with my family over the years and I’m so pleased with how adaptable it is.
I’ve been making this with different berries and it always turns out great! This most recent time I misplaced my 9 inch cake pan and so used an 8×8 pan and it still worked!
I just made this, it’s so delicious! After reading the bit about how wonderful the addition of barley flour is I was convinced to grind some fresh in our vitamix, which was actually really easy and fun! Now I’m inspired to grind all kinds of flours ha! I ground 1/2 c and it ended up being almost 100g so I did that plus 88g AP.
Also I love to halve sugar in cakes/pies so I did 1/2 c sugar in the batter but kept the 2 TBS on top and it came out great!
Is that pie dish this one? https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/emile-henry-modern-classics-pie-dish/?pkey=cbakeware-emile-henry-pie-dishes
No, I have a knockoff of that. But it will work too!
Outstanding! This is the second time I’m making it within a few weeks and in between I made the sheet cake version. Looks beautiful and tastes amazing.
So delicious! I subbed almond flour for the barley flour, melted coconut oil for the butter, and used almond milk. We made it last night and it’s more than halfway gone. Dreaming of making it with summer peaches and winter pears. Winner!
I have made this several times and it’s always excellent. However the most recent effort came out dry ( I followed instructions to a tee – took out after 50 min at 325). I used a longerberger pie dish this time and wonder if that could by why ?
So so good. I tried the first one with lower sugar per some of the comments here, it was good but not great. The second time I followed the recipe to the T with all the sugar and now this is dang good. I also used frozen strawberries for the second one and farm fresh strawberries for the first one, go figure. I’m gonna try this with stone fruit next maybe some cherries with a touch of almond extract. Definitely making this again and again. And don’t forget the homemade whipped cream! Heavy cream, spoonful of thick sour cream, some powdered sugar, pinch of salt. Perfection. One more note! My oven temp is weird so I ended up baking for 2 hours, started checking at 50 min, plus every 15 min thereafter. Developed a nice thick scrumptious crust. Ugh so good.
I’ve made this cake so many times. I especially love it with sour cherries and a tiny bit of almond extract! Mixed blueberries and raspberries with lemon zest also.
Still delicious even if you forget the baking powder. ;)
Yummy cake! Use a 9″ springform cake pan.
This is a really great cake recipe and strawberry summer cake and will give me plenty of delicious ways to boost my dessert game.
I have to say I made the mistake of combining the flour with butter before realizing this was not the proper method. Ended up putting the rest of ingredients in the mixer, gave it a good stir and it turned out rather amazing! Thank YOU!
Can this cake be made with frozen strawberries? Thank you, Peppermint Patty
I made this cake for guests last night and it was delicious! My only question is that there was no way I could “pour” the batter into the baking pan. The consistency was like that of chocolate chip cookie batter – thick and not pourable. I had to basically pack the batter into the baking pan. It made for a yummy and dense cake. I checked the recipe several times to make sure I didn’t leave out any liquid ingredients. Did I do something wrong or is the batter as thick as mine?
Glad it was tasty! Maybe try weighing the flour (grams) instead of measuring (cups)? Once I started doing this I realized I was effectively using too much flour in everything.
Thick is fine — you can just spoon it in and smooth it flat.
Made with strawberries we picked from the local UPick. Very yummy. Like strawberry shortcake all in one. It was absolutely beautiful, too!
So good and simple. Also works great in a 9×9 pan!
I’ve made this cake today. My main question is the temperature of the oven, the recipe doesn’t state if it’s fan assisted or not but as my oven is fan assisted only, I went with that. The cake turned out very dark, perhaps i should have reduced the temperature after all? I’ve made the cake in 9in square pan and as some people also noticed, all strawberries sank making the cake really look quite unappealing. I have not tired it yet, it’s a gift, so I hope it is well received anyway.
can you sub 1:1 gluten free flour?
I have a question: I have alot of rye flour, which I love using for making chocolate chip cookies (really transforms them into something more adult!); can I replace the recommended barley flour with rye flour, or should I just stick with plain flour?
Yes, it should be great.
This cake is impressive because it’s so different from a traditional Berry cake. The flavor is outstanding but for our taste the sugar is way too much. We cut the sugar in half and it was still sweet so next time I would try maybe a total of a 3rd a cup of sugar. I added about a cup of rubarb into the batter as well which was lovely
I’m always a bit torn about whether to cook with summer fruit because if it’s ripe there’s no better way to eat it than as it is. But today I had a big punnet of just-about-to-turn strawberries. Have made the sheet cake before but don’t need that level of cake today so trying the original recipe. I zested half a lemon into the batter to give it a little sharpness for me but the sheet version has always received rave reviews so no doubt this one will too.
PS I recommend the lower amount of sugar, but it’s delicious both ways.
I just made this cake for the first time. I have to say, my strawberries were just OK and I was in a rush and being careless and added the sugar in with all the dry ingredients. (I was able to scoop out about 1/3 of the sugar to bear with the butter.) I don’t have the right pan and made 3 6-inch cakes instead
And still. STILL!! With carelessness and the wrong baking pan, it still made incredible, light, fluffy-except-for-the-strawberry-pockets cake. The strawberry flavor is wonderful and the cake by itself is delicious.
I would recommend saving this recipe for OK or less-than-ideal strawberries, because it elevates them to the sublime. Excellent strawberries are so brilliant raw and on their own – though I’m sure this cake with excellent strawberries would be *mind-blowing*. Thank you, Deb – a summer staple for sure!
I absolutely love this recipe! Do you think this recipe works for muffins as well?
Thank you so much!
Jenni
I love smitten kitchen so much!!!!! My favorite recipe is the strawberry summer cake, it’s so moist and fluffy and the strawberries add a nice mushy texture!!!!!!!!!!
– Michelle the baking lover
I seriously wanted to love this cake, but in reality–we didn’t even like it. It was dry and bland. And no I didn’t over bake it and no I didn’t over mix it–it just had very little flavor. My strawberries were fresh and ripe, but it just wasn’t very good.
I just made the Strawberry Summer Stack Cake in your new cookbook (which is great!). The directions say to spread a third of the whipped cream on top of the bottom layer of cake, place the middle layer of cake on top of this, then spread another third of the frosting on this layer, and place last layer of cake on top of this. But what do you do with the last third of whipped cream? The photo shows the top of the cake without whipped cream on top. Sorry to be picky about this, just curious.
I think you’re right! Maybe it’s half on first layer, half on second? I did 1/3 and just saved the final 1/3 for serving, but given how the cake absorbs the cream (yum!) I def could have done 1/2 and 1/2.
Sorry for the confusion; it’s missing the instruction that you can also divide the cream between two layers.
I’ve made this recipe about 10x and it’s a family favorite— thank you! I’ve made it with sour cherries, peaches, plums, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and they’ve all been great. Blackberries may be our favorite. Typing up our mods in case it helps others as we’re gluten and dairy free, like less sweet desserts and prefer to bake with oil for ease.
For gluten free:
– sub 0.5 cup almond flour and 1 cup gluten-free blend (King Arthur) for flour
– increase to 2 eggs
– increase baking powder by 1/8 teaspoon
For oil instead of butter:
– 5 T olive oil and 1T extra liquid instead of the butter, though since I add an extra egg I often don’t add the extra liquid
For less sweet:
-1/2c sugar except when using sour cherries then 2/3c
This (and the larger version) are now my go to cakes! I have experimented with a lot of gluten free flour options and came up with this as being really good: 80g almond flour, 30g tapioca, 45g sorghum and 45g millet (yes, 200g total which is more than the normal version so almond flour is well hydrated on it’s own). If you’ve only made this with GF premade blends try some of these flours for more flavor! I also mix the baking powder in with the wet ingredients as the sheet pan recipe suggests, as otherwise I’ve had some cakes that taste a bit baking powder-y.
Also– I always cut the sugar by about 25% and it’s great!
Our favorite summer cake, I like to up the amount of fruit to even 1 1/2 pounds of strawberries. If you push the tip of the cut strawberry into the batter, kind of standing it up on a diagonal, you can fit all the fruit into a 9″ springform with room for the batter to “buckle” up. Cutting bigger strawberrries into 3rds helps with this. We do all varieties of fruits: blueberries, peaches, rhubarb and of course italian plums in the fall. Yum.
I’ve made this at least a dozen times, and it’s a guaranteed smash hit. The berry chaos makes everyone smile.
In the past, I had substituted peaches, but didn’t find they brought enough tartness. So today, I used peaches and raspberries, substituting almond extract for the vanilla. I started by layering peach slices, then tossed halved raspberries with sliced almonds and the 2T sugar, and used my fingers to distribute these on the top of the peaches. I added 1T of Chambord to the whipping cream.
The flavor profile seemed a touch more sophisticated, but I wouldn’t call it an improvement. I’ll continue to experiment, but I will always come back to the classic version that Deb gives here!
P.S. I made Deb’s sheet cake version a few weeks ago for 5 Appalachian Trail thru-hikers (one of whom was my daughter). Any leftovers were taken for trail snacks!
OMG! I just made this – INSANELY yummy and INSANELY easy. Recipe is a keeper!
Hello Deb,
Can I sub in 3/4 cup of Rye flour for 3/4 cup APF?
Sure
The batter is quite thick? “Pour it” into the pan didn’t seem quite like the right adjective
I found the same – thick batter, not like the pic and not pourable.
I made this with peaches and blueberries and it was also amazing. The strawberry version has been my go to for the summer but had fresh peaches so gave it a go. Be sure to load up on the peaches my mistake was not enough peaches on the first go round
Just made this today for a block party, after drooling over the pics forever. It was good…not fabulous. I used strawberries and peaches, neither of which (despite peak of season) were terribly flavorful. The baking and sugar sprinkle on top really concentrated the flavor of the fruit. I found the cake to be just…good. Average flavor, nothing great about the texture. If I were to make this again, I’d put in more fruit, so it out numbers the cake batter. I love the whole easy concept – not labor intensive at all – but it’s just lacking a bit of punch. Others here have suggested lemon zest/juice, nutmeg, etc…all great suggestions I’ll try in future. This is good, but could be great, in my humble opinion.
YUM! I only had a 9.5 inch pie pan, so I scooped out some batter and made a singular muffin. So delicious!
Could I divide the batter to make cupcakes and top each with strawberries ? My daughter loves this cake and I wondered if I do it this way and freeze them
I made this in a 10 inch springform with 12 ounces of blackberries, half n half, all AP flour, full sugar, 8 oz butter and vanilla sugar sprinkled over top. Baked 80 minutes in my gas oven. Served with sweetened whipped cream to rave reviews. Tart berries really pop against the rest. Easy and tasty, will def make again.
Just made this yesterday for a Labor Day dinner party, and it was a SMASH HIT! I made it in a spring form pan. The only sub I had to make was vanilla greek yogurt instead of the milk. I did an even swap and thinned it out with some water. Added a bit of tang, and tasted delish. My partner has requested this for their birthday cake as well. Big win! Thanks, Deb!
Have made this many times, always successfully.
Today had less-than-great off-season strawberries, a little hard and no notable flavor, and one sad bruised nectarine marred by an over-enthusiastic shopper, no doubt..
Cut up and doctored the fruit at the last possible second before topping the cake–to avoid getting too much juice in the batter…
Added a small amount of both orange extract and Cointreau to the fruit.
Used all-purpose (not self-rising) White Lily flour.
Just before popping in oven, topped cake with vanilla-scented turbinado sugar (my own concoction) for a little extra flavor.
Excellent, even better than usual. Went about 56 minutes after lowering heat: then let cool a bit, or cake is too tender and steamy.
But after about 20-30 minutes out of oven, divine. White Lily really makes cakes notably tender. Well-worth it.
Will do with nectarines next week, adding a little almond extract and either Cointreau, or maybe some bourbon.
This cake is delicious. I agree with reducing the total amount of sugar. I like adding 1/4 tsp of almond extract to the batter, and it works great to use a ratio of 2/3 almond flour to 1/3 regular flour (thought the barley flour is delicious also!).
Delicious! Have made twice. Used 3/4 c. almond flour and 3/4 c. all purpose flour. Added 1/2 tsp almond extract. Served with 10% Greek yogurt and a dollop of Bonne Maman Intense strawberry preserves. A fabulous dessert.
Any suggestions to making this cake egg-free? Any advice would be SO appreciated 😊 🍓
Here are comments from people who made it without the egg:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-1565533
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-1646828
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739669
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/#comment-739721