Get the Recipe:
Strawberry Spoon Cake
A simple summer dessert featuring sweet strawberries baked beneath a soft vanilla cake. Serve this warm, spoonable cake with whipped cream or ice cream for an easy seasonal treat.
Ingredients
For the strawberries:
- 1 ¼ pounds (567 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (25 to 37 g) granulated sugar, depending on how sweet the strawberries are
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- pinch salt
For the cake:
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the butter in a 9-inch round pan and place it in the oven while it preheats.
- Toss the strawberries with 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, lemon zest, juice, and salt.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven once the butter has melted (should be just a few minutes). Scatter the strawberries and any juices from the bowl evenly over the top.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture, and stir just until combined.
- Stir in the buttermilk just until the batter is smooth. (The batter will be fairly loose.)
- Spoon or pour the batter over the strawberries. (No need to spread the batter out. It’s okay if it doesn’t fully cover the berries.)
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and set around the edges but soft in the center.
- Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
- Use fresh strawberries. Fresh strawberries provide the best flavor and texture. Frozen strawberries release more liquid and can make the cake overly soft.
- Adjust the sugar as needed. Use the lower amount of sugar if your strawberries are especially sweet and the higher amount if they’re more tart.
- Don’t worry about full coverage. The batter doesn’t need to completely cover the strawberries. It will spread as the cake bakes.
- Expect bubbling. The butter and strawberry juices will bubble around the edges during baking. This is normal and helps create the rich, buttery edges. If you're worried about splatters, you can place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet for baking.
- Serve warm. This dessert is meant to be scooped rather than sliced and is best enjoyed warm from the pan.
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