Strawberry Summer Cake

I think it says a lot about this cake that my two year old now feels very comfortable telling people that she made it. The first time she actually said “mama helped me” and then next thing you know she apparently made it “all by myself”. Fact is that we have made it THAT many times that she feels like she knows what she is doing and it is so delicious that who wouldn’t want to take all the credit! Seriously though, I may have gotten her to mix, add ingredients, wash the strawberries, place the strawberries and sprinkle the sugar on top. I am sure I did something…

The original recipe is from Martha Stewart, but I actually came across it on Smitten Kitchen a while ago. It should go without saying that this tastes best when strawberries are in season, but it is still surprisingly good when they aren’t quite there. I have tried making it with less sugar and found that it really impacted the texture of the cake. It was still good, just not great.

Try this cake. It is so perfectly summer and so easy that even a 2 year old can make it (almost).

Strawberry Summer Cake
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
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

Preheat oven to 350, if you have a pie pan then butter that or use a springform like I did. Mine has a glass bottom that makes for easy plating of desserts.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Get the rest of your ingredients ready.

In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. If paleness and fluffiness isn’t happening then keep at it for another minute or so.

Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate/pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer.

I usually sprinkle 1 tbsp not the full of two of sugar in the raw on top. Actually usually my tot does this bit for me – see that little hand? 🙂

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. The recipe says 50-60 minutes but mine is usually done about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream or just as is. Delicious either way.