Strawberry buttermilk cake

In a real embarrassment of riches, my refrigerator has been loaded down with strawberries this week!  Of course, we can get strawberries any time of year but in the last week or so, I'm seeing an abundance of them and some great sales that I just can't resist.  So I keep loading up boxes and bringing them home...

Usually, I gobble up the berries so fast, there's none left to do anything with them! This time, I actually had more than enough to bake a cake with.  I've always got this simple buttermilk cake in the back of my mind.  I've made it with raspberries and have always wanted to try it with strawberries.  Well, now I can tell you it's really good with strawberries!

The cake base is perfectly easy and delicious - moist and a little tangy from buttermilk, not too heavy, and fragrant with fresh lemon zest (I particularly love the lemon zest so don't skip it!).  It has a sweetness that blends well with the fruit.  It's just a great everyday cake to whip up for no particular reason, or for a gathering.

I feel like this is a shortcut to strawberry shortcake since it's what it tastes like, only faster to make.  This simple cake is a great one to have in your repertoire for all those delicious summer berries to come!  

I like to bake this cake in an 8-inch pan rather than a 9-inch since it's a thin cake. Once you mix the batter, spread it around the pan, then nestle the fruit on top. I used 10 strawberries, halved, and placed them cut-side down.

Sprinkle about a tablespoon and a half of granulated sugar on top of the fruit.  The last time I made it with raspberries, I used turbinado sugar and a bit less.  My strawberries were not intensely sweet so I was more generous this time (my husband likes his fruit sweet).

The cake batter, which takes only about 20 minutes to bake up, will rise and cover some (or most, as in my case) of the strawberries.  The cake smells so good!  Let it cool about 15 minutes before turning it out.  Since the cake is moist, lining the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper is a good idea.

This cake is good at room temperature and likewise while it's still a little warm.  It's great if you can time it so that you dig in when the top is crusty and slightly crunchy. I love the golden sides and crust on this cake.

Biting into this, you taste the softened berries, sweetness, a hint of lemon, without anything being overwhelming.  Honestly, if you're going to bake something with fruit, this is a great one.  The simple little cake will go fast and make you happy!

Recipe:

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from Gourmet

- For one 8-inch round cake (you could bake a thinner 9-inch cake; check for doneness a couple minutes early) -

1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (146g) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22g) sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup (118ml) well-shaken buttermilk

10-12 small to medium-sized fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and sliced in half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray (or butter and flour the pan).  If desired, line the bottom with a round of parchment for easier removal later.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Place butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add lemon zest, rubbing it into some of the sugar to release its essence.  Beat mixture on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, then egg.  Beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  

On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Mix until just combined and smooth. Scrape batter into the cake pan, spreading and smoothing out the top.  Place fresh strawberries evenly around the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from the oven, set on wire rack and let cake cool for about 15 minutes in the pan. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and let cool on wire rack.  The cake is delicious served slightly warm or at room temperature.