Devouring fresh strawberries is one of my favorite summer pastimes. I love to eat them sliced on granola for breakfast, or over vanilla ice cream with a splash of fruity balsamic vinegar. A favorite new way to enjoy them is baked in this simple yet delicious strawberry cake – as it cools, the cake fills the kitchen with the intoxicating aroma of a strawberry stand.
Buttermilk adds a slight tang and fluffy texture to the cake, and lemon zest adds a floral aroma. Baking this cake in a rectangular baking dish makes it an easy sweet to cut into squares and serve a group. 
Buttermilk Strawberry Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 1x
Description
A simple, golden cake perfumed with fresh strawberries and lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (144 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (0.12 l) low-fat buttermilk
- 1 lb (450 g) strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C and spray an 11 x 7-inch (2 quart) baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low and add egg and vanilla; beat well.
- Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add buttermilk, then finish with remaining flour mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish; smooth top with an offset spatula. Arrange strawberries on top of batter in a single layer with cut sides down and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 140
- Carbohydrates: 22
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Spring Strawberry Cake Roll
- Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake
- Strawberry and Mint Pavlova
- Gâteau au Cassis: French Blackcurrant Mousse Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the oven temperature drop mid-bake from 350°F to 325°F?
The recipe starts the cake at 350°F (180°C) for the first 10 minutes to give it an initial lift, then drops to 325°F (160°C) for the remaining 35 minutes. The lower temperature lets the center set slowly without over-browning the top or edges — especially important because the strawberries release moisture as they bake.
Why does the recipe use turbinado (raw) sugar on top instead of regular granulated sugar?
Turbinado sugar has larger, coarser crystals that don’t fully melt during baking, so they leave a slightly crunchy, caramelized finish on the surface of the cake — a texture contrast that the recipe specifically calls for (1 tbsp sprinkled over the strawberries before baking).
How should I store leftovers, and how long will the cake keep?
The recipe instructs you to store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Keeping the cover loose prevents condensation from making the top soggy — the baked strawberries already add a lot of moisture to the crumb.
