I welcome any excuse to have my apartment smell like a strawberry patch. Although it’s not quite summer yet, it’s on its way. Strawberries are here, letting us know it’s coming, evoking summer memories, preparing us for new ones.
As a June baby, I’ve always loved the ease and simplicity of summertime. This Strawberry Summer Cake evokes those exact feelings: it’s very unfussy, just an easy way to use an abundance of strawberries when they’re in season. This cake is not meant to be a source of stress over trying to get everything perfect. I know baking intimidates a lot people, and there’s a lot of measurements to deal with, but think of it as a galette: it’s supposed to be rustic and simple.
some baking tips
One of the golden rules of baking is ensuring there’s minimal mixing time, as gluten development is undesirable. Start by whisking the dry ingredients together in a bowl, evenly distributing the baking powder and baking soda. If you want to reduce mixing time even further, sifting the dry ingredients both remove the lumps and helps blend the ingredients more easily. Although I usually just skip it, it’s not entirely necessary.
If possible, also make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before they are combined. Ingredients that are too cold may cause the batter to separate. The butter, specially, must be room temperature. Since we’re using the creaming method, if the butter is too cold it won’t be as creamy and smooth as we want it to be. You can make this cake entirely by hand, just using a whisk. In that case, room temperature butter is imperative. It’ll just make things so much easier.
For this cake I used an 8-inch springform pan, and it’s the perfect size – feel free to use any type of pie pan. I like serving it with lightly whipped cream, honouring the classic strawberries + whipped cream combo. Just a couple summer essentials.
Strawberry Summer Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved or sliced (plus more for serving, optional)
- whipped cream, for serving
- powdered sugar, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter a 8-inch springform pan. Dust with flour and set aside (or line it with parchment paper).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well incorporated.
- In a larger bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 4 minutes), using an electric mixer.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well combined. Add in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to the batter 1/3 at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, just until smooth. Do not over-mix.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Arrange strawberries on top of batter in a single layer.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool for at east 15 minutes before removing springform pan edge. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with whipped cream and extra strawberries.
If you make this Strawberry Summer Cake please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos!
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