Summer deserves to be sweet, doesn’t it? The Strawberry Cake Bake certainly thinks so! This buttery, tender cake bakes the summery, bright, juicy strawberries right into it, so each bite is sweet and delectable. Served with rich cream, whether whipped or ice, the already-incredible Strawberry Cake Bake becomes something else: the whole promise of summer in a dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, with larger ones quartered
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Gently stir the strawberries, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a large bowl until well-combined.
Step 3 –Let the strawberry mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until it becomes very juicy, about 15 minutes.
Step 4 –Place the butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 5 –Place the baking dish in the oven until the butter is completely melted, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 6 –Transfer the baking dish from the oven.
Step 7 –Whisk the flour, the baking powder, the salt, the baking soda, and the remaining sugar in a medium bowl until combined.
Step 8 –Whisk the buttermilk and the vanilla in a glass measuring cup.
Step 9 –Whisk the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and continue to whisk until the batter is smooth.
Step 10 –Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter in the hot baking dish, but do not stir.
Step 11 –Using a slotted spoon, scatter the strawberry mixture evenly over the batter.
Step 12 –Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of the accumulated strawberry juice from the bottom of the bowl over the strawberries.
Step 13 –Bake until the batter is puffed, slightly golden in the center, and dark golden-brown around the edges, about 40-45 minutes.
Step 14 –Let the cobbler cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
Step 15 –Serve topped with the sweetened whipped cream.
