This easy, no-mixer required strawberry cake is wonderfully moist and buttery and topped with macerated strawberries. Ready in just 30 minutes start to eating!
This recipe was the NYT Recipe of the Day last week and happened to arrived in my inbox at the precise time I was dealing with a quart of fresh strawberries that needed using.
This super easy strawberry cake (no mixer required!) was so delicious I just needed to spread the word as local Ontario strawberry season has just begun. Not only was it a perfect use for my strawberries, I could see how it could be delicious with other summer fruit as the season goes on, as well.
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you will need for this cake …
- Strawberries – fresh strawberries will produce the best results, but thawed frozen strawberries will work as well
- Light brown sugar – dark will work if that’s all you have on hand
- Unsalted butter – or salted will work, but reduce the added salt as noted in the recipe
- Whole milk – for best results, though 2% will work in a pinch. I haven’t tested this recipe with non-dairy alternatives
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional
Step by Step Photos
Add brown sugar to smashed strawberries. Stir and let stand.
Combine the melted butter, sugar and milk.
Whisk the mixture together well.
Add the flour and baking powder.
Whisk the mixture well, until smooth.
Spread the batter into the baking dish and level the top.
Stir the macerated strawberries after they have sat.
Spoon the macerated strawberries over-top of the batter and bake.
Tips
- This is a great recipe to use up strawberries that are just slightly past their prime. As you will be smashing, macerating and baking them, you don’t need to start with perfect berries.
- You just want to smash the strawberries, not mash then. Use the back of a fork to press down and flatten them, just until the juices are released, but the berries keep a bit of shape.
- I used a smaller pan here (8.5 x 5.5-inch), which resulted in a thicker cake. You can use any pan that you have in that approximate range though, from an 8×8-inch round or square, to even a pie plate.
- If you opt for the thicker cake in a smaller pan, note that it will take longer to cook through. Likewise, a larger pan and thinner cake will cook more quickly. Anywhere from 20 minutes to 35 minutes. Cook until a tester comes out clean. My smaller pan took about 35 minutes to bake.
- This dessert is best enjoyed mixed, baked and enjoyed warm from the oven. It probably isn’t the best choice for making ahead. If you pop this one in the oven while you’re eating your main course, it will be ready to enjoy for dessert.
- Serve this warm with some vanilla ice cream.
Top Tip
This recipe could easily be adapted for different fruits. Similar tender fruits such as apricots and peaches would work perfectly. I suspect raspberries and blueberries would work nicely. A harder fruit like apple may need a slight pre-cooking before topping. A mixture of fruits (think peach with blueberries or raspberries!), would also be great.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Strawberry Spoon Cake
Ingredients
- 8 oz strawberries, hulled, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed, 75g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, 115g
- 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature 120ml
- 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt, use 1/4 tsp if you used salted butter. For fine table salt use 1/4 tsp for unsalted butter or just a pinch for salted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 130g
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed, 75g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8-inch (square or round) baking dish. Set aside.
- Using the back of a fork, mash the berries to release all their juices. Stir in 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, milk and salt. Add the flour and baking powder and continue whisking just until the batter is smooth.
- Transfer the batter to the greased baking dish, and spread evenly into corners. (It will be a think layer if using the 8x8 pan). Spoon the strawberries and all their juices over the top of the cake batter. *I like to kind of mound them up in the centre, leaving the outside edges bare.
- Bake in preheated over for 20 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the cake near the centre (avoid poking through a strawberry). *An 8x8 pan will bake for a shorter time (20-25) minutes. A smaller pan, like I used will produce a thicker cake that will take longer to bake. Mine here took about 35 minutes to test clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve warm with ice cream.
Notes
More strawberries desserts you might like …
Are there really no eggs needed in this recipe? Just checking! Thanks for all of the delicious recipes!
Deirdre
Hi Deirdre and thanks And nope, no eggs in this one :) Enjoy!
Baked twice today, first using a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, reserving most of the accumulated juice to spoon over cake as I was serving. Had extra berries so I made another cake batter baking into 9 muffins (baked in paper liners), was a bit too liberal with the juices making a big mess in the baking tins. Tricky baking time if using the juice and berries, my loaf was a bit mushy in the center where the juices had settled.
Bringing muffins to friends early in the morning – we’ll see how they hold overnight, I’m guessing these are best eaten the day they are baked, but I love to experiment. Thanks for always having a recipe for the ingredients I needed to use yesterday. Love your site.
Thanks so much, Renée :)
I saw this recipe in the NYT and made it too (not for the blog, just for my stomach)! It was so SO good!!! Your pictures are just beautiful and make me want to hop in the kitchen and make it again! YUMMY!
Thanks Cheyanne and yes, it was such a delicious dessert wasn’t it?!
I made this yesterday with fresh strawberries. I used an 8×8 pan. It was easy to make and was a nice dessert. I certainly will be making this again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Janice :) Thanks so much!
Our local strawberry season won’t start until later in July, but I’m already dreaming of the desserts I will make. This cake looks like a must try. And it looks perfect for celebrating Canada Day in a few days!
Thanks Leanne and yes, a great Canada Day dessert, too :)
Fabulous.Next time will double or triple it.Made it with Raspberries.
Susan
So glad to hear and I bet it was great with raspberries. I’ll be trying that version next :) Thanks!
If this doesn’t scream summer, I don’t know what does! It’s a lovely day here today and I’d love a big helping while sitting on the deck. Delish!
Thanks Dawn and yes, perfect dessert on the deck :)
Hi can we use thawed blueberries. Diana.
I haven’t tried it with blueberries (yet :), but my feeling is they should work. Definitely thawed, I think, so you can do the macerating thing. If you try it, let me know how it works out!
I love everything you post! I have made so many of your recipes and they are always a hit! Can’t wait to try this one.
Thanks Desiree :) I think you will love this easy dessert, as well!
How easy is this Jennifer?! Perfect for those busy summer nights! Pinned!
Thanks Mary Ann and yes, you can literally whip this one up in no time :)
Oh my goodness! I love spoon cake, and haven’t made it in the longest time! Thanks for the delicious reminder!! Pinned!
It was such a lovely cake and perfect with in-season strawberries :) Thanks!
Lovely recipe for strawberry lovers like me! Definitely will be giving it ago this summer.
Thanks Milena :) Local strawberries have just arrived here, so I’m getting my fill!
I know you must have posted this for me! This is my kind of recipe. Juicy, sweet and loaded with berry flavor. Served warm with ice cream – wow!!!
Lol! Yes, and me, too :) Love this kind of easy, warm and fruit-filled dessert in the Summer. Thanks!