This easy strawberry spoon cake is wonderfully moist and buttery and topped with macerated strawberries. Ready in just 30 minutes start to eating!
This strawberry spoon cake is a favourite bake every strawberry season when I’m wanting a quick strawberry cake. I first discovered it on the NYT cooking site, and it has been in regular rotation ever since. It is one of the easiest and most satisfying strawberry desserts. Spoon cake is perfect comfort food!
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.
Did you know? Spoon cake gets its name from the way it is served – with a big spoon – to be able to grab some of the crispy edges and the soft, fruity centre with one spoonful.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Strawberries – Fresh strawberries will produce the best results. I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen, then thawed strawberries.
Light brown sugar – you can use dark brown sugar if that’s all you have on hand
Unsalted butter – salted will also work, but reduce the added salt as noted in the recipe
Whole milk – this would be 3-3.5% b.f. milk, for best results, though 2% will work in a pinch. I haven’t tested this recipe with non-dairy alternatives, though I suspect they would work fine.
Recipe 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 them. 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 spoon cake 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.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This strawberry cake is best enjoyed freshly baked. While it can sit for a day or so, the moisture from the berries will seep into the cake as it sits.
You could freeze any leftovers for longer storage for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Easy Strawberry Spoon Cake
Ingredients
- 8 oz. strawberries, hulled, fresh
- 1/3 cup (75 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon 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 (130 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (75 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (regular bake/not fan assisted) and grease an 8-inch (square or round) baking dish. Set aside.
- Place strawberries in a medium bowl. 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 mixing 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 8×8 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 8×8 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
- 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 them. 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.
More strawberry cake recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
The recipe calls for putting the batter in the bottom of a cake pan and spooning strawberries on top however the picture shows the strawberries on bottom. can you clarify
Hi Claire, the strawberries go on the top. When you spoon out a piece, some of the strawberries and juices will run off the top into the empty space.