This rustic strawberry cake has all the flavours of strawberry shortcake, in one big, strawberry filled cake form!

strawberry cake sliced on parchment paper

This rustic strawberry cake is super easy, mixed in one bowl, without a mixer, and in the oven in about 15 minutes. It’s great for a last-minute dessert. Enjoy on its own, or top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Strawberries: I love this cake with fresh strawberries, but if you are overflowing with frozen strawberries, they will work as well. Use frozen and allow extra baking time as the batter will stay colder longer.

Heavy Whipping Cream: It’s the heavy whipping cream in the dough that gives this cake it’s rich, shortcake-like texture and flavour. If you prefer, you can use a lighter cream, milk.

Butter: This recipe specified unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the dough to a pinch.

Baker’s Notes

  • This cake is best baked up in an 8-inch springform pan, but you can also use a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. Be sure to line the bottom with parchment, to be sure it comes out of the pan gracefully and note that a larger pan will create a thinner cake that will also cook more quickly!
  • This is a “little goes a long way” cake, when baked up with heavy cream, so I suggest small slices to serve. About 10 slices for the 8-inch round cake is about right. For a dessert, serve on a plate with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

strawberry cake sliced on parchment paper

Making ahead, Storing and Freezing

This cake is best on the day it is baked, but keeps reasonably well covered, at room temperature. The large amount of fruit in the cake will start to moisten the cake as it sits. This cake can also be frozen.

strawberry cake sliced on parchment paper

Get the Recipe: Rustic Strawberry Cake

A delicious strawberry cake that tastes like strawberry shortcake, all in one big strawberry-filled cake.
5 stars from 5 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
  • 2 teaspoon white or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling top before baking

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. (regular bake setting/not fan-assisted). Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender (or two knives) until it is in small pea-size pieces.
  • In small bowl mix the egg, vanilla and cream. Add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir with spoon until just blended. *Mixture will be stiff. Gently mix in about 2/3 of the halved strawberries.
  • Spoon into prepared pan, spreading to the edges and smoothing the top. Arrange remaining halved strawberries on the top of the cake, press them into the batter slightly. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. granulated white or turbinado sugar.
  • Bake for about 55-60 minutes (For an 8-inch springform pan. A larger springform will cook more quickly. Check regularly after about 40 minutes). until the entire top is golden brown and firm and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan. Allow to cool more before removing from the bottom. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature as is, garnished with a sprinkling of icing sugar or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you like.

Notes

Be sure to read the notes above the Recipe Card, where I share more detailed tips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Dessert
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 68mg, Potassium: 207mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 665IU, Vitamin C: 21.3mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 1.5mg
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