A Surprisingly Simple Summer Strawberry Spoon Cake Recipe

A surprisingly simple summer strawberry spoon cake recipe. And I’m typically not one to exaggerate or even rave about things. I’m just the opposite and usually downplay things. But when I tell you this strawberry spoon cake might be my absolute favorite dessert right now, I actually mean my absolute favorite dessert right now. 

It’s hard to imagine that something so simple and so basic can be sooooooo good! But it is. So if you’re looking for an easy summertime dessert, go ahead and give this a try. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I’m pretty sure you will.

The ingredients

This moist, gooey cake comes together very quickly, with minimal effort, and basic pantry ingredients. 

For the fruit

• Fresh strawberries (you can use frozen strawberries, but make sure they are completely defrosted and thawed before using)
• Granulated sugar
• Medium Lemon (you’ll need the zest and the lemon juice)

For the batter

• All-purpose flour
• Almond flour
• Sugar (1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar)
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt
• Whole milk
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Unsalted butter

Instructions for a surprisingly simple dessert

Prepare the fruit

1. Place the strawberries in a medium bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest and lemon. Give it a good stir and let it sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes to allow the fruit to release its juices.

Mix the batter

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.
2. Mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to break apart any brown sugar clumps, then mix everything again.
3. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract using a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
4. Put the butter in an 8-inch round or square cake pan and place in the oven for the butter to melt. Watch closely and remove from the oven when the butter has turned light brown in color. Remove from the oven and swirl the butter around.
5. Pour the melted butter into the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until completely combined.
6. Add the milk mixture and whisk briskly until the batter is smooth.
7. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish or pan.
8. Spoon the fruit mixture gently on top of the cake batter in an even layer. It should be a top layer of jammy strawberries and almost cover the entire surface.
9. Put the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and serve warm.

To serve

Scoop warm spoonfuls of this tender cake into small bowls and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This delightfully unfussy cake with its juicy strawberries is a delicious dessert that will become your summertime favorite!

Can I substitute different fruits with this recipe?

You can absolutely substitute different fruits with this recipe. A selection of your favorite fresh berries or any summer fruit would be a good option. I also think it would be a delicious dessert with peaches. In the fall and winter, I plan on trying it with apples.

If you didn’t want to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, you could try a dollop of whipped cream instead.

How to store the leftovers

If you’re lucky to have leftovers, cover the pan with plastic and store in the refrigerator. I found that warming the leftovers in a preheated 350º oven with foil placed loosely on top.

This simple straightforward cake with strawberries requires no special equipment, just a little time, some fruit, pantry ingredients and you have the most delicious cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Here are some other fun summer desserts you might also enjoy

• 4th of July Brownies
• Grown-up skillet s’mores
• Creamy orange posset
• S’mores icebox cake
• A simple peach galette that tastes like summer
• Sugared basil strawberries with crème Anglaise