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Serves a Crowd

Beach House Strawberry Cake

by:
July 16, 2011
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 17, more or less
Author Notes

My family rents a house on the Florida panhandle every summer, and this year I found myself baking almost every day. (I made chocolate cake with ganache frosting, ChefJune's fig tart, my blueberry pie with lime zest.) This morning, our last morning, I found 2 pounds of strawberries untouched in the refrigerator, and decided to make a strawberry cake. I wanted to use the recent recipe from smitten kitchen, but didn't have some of the ingredients (like butter) and didn't have a mixer, and needed to make enough for 17 people, so while I was inspired by her recipe, I changed it enough that I don't know if she'd even want to be associated with it. It did smell like the best of summer when it came out of the oven, and was good both warm and at room temperature. I have no idea how well it keeps because it didn't last a day in this house. —drbabs

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Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 cups All purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/4 cup half and half or milk
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (my preference)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
Directions
  1. Butter or oil a 3 quart pyrex or other baking dish. Heat oven to 350.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
  3. In another large bowl, mix together yogurt, half and half, oil and vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time and whisk till thoroughly combined.
  4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients till just combined. The batter will be lumpy like muffin batter. That's OK. Pour it into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place strawberries over the top, trying to put them close together so you can cram in lots of strawberries. Sprinkle the top with sugar.
  5. Bake for about an hour till the edges are golden brown and a tester comes out free of cake batter. (This could take a while because the strawberries get jammy and soft. It took an hour and 10 minutes in our oven, but this is a vacation house so who knows how the oven is calibrated? Check frequently.)
  6. Let cool a bit before serving.
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22 Reviews

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kiers April 5, 2023
I found this cake a couple of years ago when I was looking for a way to use up way too many strawberries. Its been a hit the multiple times per spring/summer that I've made it since - including from my father in law who is an excellent baker! I do swap the regular yogurt for vanilla yogurt, and add a touch of extra vanilla extract, but either way it is delicious!
drbabs April 5, 2023
Thanks for letting me know! I’m so glad you like it
KM June 20, 2015
I didn't have a lemon on hand, so I used lime zest instead. Tasted great!
drbabs June 21, 2015
I'm so glad you liked it.
beeloves2cook August 11, 2011
I used this recipe as a guide to make my own since I didn't quite have all the ingredients. I only have a little less then 1/2 the amount of strawberries so I used banana in substitute for the rest of the strawberries then I used heavy whipping cream instead of half & half. & olive oil instead of vegetable oil. This works well because not only is olive oil healthier but its fruitier in flavor. & I sprinkled light brown sugar on top instead of white sugar. & baked for about half the time since I cut the recipe in half. Worked perfect & tasted great!
drbabs August 11, 2011
I'm so honored that you were inspired by my recipe. I love all your adaptations. I really did make this at a beach house and used what we had left after almost a week there. It's very forgiving, and I'm sure your version tasted delicious! Thanks for commenting.
katherine_i._menasion-murphy July 19, 2011
Hi Fran, right there with you! I only have one kid, but still it's a lot shopping, planning, cooking, and oh yeah, clean up!
My son is 16...he has to know how to prepare 7 full dinners before he goes off to college, we are almost there. He is excited about cooking, and loves the pleasure it gives others
lorigoldsby July 18, 2011
I bet this was so yummy warm out of the oven!
drbabs July 19, 2011
It was--thanks. (we just snacked on it all day long.)
fiveandspice July 18, 2011
Mmmm, this does look just like summer. Sounds amazing!
drbabs July 19, 2011
Thanks--it's really easy, too.
Midge July 18, 2011
Oh yum! This is my kind of cake.
drbabs July 19, 2011
I wanted to make your birthday cake for my brother's birthday, but I couldn't find cake pans in the house we were renting.
Midge July 19, 2011
Baking incessantly is one of my favorite parts of family summer vacations..
TheWimpyVegetarian July 17, 2011
I love strawberry cake and I admire your bravery with baking experimentation! We've got a family party next week that this would be perfect for!
drbabs July 17, 2011
Thanks. You don't know my family--they'll eat anything. But I felt OK about it--the cake base is a basic yogurt pound cake, and the strawberries were amazing, so I figured it would turn out OK and it really did!
Sagegreen July 17, 2011
Yum. I think I would have this warm with cold vanilla ice cream.
drbabs July 17, 2011
Thanks--it was!
cookinginvictoria July 17, 2011
Looks really yummy, drbabs! I have a bunch of strawberries in the fridge. This looks like the perfect use for them!
drbabs July 17, 2011
I hope you enjoy it. It's very easy and forgiving.
aargersi July 16, 2011
Yum Dr B! This sounds amazing! Nice use of the remaining berries ...
drbabs July 17, 2011
Thanks aargersi! I think any berries would work.