Make Ahead

Strawberry Cake for Mother's Day (and Other Days)

by:
May 12, 2013
4
13 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 8 to 12
Author Notes

When my daughter in law asked me to make dessert for Mother's Day, I gave her the choice of berries or chocolate, and she chose berries. I was going to make my Beach House Strawberry Cake (http://food52.com/recipes...), but because i had made it in a vacation house, it had some flaws I wanted to correct--it was dense and heavy, it used oil instead of butter (oil imparts moistness, but I prefer the taste of butter), and it was kind of ugly (my fault for my random placement of strawberries). So I decided to modify that recipe, but still make a snacky cake that could serve a bunch of people for dessert after a barbecue.

I used Shirley Corriher's wonderful book Bakewise to make the improvements I wanted--she suggests beating the butter well before adding the sugar and then beating them well together, adding the eggs on low speed, whisking the flour-baking powder-salt mixture well to evenly distribute the leavening, and adding a little oil to increase the cake's moistness. —drbabs

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Directions
  1. Butter an 8x12 ceramic dish. Heat oven to 350.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together till thoroughly blended. Whisk milk and yogurt together. Set both aside.
  3. Place butter into bowl of stand mixer, and beat on medium speed till very light, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed another 3 minutes till almost white in color. Scrape down as needed. Add vanilla extract and oil, and continue to beat on medium speed till well blended.
  4. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add eggs one at a time and continue to mix just till well blended.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to lowest setting ("stir" on my mixer). Alternate milk mixture and flour mixture and stir till just well blended.
  6. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place the strawberries on the top in a pretty pattern, cut side down. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for about an hour and 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, and a tester comes out free of cake batter.
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • bakergirl
    bakergirl
  • FrugalCat
    FrugalCat
  • Eric Wilcox
    Eric Wilcox
  • Louise Atkinson
    Louise Atkinson
  • Stephanie Simos
    Stephanie Simos

106 Reviews

mbobden May 5, 2022
I am making this for Mothers Day! You mention Ms Corriher's advice in your intro. I wonder if you have tried this cake with her aha moment, ie adding 1/2 c whipped cream to the batter which she has learned lightens a cake and loves the result. I am thinking it might apply here as some comments report denseness.
Re Greek yogurt, Which do you recommend, the thicker type like Fage or thinner as Chobani? Thank you, love your recipes.
 
drbabs May 6, 2022
I have not tried adding whipped cream. And I usually use whatever yogurt I have in the house. Let us know what happens if you change it. And thank you!
 
Amy L. April 17, 2022
I made 1/2 recipe of this cake for Easter brunch and was pleasantly surprised. The cake is a light and fluffy consistency and still very moist. I will definitely be making this again and probably play around with different fruit combinations on the topping.
 
drbabs April 17, 2022
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know.
 
bakergirl July 11, 2020
Made this today. Love, love, love!!!! Thank you.
 
drbabs July 11, 2020
Thank you! You made my day!
 
FrugalCat October 11, 2019
I made it with raspberries and also used all turbinado sugar. It was fantastic. Would frozen berries (thawed, drained) work as well?
 
drbabs October 11, 2019
I’m so glad you liked it. I think frozen berries will work, but will probably have a more jammy consistency.
 
Eric W. May 15, 2019
Is this just the snack cake renamed? Looks like the same recipe.
 
drbabs May 15, 2019
Same concept. I reworked this one a bit.
 
Eric W. May 15, 2019
Gotcha! It's one of our favorites and our strawberries are ripening so I'll have to try this version. I see oil is added and I'm guessing some qty. adjustments?
 
Louise A. November 14, 2018
Made this yesterday and it was lovely. Thank you.
 
drbabs November 14, 2018
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it.
 
Amy June 29, 2017
Seems 7x11 is a more standard size than 8x12.
 
Stephanie S. May 1, 2017
This looks so wonderful! Perfect treat for a sunny afternoon with Mom. I only have a 9" springform pan or a fluted, round 8" cake pan (removable bottom). Any thoughts on which one would work better and how I should modify? Thanks for the insight! I am new to baking!
 
drbabs May 2, 2017
Stephanie, I think the 9" springform pan will work, but to be extra safe, make sure it's locked well (check for leaks with water ahead of time). And even so, I would probably cover the outside bottom and sides with foil so that if it leaks, you won't get batter all over your oven. I hope it works well for you. Baking is fun!
 
Erica February 4, 2017
I know this is years later.....but I'm wondering about frozen strawberries so I can make this for Valentine's Day. Would there be any increase or decrease in any ingredients? Would it work? Thanks!
 
drbabs February 5, 2017
Hi Erica. I didn't know if it will work... Probably... The strawberries might soften more and be a little jammy, but that might be ok. Good luck! Please let us know how it turns out.
 
Erica April 17, 2022
Ha! Again, years later! I made this quite a few times (really great simple recipe) and once broke down and used out of season strawberries - in Calif we have everything all yr long - and once used frozen strawberries w/out defrosting and slightly reduced the milk. Came out well every time.
 
drbabs April 17, 2022
I’m so glad!
 
LULULAND July 7, 2016
ok, just trying to help. I didn't refrigerate it either, the leftovers, but it did make the strawberries look kind of funny, or spent. So, that's why I suggested to refrigerate it..
 
drbabs July 7, 2016
Yes, I can see how that would happen, but for just overnight, I think Julie will be OK.
 
LULULAND July 7, 2016
Yes, I think it would keep fine. I would refrigerate it overnight, and then bring it out in the am to come again to room temperature!
 
drbabs July 7, 2016
Hi Lululand. For just one day, I wouldn't refrigerate it--refrigerating it will change the texture of the whole cake. I'd let it cool completely and then wrap it to store at room temp overnight.
 
Julie July 7, 2016
How long will this keep? I'm wondering if I can make it a day ahead of when I want to serve it.
 
drbabs July 7, 2016
It should be fine; the top will probably be more jammy than crisp, but that's OK.
 
Jane K. June 20, 2016
I made this cake for a housewarming party on Saturday and it was a smashing success!! Thank you.
 
drbabs June 20, 2016
I'm so glad you liked it!
 
Jean'sCuisine June 16, 2016
Anyone tried this with with rhubarb or strawberry rhubarb combo??
 
drbabs June 16, 2016
I haven't, but it should be fine. Other fruits do work well.
 
Laura D. June 16, 2016
Has anyone tried freezing this cake?
 
drbabs June 16, 2016
Sorry, no.
 
LULULAND June 1, 2016
I used a 9x13 pan and it turned out lovely! Try that size pan and it will work! Check your oven temperature. Good luck!
 
Nanda G. June 1, 2016
Thanks! Mine didn't really work in the 9" either. That's what it says to do in the food52 Baking book (congrats drbabs for making it in!), so i'll cross it out and put 9x13 as the alternate. i did check my oven temp, for what it's worth, so i think we should just remove the 9" pan recommendation.
 
Alev E. May 30, 2016
I just made this and I am really disappointed. I used a 9" pan. There is just too much fruit for it (I think also for the other size). It took more than 2 hours to bake thru by which time all the fruit on top got dry and almost burnt.
 
drbabs May 31, 2016
I'm so sorry it didn't work for you.
 
Nanda G. May 15, 2019
TMine didn't really work in the 9" either. That's what it says to do in the food52 Baking book (congrats drbabs for making it in!), so i'll cross it out and put 9x13 as the alternate. i did check my oven temp, for what it's worth, so i think we should just remove the 9" pan recommendation.
 
Nanda G. May 8, 2016
One thing that was never addressed here is when one changes to the 2" deep 9" round cake pan, there is far less surface area for the strawberries. I tried my best to get them all on there, but a bunch were left behind. I just find the 8x12" pan size unusual, not sure what I will do next time.
 
Bevi May 2, 2016
Made this cake a third time in 2 weeks. For the last iteration, I did not have enough strawberries, so I subbed with blueberries to fill in the blank spaces and made a pretty design. Blueberries appear to work just as well, so my nephew, who is deathly allergic to strawberries, will be getting a blueberry cake for Mother's Day!
 
drbabs May 2, 2016
<3
 
LULULAND March 28, 2016
I want to try this as I have a lot of strawberries. Can I use a 10" springform pan? thanks
 
drbabs March 28, 2016
Yes, it should be fine. You just might have to bake it a little longer. Enjoy!
 
LizCo77 June 22, 2015
Total winner! I made this for Father's Day, and it was moist, flavorful, and a hit with the extended family. I was a little low on yogurt, and all I had on hand was half and half, so I did about 3/4 cup of each. I also only had a 10 x 10 round Cazuela to bake it in, so after the hour and ten minutes had passed and my cake tester was still coming out not-so-clean, I lowered the heat to 300 and baked it for an additional 10 minutes. Delicious, thank you!
 
magpiebaker May 29, 2015
Just tried this - cake was a little dense for what I'm used to, but the flavor was excellent. I think next time I will try beating butter/sugar for longer before adding eggs. I did find that it only took about 50 minutes (in a ceramic 8x12 dish) so peek at it early on.
 
Ruth J. May 8, 2015
I'm curious about whether or not a metal pan will work. I don't have a glass or ceramic one that will work.
 
drbabs May 8, 2015
yes! Enjoy!
 
Hollie D. May 6, 2015
Could I use a 9x13 pan? Would it come out too thin do you think?
 
drbabs May 6, 2015
You can. Just increase all the ingredients by 50%, and it will be the same thickness.
 
Ruth J. April 30, 2015
Can anyone help me with a pan substitution?
 
drbabs April 30, 2015
Yes, of course. What do you want to do?
 
jeanne M. May 1, 2015
hi ~ I'd like to use a 9" ceramic pie plate. will that work & are there any time or temperature adjustments? thank you!
 
drbabs May 1, 2015
I think it will be fine--it will be higher because the area of the 9" dish is about 2/3 of the area of my dish--even so, you'll probably just have to bake it a little longer (and make sure to leave about an inch of head room).
 
jeanne M. May 1, 2015
thanks!
 
jeanne M. May 4, 2015
cake turned out great; everyone loved! thank you!
 
drbabs May 4, 2015
That's so great! Thanks for letting me know!
 
Dina M. June 30, 2014
Now you tell me! I spent all weekend trying to use up my farmer's market berries, and this pops up on Monday morning...ha ha, can't wait to make this one.
I did make Midge's Strawberry Lime Crostada, and it is fantastic!
 
Lisa Y. June 30, 2014
Well, since I promised to post my outcome, I will, although I made quite a few adjustments. It turned out great/to my taste, but is probably quite a bit different from the original recipe. To make this gluten free and honey-sweetened, I used 1/2 c of honey in place of the sugar, did not sprinkle sugar on top, and subbed 1 1/2 c of all purpose gluten free flour and 1/2 c of almond flour for the flour. Instead of the milk, I used 1 1/2 c of regular (not Greek) yogurt, and for the oil, used coconut oil. Very dense, moist cake, exactly what I was aiming for.
 
drbabs June 30, 2014
I'm so glad it worked for you.
 
Greta D. June 29, 2014
Since this recipe makes a dense cake, I was fairly certain I could make a Gluten Free version for my friends with very little trouble. I used Namaste Foods Perfect Flour Blend (Gluten Free) and subbed coconut oil for the veg oil. This resulted in a moist, dense cake that was much appreciated by GF and Non GF friends alike!
 
drbabs June 29, 2014
Great to know.
 
gretch374 June 28, 2014
Just made this with sour cream because I didn't have yogurt and there was no time to go to the store. Wow. Really incredible flavor and texture. Now I'm going to have a hard time deciding whether to make this or a crumble with all my fruit this summer! Thank you for this fantastic recipe.
 
drbabs June 28, 2014
Thanks for letting me know. Im glad you liked it.
 
drbabs June 28, 2014
I'm really glad that my recipe has inspired so much creativity. I must tell you, though, that this is dessert, not health food. The oil makes the cake extra moist while the butter makes it taste good. I don't find the cake to be super sweet-- I don't like overly sweet desserts, but you might. Keep in mind that everything you're thinking of doing-- making it gluten free, changing the fat to sugar ratio, using honey instead of sugar-- will change the chemistry of baking the cake. You might want to consult Shirley Corriher's Bakewise-- she writes a lot about the science of baking and what you have to do to balance chemistry when you make changes like the ones you propose. Please let me know how it all turns out.
 
Linda June 28, 2014
I cup of sugar per 2 cups of flour does not seem "less sweet" to me
 
Greta D. June 28, 2014
Am going to try to make this Gluten Free...
 
Andie June 28, 2014
How about a real food substitute for vegetable oil? More butter?
 
Lisa Y. June 28, 2014
I was wondering the same thing...am planning to try this tomorrow and will post the result (although I will likely make a number of other changes too...gf, honey-sweetened, etc...)
 
redorgreen126 June 29, 2014
coconut oil!
 
Greta D. June 29, 2014
I used liquid coconut oil, worked great!
 
Amandadp June 19, 2014
This cake is delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe. It's denser, but I prefer that kind of cake to a lighter one. I think the butter is key because it adds so much to the flavour. I'm imagining making this with all kinds of fruit this summer!
 
drbabs June 26, 2014
Thanks!
 
DeannaC June 15, 2014
How do you keep your strawberries from sinking and getting covered up by the batter? The cake still came out delicious.
 
drbabs June 15, 2014
Hmmm, that has never happened to me. Maybe your strawberries are especially juicy?
 
drbabs June 26, 2014
I haven't had to do this but you might want to try it:
http://www.splendidtable.org/story/to-stop-fruit-from-sinking-in-cake-batter-coat-it-in-flour-first
 
ShaunaF June 12, 2014
So I have made this twice now, and find it very dense. I am following all the directions for room temp ingredients and mixing times. Is this just a very dense cake or is something wrong? Thanks in advance.
 
drbabs June 12, 2014
It's somewhat dense, depending on how juicy the berries are. Beating the butter really well, and then beating the eggs in till the mixture is very light helps. So does using full fat yogurt and milk. I'm sorry it didn't work for you.
 
drbabs June 29, 2014
Shauna, I made it today with blueberries and it came out denser than usual. I was almost out of yogurt so I used more milk than yogurt, rather than the other way around. So I think the denseness is caused by either too much liquid, or not enough acid. Could this be what happened in your case?
 
ShaunaF June 29, 2014
It could have been the problem the first time, as I used 1 1/2 cups homemade yogurt instead of what the recipe calls for (greek yogurt/milk). The second time I made it per instructions though. However, I've continued to follow the threads of comments, and they remain so positive I am going to try again when the next crop of fruit hits the farmer's market (peaches I think). Thanks for your suggestions.
 
MattieK June 7, 2014
Made this yesterday for my mom and sister as written and it's disappearing before my eyes. Magic! Thank you!
 
drbabs June 8, 2014
Thank you! I'm so happy you all liked it.
 
Linda W. June 7, 2014
I used 1% and whole wheat flour and my husband and I loved it. Also it smelled sooo good cooking. Did find it tasted better reheated than cold ,could be because I used wh. wt. flour don't know.
 
drbabs June 8, 2014
Good to know.
 
JJGood June 7, 2014
Is this a recipe where whole milk is necessary, or will skim/1% do?
 
drbabs June 7, 2014
I made it last week with 2%. It's very forgiving.
 
JJGood June 7, 2014
Terrific, thanks!
 
Musebe June 3, 2014
I have a pint of farmer's market blueberries can I substitute for strawberry
 
drbabs June 3, 2014
Yes! Enjoy.
 
Andrea June 2, 2014
I made this cake over the weekend with homegrown strawberries. Boy, was it a hit! the cake was moist and tender with lots of strawberry flavor.
 
drbabs June 2, 2014
I made it this weekend, too! I'm so glad you liked it.
 
Linda W. May 31, 2014
Thanks a bunch
 
drbabs May 31, 2014
My pleasure.
 
Linda W. May 31, 2014
Do you have the nutritional content esp. calories available?
 
drbabs May 31, 2014
I don't, but I put it into a calorie counting app. The app would only let me put in nonfat yogurt, and it assumed 8 servings. Here you go:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 150 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 393Calories from Fat 150
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16.7g26%
Saturated Fat 8.5g43%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 73mg24%
Sodium 124mg5%
Potassium 153mg4%
Total Carbohydrates 56.1g19%
Dietary Fiber 1.2g5%
Sugars 31.7g
Protein 6.7g
Vitamin A 8% • Vitamin C 19%
Calcium 9% • Iron 10%

 
Kristin May 30, 2014
Is there a good substitute for the butter? Veg oil?
 
drbabs May 30, 2014
You can use vegetable oil, but the cake will be denser and not as tasty (IMHO).
 
ShaunaF May 28, 2014
I have homemade plain yogurt, and it seems a waste to strain it to get thicker yogurt and then add back liquid as milk. Do you think I could use 1 1/2 cups plain regular yogurt? Thanks!
 
drbabs May 28, 2014
Yes, definitely. I added milk to the yogurt to thin it.
 
Gibson2011 May 26, 2014
8x12 seems like a strange size. Would things go horribly awry if I used a 9x13?
 
drbabs May 27, 2014
8x12 is the size of the ceramic pan I used. I've made versions of his cake on vacation with whatever size I could hack. If you use a 9x13 pan, you'll have about 20% more area. So the cake will be shallower, and you'll probably need more strawberries to cover the top. Please let us know how it turns out.
 
drbabs May 31, 2014
Gibson. I don't know if you've tried this yet, but I just put the cake in the oven, and if you want to use a more standard sized baking pan, I'd suggest 8x8 or 9x9.
 
Jennifer C. May 26, 2014
I dont have turbinado sugar in my pantry. What kind of sugar is a good replacement?
 
drbabs May 26, 2014
Any sugar is fine, or you could leave it out. I hope you enjoy it!
 
Laurelb May 26, 2014
How will it affect the baking time to use a glass dish instead if ceramic
 
drbabs May 26, 2014
It will probably be a little shorter. I'd say start testing it when you can smell it. The good thing about a glass baking dish is that you can see through it to tell what's happening. (I've made it in a glass baking dish at a vacation house, but I don't remember the exact times. All ovens are different anyway. Part of the adventure of baking.)
 
Laurelb May 26, 2014
Can you use a glass baking dish?
 
drbabs May 26, 2014
Yes!