Fresh Strawberry Lemon Cake
This single layer cake is so simple to make but fancy enough for just about any special occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cut fresh strawberries, about ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup avocado or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
Glaze
- 1 cup sifted powder sugar
- 2-4 teaspoons lemon juice or more as needed
- Reserved strawberry-sugar liquid
Topping
- Fresh strawberries, stems removed, halved and quartered
- Lemon Zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter, oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine strawberries and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl, stir to coat berries and set aside.
- Stir together flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir together buttermilk, oil and eggs until blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in liquid mixture; stir gently but thoroughly until well mixed. Remove the strawberries with a spoon from the small bowl, reserving the liquid that collects in the bottom. Fold the strawberries into the batter until evenly incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake in the center of the preheated oven until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 42-50 minutes. Remove cake to wire rack and let cool slightly in pan until cool enough to handle, 15-20 minutes. Slide a sharp knife around the edge of the pan if cake is sticking. Invert cake onto wire rack and give a good tap to remove cake from pan. Cool cake completely.
- To make glaze: stir reserved strawberry-sugar liquid (you should have about 1 tablespoon) and 2 teaspoons lemon juice into sifted powder sugar. Add more lemon juice to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle cake with glaze and decorate center with strawberries. Garnish with lemon zest if desired.
- Makes 8 to 12 servings.