I recently attended a “Strawberry Days” fair with my daughters, where the featured concession was fresh strawberries and cream. They were literally selling cups of cut up fresh strawberries with sweetened cream poured over them. 
It’s simple, but WOW, it’s incredible. Strawberries and cream was the delicious inspiration for this Strawberry Breakfast Cake.
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, dried, and sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (approximately 1 lemon)
- 1 cup sugar (reserve 1 tablespoon to sprinkle on top of cake)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons cream (or milk)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Grease a 9-inch round baking pan (or something similar), or coat it with non-stick spray for baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Slice strawberries, sprinkle with cornstarch, toss to coat, and set aside.
- Wash, dry, and zest the peel of 1 lemon to get 2 teaspoons zest.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, measure 1 cup sugar, and remove 1 tablespoon to sprinkle on top of cake. Then cream sugar, butter, and lemon zest until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined.
- Meanwhile, in another medium-sized mixing bowl, measure 2 cups flour and remove 2 tablespoons. Then whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add flour mixture to batter in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, and ending with flour. Be sure to mix thoroughly after each addition.
- Fold in berries, and spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with reserved tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a pick into the center, and if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
- Let cool on wire rack.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl, and beat until smooth. Spread or pipe onto cake while still slightly warm.
Grease a 9-inch round baking pan (or something similar), or coat it with non-stick spray for baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash, dry, remove stems, and slice
12 ounces fresh strawberries (2 cups sliced)
Sprinkle with
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Toss to coat, and then set aside for a few minutes.
Wash, dry, and zest the peel of 1 lemon to get 2 teaspoons zest.
Measure 1 cup sugar, and remove 1 tablespoon to sprinkle on top of cake. Then …
… in a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together
1 cup sugar (minus 1 tablespoon)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Beat until fluffy.
Add
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat until well combined.
Meanwhile, in another medium-sized mixing bowl, measure
2 cups flour
Then remove 2 tablespoons..
Whisk together
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
Measure
½ cup buttermilk.
Add one third of the flour mixture to batter, and …
… alternate with half of the buttermilk.
Continue alternating flour …
… buttermilk, and
… end with flour.
Be sure to mix thoroughly after each addition.
Fold in sliced strawberries, and …
… spread batter into prepared pan. Arrange additional strawberries on top for decoration, if desired.
Sprinkle top with reserved tablespoon of sugar, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
You’ll know it’s done if you insert a pick into the center, and if it comes out clean.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
When it’s cool, make the cream cheese icing.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine
3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons cream (or milk)
½ teaspoon vanilla
Beat until smooth and creamy.
You can put the icing into a plastic bag, snip off the corner, and …
… pipe it onto the cake. ~OR~ you can just spread it.
Slice, and ….
… serve.
Yummy!