Warm Strawberry Crumb Cake

Our special springtime family tradition is to go strawberry picking. We love it. 🙂 This year, our favorite berry picking farm limited the quantity each person could pick because a cold snap in the early spring damaged a lot of their plants. I had to go pick on two separate occasions!

There is always a lot of pressure to put our pickings to good use. Along with my mandatory strawberry jam and pancakes, I also made strawberry muffins and this amazing dessert – my new addition this year. This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Gerard Craft. I made half of the recipe and modified the baking time accordingly. We ate it warm with vanilla ice cream. It could also be a very special breakfast. Fabulous!!

I’m joining Angie’s party with this one over at Fiesta Friday #125 co-hosted by my friends Quinn @ Dad What’s 4 Dinner and Elaine @ Foodbod. Check out their wonderful blogs & the fiesta!

Yield: Serves 6

For the Filling:

• 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved (4 cups)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/4 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 1/4 tablespoons of water
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

For the Crumb Topping:

• 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• pinch of coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

For the Cake:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons, unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 large eggs (It’s a little tricky!)
• 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

For Serving:

• vanilla ice cream, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350°, preferably on convection.
2. In a large bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch slurry and vanilla seeds and let stand until the berries release some of their juices, about 30 minutes.
3. Pour the fruit filling into a 8×8-inch pan (9-by-13-inch if doubling the recipe) glass or ceramic baking dish set on a sturdy baking sheet.
4. In a medium bowl, mix all of the Crumb Topping ingredients with a pastry blender or your fingers until a coarse meal forms; press into small clumps. (I set this mixture aside in the refrigerator.)
5. To Make the Cake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
6. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.
8. Beat in the vanilla extract and scrape down the bowl.
9. Add the dry ingredients to the batter in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk.
10. Spoon the batter over the fruit filling, spreading it to the edge. Sprinkle with the crumb topping.
11. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling, the crumb topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. (I baked it for 45 minutes for the proportions in the recipe and with the recipe doubled and baked in an enameled cast iron baking dish.)
12. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Serve the crumb cake warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead: The crumb cake can be refrigerated overnight. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: The fruit filling can also be made with a combination of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.

One Year Ago:

• Strawberry Slab Pie
• Strawberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes

Two Years Ago:

• Strawberry-Graham Scones
• Alton Brown’s Berry Muffins

Three Years Ago:

• Strawberry Summer Cake
• Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
• Strawberry-Vanilla Bean Jam

If you like this you may also like:

• Old Fashioned Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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