Glazed Strawberry Coffee Cake
with loads of brown sugar and sour cream.
Hi Bakers!
This recipe is everything you could ever ask from a simple strawberry cake. It’s full of sweet strawberries, has a soft, tender crumb, is easy to whip up, and perfect for taking just about anywhere. You’ll love the buttery, brown sugar crumble bits on top. And I know it’s all about the strawberries this week, but I bet this same recipe formula would be amazing with different summer fruits all season long.
This cake was inspired by one of my first bosses at a staff holiday pot luck. Holiday hours were pretty brutal at the local bakery where I worked in my early twenties. After a long season of cakes, cookies, and tortes, what a pastry chef prepares for a party might surprise you.
20 years later, and I’m still thinking about this simple dish: Fresh strawberries, sour cream, and brown sugar. That’s it. A little dip in the sour cream then rolled in sugar. Eat and enjoy. Pure, uncomplicated, and supremely satisfying.
I took those key components (sweet and juicy strawberries, tangy sour cream, and robust dark brown sugar) and turned them into this mouth-watering coffee cake. The brown sugar adds molasses and butterscotch flavor to the addictive buttery streusel on top. The sour cream not only keeps the cake extremely moist, but it makes for the most perfectly sweet and tangy topping that ties everything together.
Brown Sugar Crumble
The Ingredients:
¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (66g) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
The Method:
Stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.
Stir in the butter. Toss and smear it between your fingertips until the butter breaks into bits that are covered in the flour mixture.
Continue mixing until the whole mess is crumbly - some large chunks sticking together when pressed between your hands.
Chill in the fridge as you prepare the cake.
Strawberry Coffee Cake
The Ingredients:
1 ¾ cup (220g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100g) brown sugar
½ cup (120ml) neutral oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup (180ml) sour cream
1 ½ cups (218g) strawberries, diced
The Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined
Add in half of the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the sour cream and stir to combine. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Scatter the strawberries over the top of the batter.
Top the cake with the chilled crumble. It might seem like there is too much, but make sure to use it all and sprinkle all the way to the edges.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.
Sour Cream Vanilla Glaze
The Ingredients:
1 cup (130g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp sour cream
½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
Milk or water, as needed to thin
The Method:
In a small bowl with a mini whisk or spoon, stir together the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
Add a splash of milk or water until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle with a spoon.
Serving and Storage:
Serve the cake sliced and drizzled with sour cream glaze at room temperature.
Store leftovers in a lidded container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Extend the shelf life slightly by placing the covered cake slices in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.