Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake, as simple as the title states and flavors that are luxurious and moist, and delectable, using the freshness of B.C. strawberries and the passion for baked goods.

Sometimes simple is all you want to do, meals and desserts that take almost no time between the preparation and the cooking time. But that still pack a ton of flavor in your mouth and leave you with a sense of fulfillment. It is the case of this Strawberry Buttermilk Cake, easy, quick, summery and deliciously juicy and sweet.

We were at the market at La Cité Francophone, some Sundays ago and among all the berries and stone fruit displayed beautifully on a BC produce stand, there were still some strawberries, gorgeous little crimson jewels that when tasted, were sweeter than a Georgia peach. It was a no brainer to take a basket with us, they're still my favorite fruit, after all. Before all you can find in the stores are the huge, who knows what they've pumped it with, monster, somewhat flavorless strawberries -that we do not buy, by the way- I wanted to end strawberry season with the real, organic, unmistakable strawberry flavor.

So when I saw that Deb from Smitten Kitchen (that I love!) had a recipe that well suited the main character of my dessert, it was a sign. This cake was meant to be.

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake here we go!

As I said, it is an easy and fast recipe to make, the ingredients are pretty straightforward, no last minute running to the store to get something you've never heard of before, and you can adapt it to whatever you have in your pantry and fridge. As for me, I am using strawberries as the main ingredients, coconut oil for the fat and unrefined brown sugar for the sweetness. The cake would work with any fruit or berry you want, butter if that is your thing (and butter was in the original recipe), whatever sugar or sweetener you like, and you can even make your own buttermilk with milk and vinegar or lemon juice, if you don't have it handy. Lemon zest, optional in the original recipe, is a must for me and the kind of flavor I like in my cakes. It adds a beautiful touch and with the brown sugar, vanilla and coconut oil, a wonderful aftertaste.

If using a stand mixer the batter comes really fast, if using bowls, a whisk and a spatula, you need a bit more time and elbow grease, but many are the sweets that I make just like that; I really like that old-fashioned way of baking. The oven temperature is pretty high, 400° F, so keep an eye on the cake, since every oven is different and the cake bakes quickly. In my oven, this Strawberry Buttermilk Cake baked in about 20 minutes. The color is a deep golden brown, outside and inside, due to the brown sugar. If you use a granulated sugar you'll end up with a lighter color, but I try to stay away from the refined sugars as much as I can.

The flavor of this cake will have you coming back for seconds and you'll see the cake disappear as quickly as it took you to make it, from the bursts of juiciness of the strawberries, to the moist delicate dimension of the cake, that little tease of coconut, the hint of freshness from the lemon zest, and the brown sugar nicely caramelized and brought to the crust in a beautiful golden hue.

It is always a  good sign for me when a dessert goes quickly,  especially since I am always in desperate need of reassuring words and a boost of confidence.

Song of the day: "Learn To Fly", Foo Fighters.

Recipe adapted on Smitten Kitchen's Raspberry Buttermilk Cake.

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

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Strawberry Buttermilk Cake, as simple as the title states and flavors that are luxurious and moist, and delectable, using the freshness of B.C. strawberries and the passion for baked goods.

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 9-inch cake 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 cup (130 g) organic, unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 56 grams coconut oil, melted (or butter, if you prefer)
• ⅔ cup (146 g) plus ½ tablespoons brown sugar, divided
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 egg
• ½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk
• 1 cup fresh strawberries (or any fruit you like)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan (or use a non-stick pan like I did).
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat coconut oil and ⅔ cup brown sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, then add in vanilla and lemon zest,
4. Add egg and beat well.
5. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
6. Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top.
7. Press strawberries lightly and evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining ½ tablespoons brown sugar.
8. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
9. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, invert, and let cool completely.

Notes

No buttermilk? Add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and let it sit until it clabbers, about 10 minutes.

• Author: Nicoletta
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8-10 servings

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Nicoletta

I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.