Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 1 lb. strawberries (washed, dried, hulled and halved)
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tsp salted or unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch salt (or increase to a heaping 1/4 tsp if using unsalted butter)
  • 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt (preferably Greek)
  • 1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
  • Icing/confectioners' sugar (for dusting before serving)

Instruction

  • Take the butter and eggs out of the fridge in advance, so they both can come to room temperature before starting to make the batter.
  • Prepare the strawberries by hulling, washing, drying and cutting in half. If berries are huge, you can cut them into quarters, if you like. Set aside.
  • Grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350F (not convection bake). **If your baking pan is dark grey or black, reduce the oven temperature to 325F, as the darker pan will retain more heat and cook more quickly. It also helps to avoid over-browning of the outside of the cake.
  • Add the room temperature butter and white sugar to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar together at medium speed (5 or 6 on a stand mixer), until light in colour and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, adding them one at a time and beating between additions. Scrape down the bowl as well, as needed. Add the vanilla and mix in.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter, adding it alternately with the yogurt. (*So add 1/3 flour, then 1/2 the yogurt, then 1/3 flour, then remaining yogurt, then remaining flour, mixing in between additions.)
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly into the pan. Place the prepared strawberries on top of the batter, placing them cut side down, very close together and pressing them into the batter slightly (about 1/4-inch-ish). Fit as many on top as you can, leaving a bit of space between each strawberry and avoiding as best you can having a strawberry right up against the side of the pan. Try to keep a bit of batter around the outside edge, as any strawberries that are right next to the pan may scorch, which doesn't look great and is a bit bitter in taste.
  • Sprinkle top of strawberries with 1 Tbsp white sugar.
  • Bake in preheated oven for about 45-55 minutes for a 10-inch pan or 50-60 minutes for a 9-inch pan. Top should be just lightly golden over the entire top and a little darker towards the edges. The sides of the cake should have pulled away from the sides of the pan. You can test with a skewer in the centre of the cake, but test in a few spots, as the fruit makes the cake quite moist.
  • Remove from the oven and let stand a couple of minutes before running a knife around the outside and removing the outer ring. Allow to cool on a cooling rack a bit more before sliding off the bottom round of the pan and removing the parchment.
  • Sprinkle with icing sugar, when serving. Lovely warm or at room temperature. You can serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, if you like.