A lot of dessert recipes are complicated. But I say this with all honesty: this one could not be simpler to make.
The prep takes about twenty minutes, tops. And if you were in a rush or you wanted to use frozen unsweetened strawberries when the fresh variety is out of season, you might be able to throw this together in ten. But I do prefer the luscious, sweet flavor of fresh berries, and highly recommend serving this up in the spring and summer, when they’re at their peak.
You don’t even need an electric mixer. Though, if you do have one, I highly recommend it for whipping the egg whites, and it will help to speed the process along even more.
The strawberries, which I halved, can be simply washed and plopped on top of the batter in a rectangular pan, and then you just throw it all in the oven and walk away.
You could even use a different berry, like blueberries or raspberries, or experiment with different kinds of fruit like peaches or plums.
In my personal catalog of desserts, this one is the Easiest Cake Ever. And it emerges from the oven looking so pretty and impressive, no one would ever guess how simple the prep work actually is to make it. It’s perfect for parties, or simple Sundays at home, and it’s big enough to share with a crowd.
This is a cake that gets a solid crust on top. The bits of batter around the berries turn barely pink as they meld with the berry juices in the oven, and the inside is moist and delicious, with a touch of lemon, almond, and vanilla flavor.
You’ll feed this one to your guests or loved ones, saying “Oh, it was no big deal!” And they’ll ask what in the world is in this, and how did you make it, and WOW the look on their faces will be priceless. (True story.)
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Easy Strawberry Slab Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
There’s nothing like a slice of moist, and flavorful strawberry cake to lighten up a dull week, made with fresh fruit and a touch of lemon, almond, and vanilla.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened (14 Tbsp)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, halved
- Confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a electric hand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. This will take approximately 7-10 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla and almond extracts until incorporated. Add egg yolks in one at a time, beating in each one before adding the next.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form firm peaks.
- Fold half of the flour mixture and half of the egg whites into the batter. Once combined, fold in the remaining flour mixture and egg whites.
- Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Scrape the batter into the pan, spread with a spatula to form an even layer.
- Arrange the strawberries on top, spaced evenly over the surface of the batter.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely in the pan before dusting with confectioners sugar.
Notes
Adapted from Everybody Likes Sandwiches and Not Derby Pie.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Keywords: strawberry, cake, summer
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Halve Strawberries, Zest Lemon, and Measure Remaining Ingredients
Cut the tops off of the strawberries, then cut them in half. Set aside.
Measure butter and let soften to room temperature before beginning the recipe.
Measure out remaining ingredients and arrange them in the order they appear in the list of ingredients.
Place a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 350°F.
Step 2 – Make Dry Mixture
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a small bowl, whisking to combine.
Set aside until ready to use in the batter.
Step 3 – Start Batter
To start making the batter, add the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Note that you can also use a bowl with an electric hand mixer if desired.
Beat the butter and sugars together on high speed until light and fluffy. This will take approximately 7-10 minutes.
Add the vanilla and almond extracts, and beat to combine. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, only adding the next one when the previous one has been fully incorporated. Set aside.
Step 4 – Beat Egg Whites
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk or handheld electric mixer until they form stiff peaks, about 3-5 minutes.
You’ll know you have stiff peaks when you pull out the beaters and the whites hold their shape at the ends, as well as in the bowl where you lifted them out.
Step 5 – Finish Batter
Gently fold half of the flour mixture and half of the egg whites into the batter. Once this has been fully incorporated, add the remaining flour mixture and egg whites.
Fold together until just incorporated, combining the ingredients with a light touch to avoid deflating the egg whites.
You don’t want to overmix this batter, but it will be thick.
Step 6 – Add to Pan and Bake
Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Add the batter to the pan and spread it into the corners with a spatula, lightly smoothing the top.
Gently add the strawberries on top. There is no need to press them into the batter, as they will sink during baking.
Bake for 30 minutes. The top will be golden brown and a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center.
Let the cake cool completely and then dust with confectioners sugar, using a sifter or fine mesh strainer.
The Perfect Tea Cake For Fancy Parties or Casual Get-Togethers
To me, the ideal dessert is one that can work for multiple occasions. I love a dessert that I can dress up easily, but also dress down to fit any occasion.
This strawberry cake recipe fits that mold completely.
To dress this cake up, take it out of the pan and slice it before serving on a large platter. Place strawberries around the edges of the platter. It’s ideal for baby showers, bridal showers, and tea parties.
Alternatively, this cake can easily be dressed down by simply keeping it in the pan and bringing it to your next gathering.
It looks delicious but not so fancy that everyone else who is bringing food will feel intimidated by your mad baking skills, and it’s easy to transport in the baking dish. Just make sure you get it back after the party!
For more fluffy cake recipes, bake one of our favorite recipes:
What event do you have in mind to that would be perfect for serving this cake? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to rate the recipe.
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Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on September 3, 2009. Last updated: December 30, 2019 at 10:00 am.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Shanna Mallon
Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.
i love that this cake is so easy to make and it comes almost at apple picking time. and imagine it with a hot cup of tea in the afternoon, in lieu of happy hour… or in the early morning, with your coffee, rather than grabbing that pop tart. happy happy happy image, no?
and i have bought frozen unsweetened fruit before, i love it blended with yogurt, it’s like a healthy smoothie. 🙂
looks delish! reminds me of a similar raspberry cake i tried off smitten kitchen once… must give this one a try too!
We have to get together sometime. It has been FOREVER. I miss talking to you in person. Maybe Spring Break. I’ll have to get the dates for my break to you and see if I can make a trip up to Chicago to see you and some other friends in the area.
YUM! That cake looks amazing and simple and perfect!
Oh! That looks so beautiful! And I have peaches ripening in a paper bag in my kitchen. Thank you!
Oh, the first thing I thought when I saw this was a raspberry buttermilk cake I saw in Gourmet magazine and then saw made by a bunch of other bloggers so I had to do it! You did have to use a mixer, but my oh my was it good. Lots of others made ti and loved it too!
http://nikisbakingspot.blogspot.com/2009/06/faux-buttermilk-raspberry-cake.html
But your cake reminded me of that one and if this is half as good as the other one, then it’s gotta be good!
i like cake. maybe i’ll buy a cake pan.
love the story about the soap. love that photo by the window — makes me want to pull up a chair and share a cake with you and chat about nothing in particular.
The cake looks really neat! I think most of us have soap stories, but you expressed it with such eloquence. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! It’s in the oven right now. It smells amazing!
This cake looks so, so good. These are the recipes i love, simple and delicious.
Lan! Yes, yes—to both the apples in this cake and to the frozen
berries in smoothies. Sounds so good!
Montague, Raspberries are one of my absolute favorites, so next time I
whip this up, I definitely have to try it with those. I hope you make
this, Amy!
E.P., There isn’t one simpler, I swear. Love that about it—and its
good looks don’t hurt!
Kathi, Peaches sound wonderful! I’d love to hear how you like them in this!
Niki, Thanks for the link to your recipe; I love new cakes. I hope you’ll try this one, too. It’s amazing how much it gives for such small amount of effort!
Jacqui, Do it! One cake pan would be a wise investment, and I’ll tell you why: you can use it for cinnamon rolls, buttermilk biscuits, all kinds of cake (of course) and you can throw nuts or bread crumbs in it to toast quickly in the oven, just off the top of my head. Am I right? Think about it.
TJ, You are too kind to me. Thank you so much.
Sarah, Yay! Would love to hear how you like it!
Hannah, Thank you, sweet girl. And I couldn’t agree more about simplicity. So true!
the easiest cake ever also looks like one of the most beautiful!
That is one beautiful cake.
i like your recipe, is look strawberry inside in your cake. i suggest you to add strawberry jam, and at finished i suggest to sprinkle sugar.. that will make your cake wonderful. thanks
Thank you, Cucinista!
Fikri, Some sprinkled sugar would add a nice touch here. Thank you!
I only have a cupcake tin, so I might try this with cupcakes. Cake batters can usually be adapted for cupcakes easily. I’ve been looking for a way to cut down on the use of butter too, so this is perfect.
I can already see this in cupcake form, topped with a single strawberry half and a light strawberry buttercream. Yum! I can’t wait to try this. 🙂
I’ve just been given peaches and plums. Maybe that will work together. It’s so pretty!
SpatulaQueen, I’d love to hear what happens when you make this into cupcakes! I wonder if they’d be a little more muffin-like because the cake isn’t as fluffy? Love the idea of strawberry buttercream.
Angela, Peaches and plums sound beyond fantastic. Please let me know if you try them with this!
It’s in the oven with peaches and it’s already starting to look so pretty.
Angela, please tell me how you liked it!! Should I look for it on Spinach Tiger sometime soon?
Shannalee, I am soooooo behind. I did take a picture, but I’m not sure yet, because I’m thinking of making three of them with different fruits. I loved it. It was SO easy and good. I’ll holler at you when it’s posted.
Oh, Angela, I know just how you feel. A mounting list of things to post! In fact, I am going to do a multi-recipe catch-up sometime soon. Thanks for checking in!
Through a long long random search from blog to blog I managed to stumble on this exact page. Your photos of the cake alone was enough to sell me on making this cake – the way the cut strawberries look just a little pressed into the cake is so beautiful.
Basically the day I found this page, I made the cake. I didn’t have strawberries so I used cranberries and after it was done, poured a thin orange and cinnamon syrup that I’d made earlier over the top… it was absolutely delicious. And so simple!
Thank you for sharing the recipe so much!
Kevin, I’m so glad I could help. Thank you for coming back over to let me know you liked the recipe—and with cranberries! What a perfect idea for this season!
I love this recipe! I stumbled across it randomly and thought it looked so yummy – I made this cake last week and am making two more this week! It’s perfect for bbq’s and picnics.
Stephanie, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
2019 strawberry season is here! I’m wondering if anyone has tried to freeze then defrost this cake?