Strawberry coffee cake with fresh strawberries baked into a soft, moist cake, perfect for breakfast, brunch or an easy summer dessert.
This strawberry coffee cake is made without a crumb topping, so it feels softer and lighter, with juicy strawberries baked into the batter and on top.
I make it with buttermilk for a tender texture, but sour cream or yogurt also works well if you want a richer strawberry cake.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fresh strawberry flavor: sweet strawberries baked right into the cake.
- Soft and moist: tender crumb with buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream.
- Easy summer cake: perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
Ingredients you need
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this strawberry coffee cake recipe:
- Vegetable oil: Use a neutral oil like sunflower or canola oil for a soft and moist cake.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake without overpowering the fresh strawberry flavor.
- Eggs: Use room temperature eggs for a smooth batter.
- Buttermilk: Keeps the cake tender and moist. Sour cream or plain yogurt also work well.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cake a soft and fluffy texture.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake rise beautifully in the oven.
- Salt and vanilla extract: Add flavor and balance the sweetness.
- Fresh strawberries: Use ripe fresh strawberries for the best flavor and texture.
Tips Before You Start
- Check the center: The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Use fresh strawberries: Frozen strawberries release too much moisture in the batter.
- Pat the strawberries dry: This helps prevent a soggy cake.
- Do not overmix: Mix just until combined for a soft and fluffy texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients: They blend more evenly into the batter.
How To Make Strawberry Coffee Cake
Mix the oil and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until creamy.
Pour in the buttermilk and mix again until smooth.
Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until just combined.
Add the sliced strawberries and gently fold them into the batter.
Transfer the batter to a prepared 8-inch cake pan and top with extra strawberries.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with coffee: Perfect with coffee, latte or tea for breakfast or brunch.
- Add whipped cream: A spoonful of whipped cream makes it even more delicious.
- Top with powdered sugar: A light dusting adds a simple bakery-style finish.
- Serve warm: Delicious slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Add fresh strawberries: Extra fresh berries bring more fruity flavor.
Storage
Store the strawberry coffee cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Variations
- Strawberry crumb cake: Add a crumble topping before baking.
- Strawberry sour cream coffee cake: Replace the buttermilk with sour cream for a richer texture.
- Strawberry almond cake: Add almond extract or almond flour for extra flavor.
- Mixed berry coffee cake: Swap part of the strawberries with raspberries or blueberries.
- Lemon strawberry cake: Add lemon zest for a fresh citrus flavor.
Recipe Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Fresh strawberries work best because frozen berries add too much moisture.
Why is my coffee cake dense?
Overmixing the batter can make the cake heavy instead of soft and fluffy.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, it stays soft and moist for several days in the fridge.
Can I add a crumb topping?
Yes, you can easily add a streusel topping before baking.
More Coffee Cake Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe. If you try it, feel free to leave a comment. Happy baking!
Recipe Video
Strawberry Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
This strawberry coffee cake is soft, moist and filled with fresh strawberries baked into the batter and on top. Made in a 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan, this easy coffee cake recipe serves about 8 slices and is perfect for breakfast, brunch or summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil - Sunflower oil or grapeseed oil.
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs: Room temperature.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk - Or plain yogurt.
- 180 g (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 200 g fresh strawberries - Hulled and halved.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper or butter.
- Mix the vegetable oil and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again until smooth.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix until fully combined.
- Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt with a spatula until just combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and arrange the halved strawberries on top.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pan before removing and placing on a serving plate.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
Storage: Store the strawberry coffee cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips:
- Use fresh strawberries: Frozen berries add too much moisture to the cake.
- Pat the strawberries dry: This helps keep the cake soft and not soggy.
- Do not overmix: Mix just until combined for a tender crumb.
- Use room temperature ingredients: They create a smoother batter.
- Check the center: The cake is ready when a knife or toothpick comes out clean.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Cake, coffee cake, dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 276
- Sugar: 21.7 g
- Sodium: 262.5 mg
- Fat: 13.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.7 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 38.6 mg
Jade
A crazy moist, I put a little more almond meal and cooked strawberries are super good, to repeat! Thanks for the recipe
Tina
Tried this today, delicious!