This fresh Strawberry Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping is a real favorite. Easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
Layers of moist cake, fresh strawberries, and sweet crumb topping come together to create a cake that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
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Essential Ingredients
For the Cake:
Fresh Strawberries: If you can, use the freshest, sweetest strawberries for this cake. Choose those that are bright red to deep scarlet, without any white or green parts on their shoulders. They should be plump, firm, and smell heavenly. Their green caps should look healthy, not wilted or dry.
Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a tangy flavor and richness to the cake. Use full or low fat for the recipe, as the fat is what makes the cake moist and tender.
Cardamom: I love the flavor of cardamom in this cake, but cinnamon can be used in its place. Ground cardamom and pods are native to Indian and used extensively in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. It has an aromatic, sweet, spicy and complex flavor.
For the crumb topping:
How to make the recipe
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Let’s start with making the cake: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped strawberries with ¼ cup of the sugar and set aside.
In another medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, and salt.
Using a mixer, beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until blended. (Mixture may look curdled, which is fine). With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the milk, mixing until smooth. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
Now to make the crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Using a fork, mix in the flour until crumbles form. Set aside.
Spread the cake batter evenly into your prepared baking pan. Top evenly with the strawberries. Then top with a layer of crumb topping. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon, gently press the crumb topping down into the cake batter.
Bake until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Set the cake on a wire rack and let cool before serving. Serve with ice cream or a cup of coffee and enjoy.
Storing the cake
Store leftover crumb cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days.
You can also freeze this lovely cake! Wrap tightly and store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature and serve.
Recipe Tips
- While this crumb cake is delicious with strawberries, you could also use blueberries, raspberries, peaches, whatever fruit is in season.
- Top with a sprinkling of powdered sugar as an extra garnish.
- Make sure not to overmix your batter or the cake will end up tough.
Recipe FAQs
This cake is delicious warmed up with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream on top. You could also sprinkle powdered sugar or make a glaze of powdered sugar, milk (or cream), and a drop of vanilla extract to drizzle over top. Of course it’s also a great option for breakfast, plain, with a hot cup of coffee.
Fresh strawberries are best but you can use frozen strawberries in a pinch. I recommend thawing them completely then patting dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then use as directed below.
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Comments and ratings
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Fresh Strawberry Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 cups fresh strawberries chopped
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened, (1 ½ sticks)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream full fat
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom or cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted (1 ½ sticks)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the cake: In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with ¼ cup of the sugar and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, and salt.
- Using a mixer set, beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of bowl when necessary. Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended. (Mixture may look curdled, which is fine). With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients and milk until smooth. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Make the crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Using a fork, mix in the flour until crumbles form. Set aside.
- Spread the cake batter evenly into prepared baking pan. Top evenly with strawberries. Top with crumb topping. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon, gently press the crumb topping down.
- Bake until cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
- Set the cake on a wire rack and let cool before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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