Strawberry Cake with Sauce

It’s getting to the end of strawberry season and you couldn’t resist those last two baskets at the farm market. Even when the berries are getting a little soft, this cake and sauce will still have all the sweet/tart flavor you want. This is a classic one-layer cake often made with olive oil instead of butter. Takes about 10 minutes to put together—easiest in a stand mixer. Traditionally baked in a 9” springform pan for easy presentation. A dusting of confectioner’s sugar and a little sauce on the plate completes the picture.

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup light olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• Whatever strawberries you have—at least 2 cups total, a bit more is fine

Cake:
Butter the pan and line the bottom with parchment paper–butter the paper. Using half the berries, cut half of them in small pieces and slice the rest in half for the cake top. Beat eggs and sugar for 5 minutes. Add sour cream, oil, vanilla and salt and beat to just combine. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt—then add to wet ingredients by 1/3rds, mixing after each addition. Spread half the batter in pan, top with cut-up berries—spread remaining batter over berries. Cover the top with the halved strawberries. Bake at 375’ for about 50 minutes. Cool and dust with a bit of icing sugar.

Sauce:
Put the other half of your strawberries in a blender or food processor, add ¼ cup sugar, and blend to a sauce.

The Kitchen Hive