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French Strawberry Cake

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Welcome! You are in for a treat with this French Strawberry Cake. Mixed in one bowl with the season’s freshest strawberries, this cake bakes up with a custardy middle and crackly, sugary top. This cake has thousands of fans. Read on to see why…

slice of french strawberry cake on plate with whole strawberry and whipped cream

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This French Strawberry Cake will be your new favorite summertime treat. Reminiscent of a classic French Apple Cake it has a crumb that is sweet and custardy with a top that bakes up light and crumbly. This cake is the perfect way to show off those fresh picked strawberries!

overhead view of french strawberry cake in pan

 

I have Southern Cast Iron magazine to thank for the original recipe. I picked up their Spring 2016 issue because the collection of recipes looked so irresistibly delicious. The Strawberry Skillet Cake was the first I chose to make but my cast iron skillet is much bigger than 9-inches in diameter. So I decided to see how this cake fared in a traditional 9-inch cake pan.

overhead view of french strawberry cake slice

After being wowed by the look of it coming out of the oven my family and I were even more impressed with the taste. The cake is moist and custardy in the middle. I looked up the ingredients for a classic French Apple Cake and other than the addition of sour cream this is basically the same cake but with strawberries instead of apples. So I am calling it French Strawberry Cake.

side view of french strawberry cake in pan

 

Watch how to make French Strawberry Cake:

Helpful tips for making French Strawberry Cake:

  • From the comments it is reinforced that oven temperatures vary wildly. My oven bakes this cake in about 40 minutes. For others they’ve left the cake in for much longer. The center of this cake when baked will still have a custard-like texture. Not raw but more moist than other cakes you may be used to.
  • Be sure to dry your strawberries thoroughly before mixing them into the batter.
  • Save a few strawberries (about 1/2 cup) to place on top of the cake before sprinkling it with sugar if you want the cake to look like the photographs.
  • Use full-fat sour cream, not low fat.
  • Full fat, plain Greek yogurt may be used as a substitute for the sour cream.
  • Read the comments below for more helpful information regarding this cake.
  • I bake the cake and serve it straight from the 9-inch baking pan. Find the baking pan I use for this cake here.

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Made in one bowl. So easy but so impressive! #frenchstrawberrycake #cakerecipes

French Strawberry Cake | Foodtastic Mom #frenchstrawberrycake #cakerecipes

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French Strawberry Cake
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4.91 from 116 votes

French Strawberry Cake

French Strawberry Cake makes a stunning presentation straight out of the pan it is baked in - plus it is mixed together in just one bowl. An easy and impressive cake for strawberry season.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 430kcal
Author Jill McOwen

Ingredients

  • 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 16 ounces fresh strawberries sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
  • Fold in strawberries. Spread the batter in the prepared cake pan.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar evenly over the top of the cake batter.
  • Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
  • Let the cake cool completely in the pan and slice and serve the cake from the pan.

Notes

I used a 9-inch, light silver metal cake pan for this cake. I also used fresh, not frozen strawberries.
The cake is meant to be "custard-like" in the middle. Not under baked but not "crumby" like a traditional cake.
Some people have reported needing to bake the cake longer than the recommended time of 35 - 40 minutes. Color of cake pans, size of strawberries and individual ovens will all factor into the correct baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal
French Strawberry Cake

More strawberry recipes:

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sherry says

    This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to make (and eat) this cake! I do have one question that I haven’t seen anyone else ask yet– is it possible to use a springform pan for this recipe, or would it not bake the same?

    Reply

  3. Debbie says

    I did what I am not supposed to do (but do all the time) and made this cake for the first time for company. It was perfect, exactly what I wanted and so easy to make! This will probably be my go to summer dessert! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  5. Donna says

    Can you substitute the sour cream with cream cheese? I’m thinking this would make an interesting combination.
    Donna

    Reply

  6. Lisa says

    My granddaughter and I made this cake today and it came out great! Delicious and beautiful, too, just like the photos. I used a 10″ round cake pan and it worked perfectly. Thanks so much for this recipe, definitely a keeper!

    Reply

  7. Beth says

    I can’t wait to make this next weekend for my father-in-law’s birthday. I saw the comments about the cake taking longer to cook – I wonder if the poster used margarine instead of butter? Just a thought…

    Reply

  8. Tara says

    I made this to take to church. It looked good but was definitely undercooked when it was cut open. Kinda like blcake batter in the middle and I even let it bake for ten extra minutes. The flavor is great, the texture not so much. I’m guessing at least an extra 15 minutes would have helped, so a total of 65 minutes in the oven. I used fresh strawberries and Greek yogurt. The top jiggled when I took it out but I should have left it in even longer. Wasn’t sure if it’s supposed to be like that… I will definitely try it again though. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      I guess that just goes to prove how differently everyone’s ovens bake! I hope it works better the next time you try it and thank you for the detailed feedback. It’s always helpful to hear everyone’s experiences 🙂

      Reply

      • Tara L Briner says

        Hi! I tried the recipe again and this time it came out PERFECTLY! I used plain Greek yogurt just like last time (to cut a few fat grams) but this time I left the cake in the oven for 65 minutes. It was a work of art, and the people at church couldn’t stop commenting on how delicious it was…Perseverance! 🙂

        Thanks again for posting it!

        Reply

  9. Tracy Reifer says

    I made this yesterday with gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mil 1-for-1) and it turned out perfectly! I even doubled it and used 2 – 9 inch cake pans. I had just picked fresh strawberries and wasn’t sure how many cups to use since I don’t have a scale. I found the conversion online and used 3 cups of halved berries per cake. I baked for 35 minutes and they were perfect. I took them to a family gathering yesterday and they were a hit! Delicious!!! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  10. Anberlin says

    This was BEYOND AMAZING!! I made this for Mother’s Day and everyone who took a bite said whoa or oh my gosh this is amazing! This will forever be my go to recipe when I need to whip something up for a gathering! So easy and pretty quick to put together!

    I was going through the comments while I had passed the 40 minute timer (still wet in the middle) wondering where I went wrong! Thank goodness others had said it took them an extra 15 minutes because that’s exactly how long it took! It came out perfectly browned! I used a 9″ spring form pan that I sprayed well beforehand, it worked perfect. I think all ovens tend to cook slightly different.

    One question though, how long should this last in the refrigerator? I let it cool a good hour on a cooling rack then transferred to the refrigerator when cool to the touch.

    Thanks again for sharing such a yummy recipe!!

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      That is so wonderful to hear! I’m glad you all liked the cake and that the additional comments helped. I would say a couple of days at most to keep the cake in the fridge – though it never lasts that long in my house 🙂

      Reply

  12. Melissa says

    Hello, wondering if someone can clarify the “jiggle test” before I make this. Do I want it to jiggle or not jiggle? Thanks!

    Reply

  14. Braven says

    I made this today for memorial day cookout and it was delicious! The recipe said custard- like inside though and it wasn’t like that at all. It was delicious but totally cake-like. Any thoughts on why that would be? Cooked for 40 minutes maybe at 350

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      Yours may have been a bit over baked. There seems to be quite a variance depending on people’s ovens. I think luckily it seems to be a forgiving recipe 🙂

      Reply

  15. Holly says

    I made this at high altitude with no adjustments and it came out perfectly. I saw other commenters talk about using blueberries, and I think I’m going to try it next week. This is a perfect strawberry short cake in one go.

    Reply

  16. Wendi says

    I made this yesterday. Followed the recipe to a T and it took 85 minutes to bake! Glad I followed my intuition and used parchment paper on the bottom or the cake would never have come out of the pan as I had to use a knife to loosen the sides. That being said, it is delicious, but I think I’ll try making it in muffin form next time.

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      You are definitely not the first one to have to bake this cake longer than instructed. I’m wondering why there is such a huge difference? I am not a baking expert so color of pans, size of strawberries, temperature of ovens, that’s all I can come up with. I’m glad it still turned out for you! I’ve thought about baking the recipe as muffins too – maybe with peaches instead of strawberries. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply

  18. Janet says

    3 stars
    I have made this twice now. The taste is fantastic and I love the crunchy sweet top. I have found it bakes best in a ring mold pan (IKEA has a great light aluminum one with a removable bottom, and it has a plain flat bottom insert as well). That helps the center bake through without overtaking the edges, though it was still quite wet. When I used the flat base it was going to be thin so I doubled the batter but didn’t double the number of strawberries because I was concerned about moisture, and before putting the strawberries in the batter I sliced and sugared them, allowing the juices to be drawn ou and set aside (I was going to use it to make a drizzle served on the side). It still was so wet that the center did not bake through. Given that I was going to be taking it to a dinner party, I them had to make an emergency chocolate backup cake.

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      I’ve made it several times now too and all I can say is that the recipe has always worked as/is for me and my oven and silver (9-inch) baking pan. Doubling the cake batter would definitely make a disastrous difference and I’m not sure even baking it twice as long could make that work.

      Reply

  19. Tauni says

    5 stars
    Made this French Strawberry Cake today and it got raving reviews from the family! It was super easy to prepare. I followed the directions to a tee, with the exception of adding about 1/2 more strawberries. I baked it for 35 minutes.
    It cuts like a cake, but it does have a texture more similar to custard as stated above. This recipe will certainly be a family favorite! Thank you for posting and sharing with the rest of us. :o)

    Reply

  20. Courtney says

    5 stars
    Mine turned out darker than yours. It also fell after coming out of the oven and cooling and all the strawberries fell to the bottom. I don’t have a mixer so I mixed it all by hand. Could that be why? I did use a ceramic dish instead of metal. It tasted wonderful just didn’t look very pretty and I was disappointed that my strawberries fell. Any tips? Thank you so much for a great recipe!!

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      It may be the air incorporated using the stand mixer helps the strawberries stay “afloat”. Ceramic probably would make the top of the cake look a darker brown. My metal pan was a light silver (not dark) and so I think that helps in keeping the top from browning. As I am not a baking expert that is about the best I can guess. I’m glad it still tasted good! Maybe try using a hand mixer next time to mix the cake.

      Reply

  21. Tanya says

    I’d love to make this in a 12″ cast iron skillet. Would I double the recipe or 1 and a half size? Thoughts?

    Reply

    • foodtasticmom says

      I’d say just 1 1/2, not double. Though be aware that in some ovens this cake for just one recipe already takes longer to bake than instructed. I’m not a baking expert but I know 1 1/2 times will take longer to bake and I hope it bakes correctly. Good luck!

      Reply

  22. wade says

    5 stars
    i just took mu cake out of the pan. my house smells lime vanilla, cake and strawberries. thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

  23. Sue says

    So excited to find this recipe! We just picked our strawberries and i wanted a new recipe and…i will make this NOW!
    Thank you for making this available.

    Reply

  24. Cindy says

    5 stars
    I made the cake with strawberries last week,yum! My strawberries did not stay pretty and bright red but became more like a jam, none the less delish! Made it with blueberries today, mine in 9 inch cake pan are done at 35 minutes. I think you’re right each oven bakes differently. My next adventure will be peach cake. I love this cake so much I may try making it sans fruit and serving with cut fresh fruit like a shortcake. Thanks for my new favorite cake!

    Reply

  25. AmyJ says

    5 stars
    Hi! Just wanted to share. I’ve made this cake six times in the last three months and I cannot praise it enough. it is so simple and delicious! I also had the problem of it being soggy in the middle, which was fine because you said it was supposed to be custard like. However, one time I did pop it in the fridge to chill after cooling it on the counter and it came out wonderfully. Firm and almost cheesecake like in the middle. It also lasted several days without melting. Some people don’t like cold cake, but this cake is delicious in all forms. Thank you for sharing it with us!

    Reply

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