This strawberry crumble cake is made with a vanilla cake, topped with slices of fresh strawberries, and a delicious crumble topping.
This cake combines the sweetness of ripe strawberries with the crunchy texture of a crumbly topping.
This cake features a single layer of moist cake infused with juicy strawberries, topped with a buttery, cinnamon-spiced crumble.
The combination of flavors and textures in a strawberry crumble cake creates a perfect balance that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Whether enjoyed as a comforting afternoon snack or as a show-stopping dessert for special occasions, this cake is bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
For more strawberry recipes, check out our strawberry crumble, strawberry danish, strawberry brownies, strawberry filled cupcakes, strawberry shortcake cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavor- the flavor of this cake is fresh, and zesty with juicy strawberries in every bite with the aroma of lemon zest.
- Fresh strawberries- this cake is loaded with fresh strawberries and is a great way to use up those ripe strawberries and also can be made with frozen strawberries!
- Crumble topping- this cake is made with a cinnamon crumble topping that is perfectly balanced and adds a delicious crunch.
- One bowl- this cake is very easy and straightforward and comes together in one bowl!
- Texture- this cake has the softest crumb from the sour cream and vegetable oil and it also gets lots of moisture from the fresh berries.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe, self-rising flour, and cake flour will work great as well.
Eggs- you will need 3 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Baking powder– to allow the cake to rise. Ensure your baking powder is not expired.
Vegetable oil – we used vegetable oil for this recipe. canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Lemon zest- you will need 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest for this recipe.
Sour cream- use either sour cream or greek yogurt, both will work great.
Vanilla extract- vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Milk- use whole milk or any milk of your choice.
Kosher salt- you will need about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Fresh strawberries- you will need 1 cup of slices of fresh strawberries for this recipe.
For the crumble topping
Brown sugar- we used brown sugar for this recipe. You can use granulated sugar as well. we like the caramel flavor the brown sugar adds to the crumble.
Pinch of salt- we used kosher salt.
Melted butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. melt your butter in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prep a parchment paper-lined 8-inch cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest. Mix with a whisk until combined.
Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk. Mix with a whisk until just combined. Don't overmix!
Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and top it with slices of strawberries.
Strawberry crumble topping
In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the mixture is well combined.
Top the cake with the crumble topping and spread it all over the strawberries.
Bake the cake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
Expert tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and yogurt. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Start with fresh and ripe strawberries for the best flavor in your strawberry cake. Look for berries that are plump, bright red, and fragrant to ensure a delicious result.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cake and not dense and dry cake.
- Butter your pan with butter and sprinkle flour to prevent sticking. This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Be patient! I know it's extremely tempting to eat this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let this cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won't crumble up.
Faq's
Yes! Frozen strawberries work in this cake. Do not thaw the frozen strawberries, simply follow the same instructions as the fresh strawberries.
Strawberry crumble cake is made with a buttery crumble topping made with flour, sugar, and butter, which is sprinkled over a layer of fresh strawberries on top of a moist cake base.
Yes! You can double or even triple this recipe. If you double this recipe, I recommend using a 9x13 inch baking pan!
Storing
Store this cake at room temperature for up to 2 days if it's hot and moist. If the weather is cooler and dry, you can store it for up to 3 days. After 2-3 days, transfer it to the fridge for another day to two.
Make sure that you store the cake in an airtight container so it won’t dry out.
Freezing
This cake is very easy to freeze. After baking, let the cake cool to room temperature, transfer it into a freezer-friendly Ziploc bag, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw: place the cake in the refrigerator overnight or place it a room temperature for a few hours until it's thawed.
Substitutions
Dairy-free - If you are dairy-free, replace the milk with plant-based milk and dairy-free sour cream.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
Fruit- If you don't like strawberries or are allergic to them, you can simply replace the strawberries with your favorite fruit like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.
Almonds- enhance the flavor by mixing chopped almonds into the crumble topping and adding almond extract to the cake batter for a nutty undertone.
Spices- add warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in both the cake batter and crumble topping for a cozy, aromatic treat that pairs beautifully with sweet strawberries.
Cream cheese glaze- top this cake with cream cheese glaze. You can use the recipe from my cinnamon roll cheesecake recipe.
Serving Tips
- Whipped Cream- Add whipped cream on a slice of the cake to create a light and creamy texture that complements the fruity flavors.
- Strawberry compote topping- Drizzle a homemade strawberry compote over the top of the cake for an added burst of flavor and visual appeal.
- Toasted Almond Crunch- Sprinkle toasted almond slices on top of the cake to add a crunchy texture contrast to the soft cake and juicy strawberries.
- Vanilla ice cream- add a large scoop of ice cream next to a slice of this cake.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- 8-inch cake pan
- Rubber spatula
More easy cake recipes
Strawberry sheet cake- This extra moist and fluffy strawberry sheet cake is made with fresh strawberries and topped with strawberry whipped cream.
Best ever chocolate cake- This is the best ever chocolate cake ever. I’ve been searching for the best one bowl chocolate cake recipe for so long and found it and can’t wait to share it with you!
Moist honey cake- This honey cake is moist, rich in flavor, and full of spices that will make your house smell like autumn. This honey cake is a family favorite.
If you tried this cake recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
The BEST Strawberry Crumble Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 ¼ cups Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- ½ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Milk
- 1 cup Strawberries
For the crumble topping:
- 1 cup Flour
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 80 g Butter Melted
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prep a parchment paper-lined 8-inch cake pan.
- In a big mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest. Mix with a whisk until combined.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk. Mix with a whisk until just combined. Don't overmix!
- Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and top it with slices of strawberries.
Strawberry crumble topping:
- Into a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the mixture is well combined.
- Top the cake with the crumble topping and spread it all over the strawberries.
- Bake the cake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and yogurt. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cake and not dense and dry cake.
- Butter your pan with butter and sprinkle flour to prevent sticking. This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Be patient! I know it's extremely tempting to eat this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let this cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won't crumble up.
Daniel says
This cake is incredible! Would definitely make it again.
Michael says
The best cake I've ever had! The crumble topping is so good!