Strawberry Summer Cake

As a kid, one of my favorite memories is "helping" my mother make ice cream with the old crank ice cream maker complete with dry ice. I sat on top of the thing and my mom would crank that handle for what seemed like days (to her it probably felt like a month). Strawberry was my favorite flavor of course and O.M.G.- this cake is going to be the death of me. I've already made it once and am waiting for the second one to come out of the oven. Eaten warm with the super sweet berries or late at night cold from the counter- either way your bound to want to go find Deb in NYC and kiss her for sending this recipe along.



Strawberry Summer Cake
From: Smitten Kitchen
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform or cake pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Do ahead: Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered.