Easy Strawberry Spoon Cake

Baked strawberry cobbler topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream in a white dish, photographed from above—a delicious treat that shares the comforting, crowd-pleasing appeal of classic sheet pan pancakes.

A warm, buttery Strawberry Spoon Cake topped with juicy strawberries and a hint of fresh lemon. This easy dessert comes together in one bowl and is delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Budget Frugal

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 489kcal

Equipment

8-inch square or round baking dish
Two medium mixing bowls
Whisk
Fork or potato masher
Rubber or silicone spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Kitchen scale, optional

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, melted, (115 grams) plus additional butter for greasing the baking dish
6 ounces fresh strawberries, (170 grams) hulled, or frozen strawberries, thawed (about 1 ¼ cup)
⅔ cup ( packed light brown sugar,150 grams) divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest ,finely grated
½ cup whole milk, (120 milliliters) ,at room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, (130 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Vanilla ice cream ,for serving
Coarse sugar ,if desired

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8-inch square or round baking dish and set aside.
Place the strawberries in a medium bowl and crush them with a fork or your hands until broken down and juicy. Stir in ⅓ cup of the brown sugar and the lemon juice. Set aside while you prepare the batter.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar, whole milk, lemon zest, and salt until well combined.
Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Whisk just until the flour is incorporated and the batter is smooth, taking care not to overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. The batter will form a relatively shallow layer.
Spoon the crushed strawberries and all their accumulated juices evenly over the batter. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if desired.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter.
Allow the cake to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the warm cake into bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

The batter will be fairly shallow when spread in an 8-inch baking dish. As the cake bakes, it rises around the juicy strawberry topping, creating a soft, tender cake with pockets of warm fruit.

Fresh or frozen strawberries can be used. If using frozen strawberries, thaw them completely before mashing and include any juices released during thawing.

The strawberries should be lightly mashed rather than completely puréed. Leaving some small pieces of fruit gives the finished cake more texture.

For the best flavor and texture, serve this cake warm, shortly after baking.

Nutrition