Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Yield: Makes one 9-inch cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish

1 pound strawberries, halved (or quartered if very large)

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie dish or tart pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Combine the butter and the 3/4 cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon zest and mix on medium speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine without overmixing.

Spread the batter in the prepared dish. Arrange the strawberries, cut sides down, on top of the batter, gently pressing to partially submerge. Squeeze in as many strawberries as possible — it’s OK to be greedy. Sprinkle the top of the cake with 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake in the oven until the top of the cake is light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Garnish with lemon zest and serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired.