Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, but adds a lovely depth)
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, diced (plus extra for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to toss with strawberries, preventing sinking)
If you want to make this cake a little lighter, you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour with cake flour. For a dairy-free version, swap the butter for a plant-based alternative and use almond milk instead of whole milk. Either way, the cake will still carry that sweet strawberry goodness that makes it a family favorite.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed. Beat until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 4-5 minutes. This step is crucial—Mama Lou always said, “Patience makes the cake lighter.”
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This helps the batter emulsify and gives the cake its tender texture.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract gently.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense, so stop as soon as you see no streaks of flour.
- Toss the diced strawberries with the 2 tablespoons of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Gently fold the floured strawberries into the batter with a spatula, being careful not to crush them.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Around the 50-minute mark, I like to cover the cake lightly with foil if the top is browning too quickly—Mama Lou’s trick to keep the crust just right.
- Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
