Maple Strawberry Coffee Cake

This Maple Strawberry Coffee Cake features tender flavorful maple brown sugar cake sandwiching a layer of juicy fresh strawberries topped with buttery streusel and fresh strawberry glaze. It is a total show-stopper and a great way to showcase seasonal fresh strawberries! When I was testing this recipe, it completely exceeded my expectations. The combination of buttery cake with maple syrup and strawberries is unreal. I brought this cake to a family dinner and people who don't eat dessert went back for seconds. It is THAT good!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Tender maple syrup cake - this coffee cake is so tender and buttery with earthy sweetness from maple syrup and brown sugar.
• Buttery soft - butter adds wonderful flavor to this cake and the added maple syrup gives it a lovely soft texture.
• Fresh strawberry layer - when assembling the cake you will place a layer of fresh sliced strawberries within the batter.
• Brown sugar streusel - like every good coffee cake, this one is topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel with a hint of cinnamon.
• Strawberry glaze - a bright pink glaze made from fresh strawberry juices makes this cake pop!

INGREDIENTS FOR MAPLE STRAWBERRY COFFEE CAKE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• All purpose flour - it's important to measure flour accurately so that you don't end up with a dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
• Brown sugar - you can use light or dark brown sugar in this recipe, but dark brown sugar really adds depth of flavor thanks to its higher molasses content.
• Pure vanilla extract - I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Unsalted butter - butter adds wonderful flavor to carry the maple syrup. Since there is only 6 tablespoon of butter in this recipe, make sure it is completely softened to room temperature so it blends easily with the brown sugar.
• Egg - two whole eggs will provide structure to this cake.
• Sour cream - the richness and tartness of sour cream really complements the maple flavor and also creates a plush morish texture.
• Milk - you can use whole milk at 3.25% or 2% milk. I would avoid anything with less fat content than that (i.e. avoid skim milk).
• Fresh strawberries - you absolutely need fresh strawberries for this recipe. Frozen strawberries will not work. I like to slice them into rounds rather than lengthwise.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the streusel topping. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and mix to blend well and break up any lumps of brown sugar. Add the pieces of soft butter and blend them in with a fork or your fingertips until evenly combined and the mixture resembles crumbs. Cover the bowl and set aside.
• STEP 2). Make the cake batter. Beat butter and sugar. Combine softened butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed (or "cream" by hand using a wide spatula) until smooth and a bit fluffy - the butter should be really soft to do this since there is not a lot of butter compared to sugar. The mixture will look more like a smooth paste rather than very pale and whipped.
• STEP 3). Mix in maple and eggs. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla until evenly combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until well incorporated, then mix in sour cream until smooth and creamy.
• STEP 4). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into another medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 5). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold it in with a spatula just until mostly combined. Add milk and fold it in until the batter is homogeneous.
• STEP 6). Assemble batter. Spread just over half of the batter into the prepared pan. Lay sliced strawberries evenly over the batter leaving about ½ inch around the sides to help the top and bottom batter layers fuse together while baking. Dollop remaining batter on top to cover the strawberries and then gently spread it out evenly. Sprinkle streusel evenly over top to cover the batter.
• STEP 7). Bake. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing the sides of the springform.
• STEP 8). Make the glaze. Prepare the glaze as directed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post and drizzle it over the cake before serving.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use very soft (but not melted) butter. Take your butter out of the fridge at least two hours before you plan to bake this cake so it is very soft. If it is cold in your house, I suggest placing it in the microwave for just 15-20 seconds at 50% power to ensure it is very soft. If a little melts it's ok, but it just shouldn't be completely liquid.
• Have eggs at room temperature. Take your egg out of the fridge 2 hours before baking, or place it in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes.
• Do not over-mix. Just fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, and then fold in the milk to make a homogeneous batter. It will be on the thicker side.
• Do not over-bake. The cake is when the streusel and edges of the cake are evenly browned. A skewer inserted into the center will come out clean.

RECIPE FAQ

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Video

Maple Strawberry Coffee Cake

Christina Marsigliese

Tender flavorful maple brown sugar cake with a layer of juicy strawberries topped with buttery streusel and fresh strawberry glaze. This coffee cake is a total show-stopper and a great way to showcase seasonal fresh strawberries!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

Streusel topping:

• ½ cup 71g all purpose flour
• ¼ cup 55g packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon 42g unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

Cake batter:

• 6 tablespoon 84g unsalted butter, very soft
• ⅔ cup 145g packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup 60ml pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ cup 120ml full fat sour cream
• 1 ½ cups 215g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup 60ml whole milk
• 250 g thinly sliced fresh strawberries from 12-14 large strawberries

Strawberry glaze:

• ½ cup 60g powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon 5ml light or heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon 15ml juice from mashing up a few ripe strawberries

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the base of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the sides.
• Make the streusel topping. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and mix to blend well and break up any lumps of brown sugar. Add the pieces of soft butter and blend them in with a fork or your fingertips until evenly combined and the mixture resembles crumbs. Cover the bowl and set aside.
• Make the cake batter. Combine softened butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed (or "cream" by hand using a wide spatula) until smooth and a bit fluffy - the butter should be really soft to do this since there is not a lot of butter compared to sugar. The mixture will look more like a smooth paste rather than very pale and whipped. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla until evenly combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until well incorporated, then mix in sour cream until smooth and creamy.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into another medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold it in with a spatula just until mostly combined. Add milk and fold it in until the batter is homogeneous.
• Assemble the cake. Spread just over half of the batter into the prepared pan. Lay sliced strawberries evenly over the batter leaving about ½ inch around the sides to help the top and bottom batter layers fuse together while baking. Dollop remaining batter on top to cover the strawberries and then gently spread it out evenly. Sprinkle streusel evenly over top to cover the batter.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing the sides of the springform.