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Jump to RecipeThis strawberry cake made with fresh milled flour is a vanilla bean cake base with delicious strawberries throughout. The top has a ‘crackle’ crust made from turbinado sugar and is dusted with powdered sugar before serving. A refreshing treat to enjoy during the spring or any time of year where strawberries are in their ‘peak’!
This is my oldest daughter’s favorite cake recipe. She asks for it each year on her birthday and was a recipe have developed throughout the years to create the most flavorful strawberry cake – any time of the year. Even in the peak of winter!
This strawberry cake has a vanilla bean base with loads of strawberries inside. We like this best when topped with turbinado sugar to give a ‘crunch’ when cutting into each bite. Thanks to the sourdough discard and greek yogurt, it is subtly sweet without being too much.
Even though the cake is made from freshly milled flour (thanks to soft white wheat berries), the cake is so moist. And the strawberries almost create a ‘jelly-like’ consistency as they bake down. It truly is a winner when enjoyed alone or topped with some homemade whipped cream.
The best part about this cake is that it freezes very well! We saved a slice for my parents to have a few weeks after my daughter’s birthday and they both enjoyed it. It was as soft and flavorful as the day we made it.
I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we do. I love that it is a staple for our family and one recipe I can make from the heart each year on my daughter’s birthday.
Why you will love this strawberry cake
Kitchen Equipment
To make this cake, you will need a large mixing bowl, a whisk, something to sift flour with (we use a mesh strainer), a round cake pan and a cooling rack. We also like to use a kitchen scale to weigh out the ingredients.
Ingredients for strawberry cake with freshly milled flour
Make this whole wheat sourdough strawberry cake from a few simple ingredients including sourdough discard, vanilla bean, soft white wheat berries, strawberries and turbinado sugar. For a full list of ingredients, please refer to the recipe card located at the bottom of the page.
Sourdough Discard: Of course we could not have a recipe on a sourdough food blog without including sourdough! This recipe can use active sourdough or sourdough discard interchangeably. Because the recipe is a ‘stir and go’ recipe which uses baking powder for rise, you can use either discard or active starter.
Vanilla Bean Paste: Cake is one recipe I love to use vanilla bean paste in over vanilla extract. Where each flavor has time to shine (unlike fresh milled flour brownies where the star is chocolate, chocolate and more…chocolate), I love using vanilla bean paste if you can swing it. Vanilla bean paste is becoming more readily available and I have even spotted it at our local Costco. I typically order this from Amazon because I am mostly making cake for just my family.
Soft White Wheat Berries: The star of this show is soft white wheat berries. I have found soft white wheat berries have the closest 1-1 ratio to all purpose flour. Though the flavor is slightly different than all purpose flour (almost nutty), it is truly the best when it comes to overall texture. While I do not like sifting bran out of fresh milled flour recipes, cake is one place I make the exception. It gives the most tender crumb in the finished product. And you can save the bran to make a ‘pan release’, so nothing is left behind.
Strawberries: Of course a strawberry cake must contain strawberries! We have used both fresh and frozen strawberries depending on what time of year we make this cake. And the result is equally as delicious!
Turbinado Sugar: Sprinkle turbinado sugar (heavily) over the top of the cake. As it bakes and cools, it creates a ‘crust’ on the top of the cake. This makes a ‘crackle’ each time you break into a new bite. You can also substitute this turbinado sugar with white sugar though the ‘crackle’ will not be as intense.
How to make whole wheat sourdough strawberry cake
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients.
Step 2: Sift the flour to ‘remove’ bran.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Step 4: Slice the strawberries.
Step 5: Make pan release. Butter first -> flour or remaining bran.
Step 6: Fill cake pan and press in strawberries.
Step 7: Top with turbinado sugar and bake.
Step 8: Remove from oven before cooling on wire rack.
How to store strawberry cake made with freshly milled flour
We like to store this strawberry cake at room temperature. To be completely honest, it has never lasted past two days in our house because we always share it with family.
However, you can store this cake at room temperature for three days. After three days, place it into the fridge. If you do place in the fridge, cover it with plastic wrap or place leftovers into a container.
This strawberry cake can be placed in the freezer if wrapped with plastic wrap and placed into a plastic bag for up to six months. When the cake is removed from the fridge, the powdered sugar may have sunk into the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Strawberry Cake made with Fresh Milled Flour
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Mesh strainer
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 round cake pan
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Fresh Milled Flour Strawberry Cake
- 6 ounces Fresh Milled Flour (sift out bran) We used soft white wheat berries. Weighed after bran is removed
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1-1/4 cup White Sugar
- 1/4 cup Sourdough Discard Can use sourdough discard or active discard
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt We used plain greek yogurt – can swap with sour cream.
- 6 TBS Butter We use unsalted but you can use either.
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 cup Strawberries Sliced
- 2 TBS Turbinado Sugar For placing on top of cake before baking.
Topping(s) for after baking (Optional)
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar To dust the cake with after baking.
- Whipped Cream Desired amount up to your preferences
- Strawberries Desired shape and amount up to your preferences
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Mill your soft white wheat berries following your grain mills instructions for a fine flour. Once milled, run through a mesh strainer to sift out the bran from the flour. Reserve the bran for later in the recipe to act as a pan release or put in your freezer for another recipe.
- Combine the dry ingredients together (except the turbinado sugar) together.
- In a separate bowl, melt the butter and combine the wet ingredients together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be sure not to over-mix or the batter will be dense when baked.
- Grease one cake pan and then coat with flour (or remaining bran). Discard any remaining flour from the pan once coated. This will act as a pan release, ensuring the cake comes out smooth when baked.
- Pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Add the sliced strawberries in any pattern you prefer – pressing down the strawberries so they are not all sitting on the top. (If not pressed down, you will not get a 'strawberry jam' consistency throughout the cake. Top with turbinado sugar – coating the top equally.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to sit within the pan for 10-15 minutes. Once cooled slightly, flip the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.Do not flip cake immediately after baking or it will crack. Do not allow to cool completely within the pan or the cake will 'over-bake' from carry-over baking.Top with powdered sugar and serve with homemade whipped cream (and extra strawberries, if desired).
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like strawberry cake or know someone who would? Be sure to let us know your thoughts and share this recipe with them!
We have made this flour with AP flour and also fresh milled flour. Both are delicious.
It always feels like there are too many strawberries when pressing them into the cake but it always turns out delicious.