Strawberries Anyone?

Pin It Strawberries have been in abundance lately at the supermarket and at a really good price too. They looked oh, so tempting .... I just couldn't resist picking up a container or two or three.

Then I found a recipe that I badly wanted to try but it called for fresh raspberries.  I figured that fresh strawberries should make the coffeecake taste just as yummy.  I found the recipe in the April 2012 edition of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Lemon-Strawberry Coffeecake

Prep:  15 min  Bake: 45 min  Oven: 375F   Cool: 10 min

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 egg
1 cup fresh strawberries
powdered sugar (optional)


1.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease bottom of 9 x 1.5 inch round cake pan.  Line bottom of pan with parchment.  Grease and lightly flour pan; set aside.  For cake, in a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.  In medium mixing bowl beat 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the butter with mixer on medium to high until combined.  Add 1 egg and the vanilla.  Beat on low to medium 1 minute.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, beating just until combined after each addition; set aside.

3.  For cheesecake filling, in small mixing bowl beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar on medium to high until combined  Add lemon peel and 1 egg.  Beat until well mixed.

Layering the Batters

Keep the cheesecake filling from mixing into the cake layer.  Spread half the cake batter into the pan and evenly top with the cheesecake filling.  Using two spatulas, dollop remaining cake batter over the filling and carefully smooth top.

4.  Spoon half the cake batter into prepared pan, spreading to edges.  Pour cream cheese mixture on cake batter, spreading to edges.  Dollop remaining batter on cream cheese layer, carefully spreading to edges of pan. 

5.  Bake 20 minutes or until puffed.  Gently press strawberries/raspberries into cake. Bake 25 to 30 minutes more or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.  Loosen edges of cake from pan; remove from pan.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.  Makes 10 servings.

This turned out 100 % better than I expected!  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Remember to give your loved ones a hug.