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If you love comforting desserts, you will love this Strawberry Pudding Cake. The batter separates into two layers as it cooks, making a tender cake with a layer of fruity sauce underneath.
Here in the UK, we love sponge cakes or steamed sponges with fruity or sweet sauces like Sticky Toffee Pudding, Jam Sponge and Lemon Steamed Pudding. However pudding cakes – including Strawberry Pudding Cake – have origins that are very likely more North American.
This recipe is adapted from the Raspberry Pudding Cake recipe in The Pollan Family Table, one of my favourite cookbooks since it was published nearly ten years ago. I have made many of the recipes from this book over the years. One of my favourites, aside from the pudding cake, is the Citrus Roasted Chicken with Grand Mariner.
I was drawn to the recipe because I remember eating something similar when I was growing up in Canada. The strawberry pudding cake I remember was made from a packaged mix, containing a package of cake mix and a packet of flavouring. You mixed the dry cake mix up with an egg and some oil, and then mixed the flavour packet with hot water and poured it over the cake batter. As the cake cooked, it separated into layers forming a cake with sauce underneath. Although I loved the packaged version back then, I have to say this from scratch Strawberry Pudding Cake tastes immeasurably better.
An Easily Adaptable Pudding Cake
As well as this strawberry variation, I have made a blueberry version which is equally well loved in our family. For directions on how to do this, please see the notes in the recipe below.
How to Serve Strawberry Pudding Cake
As the recipe makes its own sauce, you can serve this dessert simply scooped into a bowl. However, I like to add a scoop of strawberry or vanilla ice cream. I also like to serve some sliced fresh strawberries on the side.
You can also serve this delicious dessert with custard or cream.
Strawberry Pudding Cake – Printable Recipe
Strawberry Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing
- ¾ cup granulated or caster sugar, divided
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1½ cups washed and sliced strawberries
- ½ cup good strawberry jam
- 1 cup plain flour Plain four is also known as all-purpose flour.
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk I use 2% or half fat milk
- 1 teaspoon almond flavouring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C or 170°C for a fan oven).
- Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) square pan with a bit of butter.
- Ina small saucepan over low heat, stir ¼ cup of the sugar, the water, lemon juice and cornstarch together.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly.
- Add the fruit and jam and cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and the remaining ½ cup sugar together in a medium size mixing bowl.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, slightly cooled melted butter and almond flavouring.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the large bowl.
- Stir just until well combined.
- Spread the batter in the baking pan.
- Carefully pour the strawberry sauce over top. (Don’t panic at how this looks, it will all work out!)
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool for at least t 5 minutes (or you will burn your mouth on the sauce!).
- Serve warm in individual bowls with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream on the side.
Notes
did you make this recipe?
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More Comforting Dessert Recipes
Chocolate and Blueberry Pudding Cake
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I think strawberry cake has to be my favorite cake of all time. Great recipe, thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Paul.
I would definitely looooooooooove a big piece of this cake. It looks and sounds delicious! I love fruit-cakes, especially with strawberry 🙂
Thank you so much, Winnie! I wish I could share a piece with you 🙂
Just in time for strawberry season. Yum!
Thank you, Nancy. It really is perfect for this time of year!
This would be perfect with my coffee right now. Looks delicious.
Thank you, Janette! It really is lovely with a hot drink 🙂
April, your cake looks luscious! Too bad strawberry season is over in Florida, but I’m sure it will still be delicious! I would like to try your blueberry version as well!
Thank you so much, Linda 🙂
Such a delicious and fun sounding idea for a treat; I am loving this strawberry creation April!
Thank you, Dan!
Now this is my kind of cake, April! I will definitely be making soon! Looks so scrumptious! Pinning!
I’m so glad you like it, Hadia! Thank you for pinning it 🙂
This cake sounds so wonderful!! I love this type of recipe… perfect for dessert or breakfast in my book!
Thank you, Angela 🙂 It really is lovely for breakfast – I often reheat it if there is any left 🙂
Dear April, this cake sounds like a wonderful treat. Perfect with tea or coffee. xo, Catherine
Thank you, Catherine xo
I love strawberries and sounds like a wonderful cake April! Pinned and shared!
Thank you, Joanne! I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for sharing too 🙂
This looks delectable, April! Such a beautiful cake and the addition of strawberries are perfect for summer gathering or picnics!
Thank you, Florian!
Wow! That looks incredible. I’m so impressed. Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you stopping by to party with us. We hope to see you, tonight at 7 pm. Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
Thank you and Happy Monday to you too!
That looks delicious! Pinned.
Thank you, Joanne, and thank you for pinning too!
This looks delicious… just the kind of sweet treat my hubby and I enjoy!
Thank you, Laura! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
The perfect recipe to use with blackberries for the English Autumn. Different fruits for different seasons makes it very versatile. Many thanks for this lovely simple recipe.
Pamela
http://www.style-yourself-confident.com
Thank you, Pamela. I’m so glad you like it! I think the recipe would be lovely with blackberries. What a good idea!
Hi April,
We sure enjoyed featuring your awesome post this week on Full Plate Thursday, 667! Thanks so much for sharing with us and hope you come back to see us again, real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much for the feature, Miz Helen! Hope you are having a wonderful November!
Hi, just wondering if you can double the recipe for a larger crowd and bake in a larger dish. If so can you please provide the measurements for double. Thanks
Hi Shauna,
It’s usually not a good idea to double baking recipes. As Ina Garten says “If you want to double a baked goods recipe, it may not be as simple as doubling the ingredients called for”. In this case, the formation of the sauce depends upon the the size of the pan as compared to the ingredients.
If you want double the recipe, I suggest making two batches instead. The first batch should stay warm for long enough for the second to cook, and then if you serve the first batch first the second will have cooled down enough that the jam sauce should not be too hot. (However do be careful not to burn yourself.)
If you happen to have a large enough oven to cook two batches of the recipe in separate dishes together, please note that the cooking time may be different from the one listed in the recipe.
Best wishes,
April
This recipe reminds me of one my mother-in-law made with blueberries! Always a favorite for everyone! I’ll look forward to trying this! Thanks, April!
It works really well with blueberries too, Laura! I’m so glad I reminded you of a happy food memory 🙂
This looks delish, I need to try it…
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Nora. It’s a real treat!