Strawberry Crumb Top Breakfast Bars
Strawberries for me are a sign that spring has arrived, and being a berry person I buy strawberries in bulk when they are in season. I use strawberries to make jams, assorted baked goods, and I even freeze pureed strawberries to use in frozen treats throughout the summer.
Unfortunately, strawberry season is now almost over so I will have to turn my attention to other seasonal fruits such as cherries and apricots. This is another easy, quick to put together rustic cake that I make frequently with different seasonal fruits. I recently had some strawberries in the fridge that I needed to use up, so I put together this cake with a layer of sweet strawberries in the center.
Our guest season here in Umbria is just beginning, and I usually always have some type of baked goods on hand that we can offer guests or workers that are in and out of our farmhouse on a daily basis. This particular cake was a big hit last week with the painter and well workers who really appreciated being offered an espresso and piece of cake on their mid-day break.
You can use any just about fresh fruit you choose in this recipe, just coarsely chop it first. I didn’t use nuts in my topping as I was unsure about nut allergies, but chopped walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds are a delicious addition to the topping. Because this cake is so moist with fresh fruit inside, I recommend storing it covered in the refrigerator during the warmer months if it doesn’t get eaten up the same day it is made.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Strawberry Crumb Top Breakfast
Another easy, quick to put together rustic cake that I make frequently with different seasonal fruits.
Ingredients
For The Cake:
- 1 Cup All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Egg, Beaten
- 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Sliced Ripe Strawberries (Or Other Seasonal Fruit)
For The Topping:
- 1/2 Cup All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Cold Butter, Diced
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts, Pecans, Hazelnuts, or Almonds (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease an 8 inch square cake pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder.
- In a second bowl use a whisk to mix together the egg, milk, butter, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and use a wooden spoon to stir just until mixed.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Cover the batter evenly with the sliced strawberries.
- In a bowl add the topping ingredients - flour, butter, sugar & nuts, and use your finger tips to rub the butter into the other ingredients until you obtain a peppily texture.
- Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the strawberries, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.