Recipes · Summer

Strawberry Cake on the Terrace my simple favourite recipe

When the first local strawberries appear at the market, there's only one thing on my baking list: this cake. A light sponge base, a glossy blanket of fresh berries – ready in under an hour, and yet every single time a little summer celebration. Three layers, one clear promise: sweet, fruity, light.

Strawberry cake with glossy berries, served on the terrace with a coffee setting in golden evening light

My summer classic · the strawberry cake in the evening light

Why this cake in under an hour

The lovely thing – it really works for everyone. The base comes together in a single bowl, the topping needs nothing more than a bowl of strawberries and a sachet of clear cake glaze (Tortenguss). No cream, no custard, no hours in the kitchen. At our house, it's always served on the terrace, with a pot of loose-leaf black tea – and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream on the side.

What you'll need

Ingredients for a Ø 28 cm flan tin (12 slices)

A light sponge base with an indentation, fresh strawberries and a classic clear glaze – nothing more.

Sponge base · 3 eggs · 100 g caster sugar · 1 sachet vanilla sugar · 2 tbsp warm water · 150 g plain flour · 1 tsp baking powder · 1 pinch of salt
Topping · 500 g fresh strawberries · 1 sachet clear cake glaze (Tortenguss) · 250 ml light fruit juice (e.g. apple) or water · 2 tbsp sugar
Optional · 200 g cream, whipped · a little icing sugar · a few mint leaves

A flan tin with an indentation is the key – it holds the glaze and berries in place.

How it's made in eight calm steps

1 · Preheat the oven and prepare the tin

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan). Lightly grease a flan tin (with indentation) with soft butter and dust with a little flour. Tap out the excess.

2 · Whisk the eggs for four full minutes

Place the eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and warm water in a bowl and whisk on the highest setting for at least 4 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and creamy and leaves a clear ribbon when you lift the beater.

3 · Fold in the flour very gently

Mix the flour with the baking powder and sift onto the egg mixture. Using a spatula, fold in carefully with two or three movements – don't stir, or the batter will collapse. This keeps the sponge beautifully airy.

4 · Bake 13–15 minutes until golden

Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smooth the surface and bake on the middle shelf for 13–15 minutes until golden. Do the skewer test – when nothing sticks, it's done. Let it cool completely before carefully turning it out of the tin.

Flan tin with golden sponge batter, fresh strawberries and a mixing bowl during preparation

The preparation · batter in the tin, berries at the ready

5 · Prepare the strawberries wash, hull, pat dry

While the sponge cools, wash the strawberries, drain them well and remove the green tops. Halve smaller berries, quarter larger ones – or leave whole if they are dainty. Pat dry on a tea towel so the glaze sets properly later.

6 · Arrange the berries in circles from the outside in

Place the strawberries cut-side down, densely packed, in the indentation of the sponge. It looks loveliest when you work in circles from the outside in – that's the classic look.

7 · Cook the glaze clear and glossy

In a small saucepan, mix the cake glaze powder with the sugar, then stir in the juice or water until smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and let it bubble gently for about half a minute until clear.

8 · Pour over the glaze and chill

Spoon the hot glaze immediately and carefully over the berries – best from the centre outwards. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set. Done.

My five tips

for the perfect strawberry cake

A few small things make all the difference in the end – that's what I've learned over the years.

The berries make the difference · truly ripe, local strawberries from the market
Eggs at room temperature · out of the fridge 30 min. before baking
Dry the berries well · blot twice with kitchen paper
Glaze hot and fast · otherwise it pulls into strands in the pan
Eat the same day · then the sponge is still wonderfully airy

With these five points it works every time – no matter how spontaneous the visit may be.

“Sometimes the simplest is the most beautiful – especially when it tastes of summer and is served on the terrace, with a cup of coffee and Coby under the table.”

Pick a sunny afternoon, grab the first ripe strawberries from the market and simply give it a try. You'll see – no other summer recipe is this quick, this simple and brings this much joy. And when it's ready: sit down, add some cream, breathe out, enjoy.