This Strawberry Cake Is The Ultimate Summer Dessert To Share

People should pop by more often. When we think about hosting, our minds often go straight to special occasions or holidays. But what about those times when a friend texts to say, “I’m in the neighborhood. Can I come over and see you later this afternoon?” And you respond with, “Of course, yes, just please ignore the massive piles of laundry on my couch.”

Rather than dropping everything you’re doing to fold, think about what you’ve got in the house for a snack or a sweet treat. It could be as simple as crackers, cheese, and a seltzer over ice. But if you feel like whipping up a little something, my recommendation would be this cake, which is both snacky and sweet.

Have it for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the evening, enjoy it for breakfast with a dollop of yogurt and more fresh berries, or set it on the counter for a bite any time of day. There’s no better way to welcome someone into your home than asking, “Want some cake?”

Ingredients for Corn & Strawberry Pop-By Cake

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered
• ⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sour cream or plain full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup medium-grind cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels

Directions for Corn & Strawberry Pop-By Cake

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round or square cake pan or springform pan with cooking spray. If using a round pan, line the bottom with parchment paper. If using a square pan, leave some parchment hanging over the edges.

2. In a small bowl, toss together 1 cup of the strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside to macerate.

3. In a large bowl, combine the butter and ⅔ cup of the sugar and, using a hand mixer, cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, until creamy and combined. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until just combined. Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, then beat on low until barely combined (you’ll still have streaks of flour). Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and fold in the unmacerated strawberries and the corn until just combined.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the macerated strawberries and all their juices over the top of the batter, and sprinkle with sugar.

5. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cake is puffed, golden, and pulling away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and serve warm, or let cool completely, about 2 hours. The cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Want More Recipes? Buy The Book

Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin

This vibrant cookbook is packed with more than 80 recipes for snacks, apps, mains, desserts, and cocktails, all ideal for serving a crowd and simply making the process feel more special. Lewin incorporates easy hosting tips into each and every recipe so you can find moments of joy in the kitchen and at the dinner table.

Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties is currently available for purchase for $30 (was $35).