Description
This Vegan Strawberry Crumb Cake is a luscious, plant-based dessert featuring fresh strawberries cooked into a thick, flavorful layer topped with a buttery crumb topping and a moist vanilla cake base. Perfectly balanced with sweet and tangy notes, this cake is easy to make and ideal for gatherings or a delightful treat any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry layer
- 3 ¾ cups (450g) fresh strawberries, chopped (weighed after stems removed)
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose plain flour
Crumb topping
- ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose plain flour (use gluten-free flour for GF option)
- 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
- 4 ½ tablespoons (65g) melted vegan butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla Cake
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (115g) dairy-free yogurt or unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (75g) dairy-free milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (75g) neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the strawberries: In a large saucepan or bowl, combine chopped fresh strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Place over medium heat and cook until the mixture bubbles, about 2-3 minutes. Mix flour with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry, then quickly stir it into the strawberry mixture. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until thickened and most liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely; refrigerate or freeze to speed cooling if desired.
- Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine all crumb topping ingredients: flour, sugar, melted vegan butter, and ground cinnamon. Mix until combined and place in the fridge to chill and firm up until needed.
- Prepare the vanilla cake batter: Once strawberries are at room temperature or slightly warm, preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking tin with parchment paper, allowing some paper to overhang. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed. Add the wet ingredients—dairy-free yogurt, dairy-free milk, oil, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (if using), and vanilla extract—and whisk gently until just combined. A few lumps are okay; do not overmix.
- Assemble and bake the cake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Spoon the cooled strawberry mixture on top of the batter, then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the strawberries. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out with no wet batter (bits of strawberry are fine). The cake should feel firm and springy when pressed gently in the middle.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before transferring it carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. Use a serrated knife to slice into 16 pieces. Serve plain or with dairy-free yogurt or ice cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Note that the crumb topping may soften over time.
Notes
- Use ripe or overripe fresh strawberries for best flavor. Frozen strawberries can be used; thaw them and cook longer as needed.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour in the strawberry layer, crumb topping, and cake batter with a good quality measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend.
- Optionally, replace half the oil in the cake batter with melted vegan butter (3 tbsp oil + 3 tbsp vegan butter) for richer flavor. Adding 2 teaspoons lemon zest enhances aroma.
- Ensure dairy-free yogurt and milk are at room temperature for better batter emulsification and texture.
- If melted vegan butter used in the crumb topping is too hot, the mixture may seem paste-like but will firm and crumble properly upon chilling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cake)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
