This brown butter strawberry espresso cake is really mind-blowingly scrumptious. It has a beautiful streusel center and topping, plus contemporary strawberries baked proper inside. Really the last word recipe for summer season brunch or an after dinner candy on the patio.
Did I add a luscious strawberry icing on high? OF COURSE.
Espresso cake can get a nasty rap for being dry and crumbly, however you already know I might by no means do this to you. This espresso cake is completely moist, and the crumb is simply *chef’s kiss*. I imply, simply have a look at her — she’s attractive! Deliver this unbelievable espresso cake to your subsequent get-together and watch your family and friends swoon. Weekend plans = made.


What’s espresso cake?
No, we’re not mixing espresso into the batter. Espresso cake is technically only a cake that has a cinnamon sugar streusel on high as an alternative of a frosting. We’re including somewhat strawberry icing to this espresso cake, too, as a result of you already know I’ve to be somewhat further.


All the things you’ll must make this strawberry espresso cake
We’re utilizing the true deal butter and sugar on this recipe, and the result’s probably the most wonderful, melt-in-your-mouth strawberry espresso cake you’ll ever attempt. Right here’s what you’ll must make it:
- For the topping & streusel: you’ll want some all function flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and somewhat melted butter to get that good crumble.
- For the dry substances: we’re utilizing extra all function flour and salt, plus baking powder and baking soda (sure, you want each!)
- For the moist substances: you’ll want butter, vanilla greek yogurt, and milk for further moisture, plus eggs, pure maple syrup, and each vanilla & almond extracts. For those who’re nut-free, merely omit the almond extract. Discover ways to make your individual vanilla right here!
- Combine-ins: we’re mixing contemporary strawberries proper into the batter. YES.
- For the glaze: the gorgeous strawberry glaze is made with freeze-dried strawberries, somewhat butter, powdered sugar, and milk to skinny it out.


Can I make ingredient swaps?
As with all of my recipes (particularly baking), I like to recommend sticking with the strawberry espresso cake recipe as is to get one of the best outcome. Listed below are a couple of ingredient swaps I can counsel, however please word that I haven’t tried all of them:
- For the butter & yogurt: I like to recommend utilizing melted vegan butter as an alternative of dairy butter. Don’t brown the vegan butter; simply use it within the recipe as is (melted). You too can use your favourite dairy-free yogurt, and bear in mind to make use of a dairy-free milk.
- For the flour: I feel that an all function gluten-free flour will work on this recipe, however please word that I’ve not examined it out to make certain. Let me know should you do!
- For the eggs: I additionally haven’t examined this recipe with flax eggs, however let me know should you give it a attempt! Then hold the recipe vegan by swapping the butter and yogurt.


Can I exploit completely different berries?
For those who don’t have any contemporary strawberries, you possibly can completely combine in any of your favourite berries! For those who discover different freeze-dried berries, too, you need to use these within the icing, OR simply have a strawberry icing with a unique berry center. Nonetheless scrumptious!
Discover ways to brown butter
I LOVE the addition of brown butter on this recipe as a result of it provides a wealthy, caramel-like taste to it. Browning butter is simpler than it sounds — get all of my suggestions & methods for browning butter right here!


What’s one of the best pan for espresso cake?
Excellent news: you’ve got choices in the case of selecting a pan for this strawberry espresso cake! I like to make use of a 9-inch springform pan to point out off the layers, however you can even use a daily 9-inch cake pan OR an 8×8-inch sq. pan. Really easy!
Ideas for the proper strawberry espresso cake
Don’t neglect these straightforward suggestions & methods in order that your contemporary strawberry espresso cake seems wonderful each time!
- Grease your pan. Please bear in mind to generously coat your springform pan (sides included!) with nonstick cooking spray in order that the cake comes out simply! For those who’re utilizing a cake pan or sq. pan, bear in mind to line it with parchment paper.
- Use room temp substances. Remember to settle down the brown butter for a full 10 minutes and produce your eggs to room temp in order that they don’t coagulate when combined collectively.
- Don’t overmix. When combining the moist and dry substances, make sure you combine till the batter is simply mixed. Overmixing will create a dense, gummy texture.
- Cool, then glaze. Let the cake cool for at the very least half-hour earlier than including the icing in order that it doesn’t soak into the cake.


Extra scrumptious methods to high this cake
For those who don’t have freeze-dried strawberries to make the glaze, merely:
- Mud the cake with powdered sugar
- Soften 2-3 tablespoons of white or darkish chocolate chips with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil and drizzle it on high
- Benefit from the cake with out the glaze, and/or serve it with vanilla ice cream
Storing & freezing suggestions
- To retailer: hold the strawberry espresso cake coated at room temperature for 1-2 days, then place it within the fridge coated for as much as 1 week.
- To freeze: let the cake cool after which wrap it properly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place the complete cake in a zip-top freezer bag. If you’re able to serve it, thaw the cake within the fridge in a single day, then let the cake come to room temp earlier than including the strawberry glaze and serving it.


Instruments you’ll want
Get all of my favourite kitchen instruments right here!
Extra cake recipes you’ll love
Get all of my cake recipes right here!
I hope you’re keen on this unbelievable brown butter strawberry espresso cake! For those who make it make sure you go away a remark and a score so I understand how you preferred it. Get pleasure from, xo!

The
Formidable Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Typically Indulgent, and Completely By no means Boring Recipes for Each Meal of the Day
Brown Butter Strawberry Espresso Cake
by


Beautiful strawberry espresso cake made with wealthy brown butter and topped with a stunning strawberry icing. This glorious strawberry espresso cake recipe is deliciously moist with the proper crumble topping. One of the best ways to make use of up contemporary strawberries all summer season lengthy!
Substances
- For the topping & streusel:
- 1 cup (120 grams) all function flour
- ½ cup (107 grams) packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon floor cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) salted butter*, melted (unsalted is ok, too!)
- Moist substances:
- ½ cup (113 grams) salted butter*
- ½ cup (113 grams) vanilla greek yogurt (I used siggi’s vanilla complete milk yogurt)
- ¼ cup (60 grams) milk of alternative (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (156 grams) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Dry substances:
- 1 ¾ cup (210 grams) all function flour (or sub gf all function flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Combine-ins:
- 1 ½ cups diced contemporary strawberries
- For the glaze:
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ¼ cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (6 grams) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1-2 tablespoons milk of alternative, to skinny glaze in order that it’s straightforward to drizzle
Directions
-
Preheat the oven to 350 levels F. Generously coat a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray (VERY IMPORTANT TO COAT THE SIDES TOO); alternatively you need to use a 9-inch cake pan or an 8×8 inch sq. pan that’s been lined with parchment paper.
-
First make your streusel: in a medium bowl, combine collectively the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add within the melted butter and stir along with a fork till it begins to type into crumbles and resembles clumps of moist sand. Chances are you’ll want to make use of your arms/fingers to type into good thick ‘clumps’. Cowl the bowl with plastic wrap and place within the fridge till prepared to make use of.
-
Make your brown butter: add 1/2 cup butter to a big saucepan or skillet and place over medium warmth. The butter will start to soften, crackle, after which finally foam. Be sure you stir always throughout this course of. After a few minutes, the butter will start to brown and switch a pleasant golden amber shade on the underside of the saucepan, this often occurs proper when it foams. Proceed to whisk and take away from warmth as quickly because the butter begins to show a brown amber shade and provides off a nutty aroma. Switch brown butter to a big mixing bowl and put aside to chill for 10 minutes when you get your entire different substances out and measured. Observe: It will be important that you simply wait the complete 10 minutes for the brown butter to chill.
-
As soon as brown butter has cooled, add the remaining moist substances to the bowl: vanilla yogurt, milk, eggs, pure maple syrup, vanilla and almond extracts; whisk till properly mixed, clean and creamy.
-
In a separate medium bowl: whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry substances to the moist substances and blend till simply mixed; don’t overmix. Fold the diced strawberries into the batter.
-
Pour HALF of the batter into the ready pan and unfold out with a spatula; the batter will probably be thick. Sprinkle the batter with HALF of the streusel combination. Then high with the remaining batter and gently unfold over the streusel after which high once more with remaining streusel combination.
-
Bake for 45-55 minutes or till a tester comes out clear with just some crumbs hooked up. Permit the cake to chill for half-hour earlier than glazing.
-
To make the glaze: add freeze dried strawberries to a blender and mix till they’re a nice powder. In a small bowl, combine collectively the melted butter, powdered sugar, freeze dried strawberry powder and milk. Begin with somewhat little bit of milk to skinny the glaze, figuring out you possibly can at all times add extra to skinny if obligatory. Drizzle the glaze forwards and backwards over the cake. Lower into 12 slices. Retailer coated at room temp for 1-2 days, then switch to the fridge for as much as 1 week.
Recipe Notes
See the complete put up for all of my suggestions and methods for baking this cake!
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Formidable Kitchen | Images by: Eat Love Eats
This put up was initially revealed on June third, 2022, republished on Might tenth, 2023, and republished on Might twenty third, 2026.
