Strawberry Sumac Cake
Published June 7, 2022
Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE STRAWBERRIES
1 cup chopped hulled strawberries (1-inch pieces), plus 1 cup strawberries, halved
1 teaspoon ground sumac
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
FOR THE CAKE
1 cup/240 milliliters plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
1 cup/152 grams stone-ground yellow cornmeal
½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons/25 grams granulated sugar
½ cup/120 milliliters half-and-half
¼ teaspoon ground sumac
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)
70 grams carbs; 75 milligrams cholesterol; 608 calories; 23 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 34 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 264 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 31 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the strawberries: Combine the chopped strawberries, sumac, sugar and almond extract in a small bowl and set aside to macerate, a process of letting the berries soften and release their juices.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder to combine. Set aside.
- Step 4
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs and 1 cup/200 grams sugar on medium-high speed until very pale and light yellow in color, about 3 minutes. The mixture should thicken and make ribbons that slowly lose their shape when they fall off the whisk attachment. With the mixer on high speed, slowly add the remaining 1 cup/240 milliliters olive oil and beat until everything is combined.
- Step 5
Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly begin adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions, adding the half-and-half in between additions. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the diced strawberries and their liquid. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Arrange the halved strawberries on the top.
- Step 6
Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the cake is becoming too brown before the center has set, cover loosely with foil.
- Step 7
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar with the sumac. Sprinkle the cake with the sumac sugar while still slightly warm.
- Step 8
Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan onto the rack or release the springform ring and remove it. (If using a standard cake pan, some sugar may fall off of the cake. Use parchment or wax paper to catch any stray sugar and sprinkle back over the cake.) Let cool completely before serving. Store leftover cake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 day (or refrigerate up to 4 days).
Private Notes
Comments
As once only the words “caramel pecan” could do, now seeing “sumac” in any recipe garners a spot in my repertoire to use the harvest of my front yard edible. (It’s a stunning garden addition with burning bush red leaves during one of its seasonal turns!) Don’t miss the chance to make a hibiscus-reminiscent iced tea from the berries.
Not enough strawberries. The 2 cups called for amounted to about 10 ounces; next time I’ll use a pound.
This was surprisingly delicious. Made it exactly as directed but I would definitely add a lot more chopped strawberries next time and maybe increase the sumac as well. Came out much more beautiful than the photo and is lightly sweet. A bit like a clafoutis but with a cornbread twist.
Happily not a sweet cake, but also doesn't have much flavor. Corn meal adds crunch. Used 11.6 oz sliced strawberries in batter (plus another 22 halved on top) and 10" spring form pan, but otherwise followed recipe. Sprinkled 1 T Demerara sugar on top before baking and at 40 minutes, sprinkled 1 T Demerara + 1/4 t sumac. Baked 80 minutes before center was cooked; cooled cake was 3" tall. If I make again I would more than double amount of sumac in recipe and add lemon rind and/or juice to batter.
This is really good. I, also, increased the strawberries. I did a pound, 50/50 macerated split, and then added more split on top to fill the top. I doubled the macerated blend. It took at least 75 mins, tented after 65-ish, to not be jiggly and come out mostly clean with a knife. I also sumac-sugared prior to baking and have no regrets. The sumac flavor was subtle, maybe I need fresher sumac, but still really delicious. Also used half cup oat milk and 1/2 tbs flour in place of half and half since I never have that at hand. Baked in a springform and that baby puffed but did not overflow. Definitely more strawberries needed longer bake time, and felt like strawberries in batter kind of dissolved and disappeared. Maybe would add more, but would probably continue to increase bake time. Walked the line of cake/cornbread on the cake side but i watched carefully in 5-min-increments with all the underbaked/overbaked concerns. Will definitely make again.
This is everything a cake should be.