Ingredients

For the Cake

• 6 tbsp / 85 g butter, softened

• ⅔ cup / 133 g granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp / 5 ml vanilla extract

• ½ cup / 120 ml milk

• 1¼ cups / 156 g all purpose flour

• 1 tsp / 4 g baking powder

• ¼ tsp / 1 g salt

For the Strawberries

• ½ lb / 226 g fresh strawberries, sliced

For the Whipped Cream

• 1 cup / 240 ml heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup / 120 g powdered sugar

• 1 tsp / 5 ml vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a 9-inch cake tin with parchment paper.

2. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well. Stir in the milk.

3. Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. Do not overmix.

4. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin and bake at 350°F / 175°C for 23–25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before topping.

5. Make the Whipped Cream: Whip the heavy cream in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing for about 2 minutes until the peaks stiffen.

6. Assemble: Top the cooled cake with the whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries.

Additional Notes

Strawberries: This cake is quite sweet, so be generous with the strawberries — they balance it out nicely.

Room for Improvement: I think this cake could be fluffier with a different technique, and I'd handle the strawberries differently next time, though I'm still working out exactly how. For something this simple it's really good, but I think with a bit more intention it could be a lot more complex and impressive.