Cinnamon Brown Butter Strawberry Crumb Cake

A slice of cake on a stack of plates with a scoop of ice cream and a glass of milk with jam in the background.

5 from 2 votes

Cinnamon Brown Butter Strawberry Crumb Cake

Indulge your taste buds in the delightful goodness of this Cinnamon Brown Butter Strawberry Crumb Cake recipe. This sweet treat marries the warmth of cinnamon and the rich flavor of brown butter with the juicy sweetness of strawberries, all tucked beneath a buttery crumbly topping. Gluten-free option

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Keyword: baked, brown butter, cake, cinnamon, crumble, dessert, easy, family-friendly, gluten-free, kid-friendly, strawberry

Servings: servings

Calories: 628kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CRUMB TOPPING:

1 cup organic all-purpose flour
1 cup crushed organic cornflakes
½ cup organic brown sugar
1 ½ tsps ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup unsalted butter, partially melted
Pinch of sea salt

STRAWBERRY LAYER:

1 cup organic strawberry preserves/jam
½ lemon, freshly-squeezed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

CAKE:

2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups organic cane sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
2 tsps baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs, room temp.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup Almond milk (You can also use buttermilk or regular cow's milk)

STRAWBERRY GLAZE:

½ cup organic powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsps organic strawberry preserves/jam
1-2 Tbsps Almond milk (You can also use heavy cream or regular cow's milk)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO MAKE THE BROWN BUTTER:

In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally and letting it cook for 3-4 minutes, until dark bits begin to form and the entire butter becomes fragrant and darker. Remove from heat and let it cool.

TO MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING:

In a bowl, add the flour, crushed cornflakes, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and allspice, stirring until combined. Add the partially melted butter and using a spatula, mix until combined and 'crumbly-like'. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRY LAYER:

In a bowl, add the strawberry preserves/jam along with lemon juice and cinnamon, stirring together until smooth. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease (w/ butter or spray) and line the bottom with parchment paper of a 9-inch round cake pan. NOTE: For greater ease, you can use a 8 to 9-inch springform pan as well so that you can remove it more easily once baked.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt until combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add together the sugar and cooled brown butter, mixing by using a hand-mixer on medium-high speed, until combined and "sand-like", about 1-2 minutes. Add in the oil followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.
Add in the vanilla and the milk followed by the dry ingredients, mixing everything together until well combined, smooth, and lump-free, about 2-3 minutes.

ASSEMBLY:

FIRST LAYER: Pour/scoop batter into prepared pan, spreading everything around for a perfect evenness.
SECOND LAYER: Generously spoon the strawberry layer mixture atop cake batter, evenly spread until covered.
FINAL LAYER: Add the crumb topping atop the strawberry layer mixture and spread evenly until completely covered.

BAKE THE CAKE:

Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the center of the cake comes out clean when tested with a toothpick or butter knife.
Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely (about 1-2 hours) before carefully lifting it from the pan. NOTE: To best remove, I recommend gently turning your cake over and "shake" out of pan, flipping it back right side up once until cake stand or platter.

TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRY GLAZE:

In a bowl, add the powdered sugar, melted butter, strawberry preserves/jam, and milk, whisking until combined and smooth.
Once the cake is fully cooled, drizzle on the strawberry glaze atop everything.
To serve, slice cake and top with your favorite ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Keep leftover cake tightly wrapped using plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days. To store frozen (frosted or unfrosted), simply tightly wrap and cover cake and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature.
FLOUR: You can always just use cake flour for this recipe.
MAKE AHEAD: You can always bake this cake the night or day before and let it cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to serve, let cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, whip together the glaze, add your favorite topping, and serve each slice!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this cake entirely gluten-free, simply substitute the flour with a great Gluten-Free flour option like Bob's Red Mill's GF 1-to-1 baking flour or All-purpose flour. If using any other flour, ensure that it has Xanthan Gum included or add 1 teaspoon in with any flour that doesn't. For the remaining ingredients, just make sure that they are GF-friendly and you use arrowroot starch which is very GF-friendly.
SALTED VS. UNSALTED BUTTER: You can always substitute the salted butter with unsalted butter. When doing so, you can omit the salt as an ingredient.

Nutrition