Ingredients You’ll Need & why It Works:

Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter is key to the cake’s rich flavor and softness.

Whole Eggs: Egg yolks are rich in lecithin, a natural emulsifier that efficiently combines liquids and fats. When eggs are heated, they undergo a process of denaturing or uncoiling, where they trap and bond with liquids in the cake batter. This process leads to the egg proteins forming a strong and flexible network that sets the structure of the cake. Beating the eggs with sugar to incorporate air pockets further enhances this process, resulting in a cake with a rich flavor, stable structure, and tender crumb.

Vegetable Oil: Incorporating a liquid fat, like vegetable oil, adds extra moisture to a cake’s crumb. As it’s fluid, the cake remains soft when cooled. This contrasts with butter, a solid fat that hardens upon cooling. When choosing an oil, a neutral option like avocado oil is recommended. Its mild flavor won’t alter the cake’s overall taste.

Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar is essential in this recipe for several reasons. The size of the sugar granules influences the amount of air incorporated into the cake batter. Larger granules create bigger air pockets, resulting in a well-aerated batter. This aeration is achieved by beating butter with sugar, which cuts into the butter’s fat, creating air pockets and aiding in its rise. Additionally, granulated sugar adds sweetness of the final product.

Orange Zest: Orange zest is a wonderful addition to this cake as it pairs exceptionally well with strawberries and almonds. For maximum flavor, use freshly grated orange zest.

Almond Extract: Almond extract beautifully complements strawberry and orange zest.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a touch of warmth and depth to this cake while also helping to balance and enrich its flavor.

All- Purpose Flour: The amount of protein in all-purpose flour is ideal for creating a tender crumb while providing the necessary structure.

Almond Flour: Almond flour gives this cake a mild nutty flavor and contributes to its soft and delicate crumb. 

Baking Powder: Baking powder comprises of a base, sodium bicarbonate, and at least one acid, typically monocalcium phosphate (MCP). During the first few minutes of mixing the batter, the fast-acting acid (MCP) is converted to a slow-acting acid, such as dicalcium phosphate (DCP). The baking powder gets its second rise from the slow-acting acid (DCP), which activates at high temperatures. This typically occurs at temperatures over 150℉, but in this case, it’s 350℉. The chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide, which is crucial for the cake to rise.

Table Salt: Salt adds depth and complexity to balance the cake’s flavors.

Fresh Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are ideal for this recipe. Wash, hull, and slice them into smaller pieces before adding them to the cake batter. Frozen strawberries will not be a good substitute since they contain additional liquid, which will compromise the cake’s texture.

Sliced Almonds: Unsalted sliced almonds work best; blanched sliced almonds will also work.

Tips For Making Strawberry Almond Tea Cake:

Line Pan w/ Parchment — Line an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough paper overhanging the sides of the pan. This will facilitate the cake’s easier removal once it has cooled.

Type of Baking Pan — Nonstick aluminized pans are ideal for baking cakes evenly. Darker or glass pans should be avoided because they heat up more slowly, which can cause uneven baking.

Do Not Reduce The Sugar  — After testing many batches, I’ve discovered the most optimal amount of sugar without making the cake too overly sweet or sacrificing its texture. The correct amount of sugar ensures the cake remains tender for a few days, so avoid reducing it.

Fresh Strawberries. Fresh strawberries uphold their structure more effectively within the batter without releasing excess juices. The freezing process can disrupt the cell structure of strawberries, which may lead to a loss of form. To preserve the vibrant, fresh strawberry color during baking, lightly coat them in lemon juice.

Overmixing Batter — Mixing the batter too much after adding the dry ingredients can overwork the flour’s protein and create too many air pockets. These air pockets will deflate during baking, resulting in a dry and dense cake. So once the large white streaks of flour are no longer visible, it’s essential to stop folding the batter immediately.