Light and tender Brown Butter Strawberry Cornmeal Cake! This rustic cake is made with cornmeal, nutty brown butter, maple syrup and fresh strawberries!

This has to be one of my most favorite cakes. It's studded with juicy strawberries, scented with brown butter and has a crunchy sugary top. It's sweet and savory and SO easy to make!

Brown Butter Strawberry Cornmeal Cake Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour - Use a good quality flour such as King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill.
Yellow Cornmeal - My favorite cornmeal is by Bob's Red Mill. I love using the medium grind for the texture. You can use fine grind as well.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda - The leveners not only make the cake tender, it also helps it rise and brown.
Salt - Balances the sweetness.
Unsalted Butter - We'll be browning the butter. It gives the cake a wonderful nuttiness.
White Sugar - Adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
Maple Syrup - Compliments the brown butter and adds so much flavor.
Vanilla Paste - I prefer using vanilla paste as it adds so much flavor. You can also use vanilla extract.
Eggs - Adds richness and structure.
Sour Cream - Makes the cake SO moist.
Fresh Strawberries - The fresh strawberries works so well with the cornmeal and brown butter.

Instructions

Brown Butter

Step 1. In a light colored saucepan and over medium heat, add unsalted butter. Swirl the pan and keep the butter moving around constantly. Once completely melted, the butter will foam and sizzle and gradually start to brown. It's ready when it smells nutty and the color is an amber brown color. Be careful not to burn it.

Step 2. Immediately transfer to a glass bowl and allow to cool slightly, making sure to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. That's where all the flavor is!

Cornmeal Cake

Step 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Next, generously butter a 9 to 10 inch skillet or cake pan and set aside. Then wash, hull and halve your strawberries and set aside. Finally, in a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

Step 2. With a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed, the brown butter, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. About 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 3. Beat in one egg at a time, about 45 seconds each. Scape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Mix in sour cream until combined.

Step 4. Add dry ingredients and on low speed, mix until just combined, do not overmix.

Step 5. Transfer the batter to your prepared skillet or cake pan and evenly spread. Add strawberries on top. You can place them in a decorative pattern or randomly like mine. Then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of white sugar.

Step 6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not over bake. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS!

Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. It's the best and most accurate way to bake.
If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
Make sure your sour cream and eggs are at room temperature. Quickly bring your sour cream to temp by microwaving in 10 to 15 second. You can quickly bring the eggs to temp by submerging them in hot tap water for 15 minutes.
Do not overmix your batter. Overworking the batter can result in a dry and crumbly cake.
Do not overbake. Overbaking will dry out your cornmeal cake. It will take between 30 to 35 minutes to bake. It's done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.