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I’m not sure at what age we are forced to stop endearing ourselves to others by means of baked goods, but Strawberry Lemonade Coffee Cake gives me hope that the answer is: “never.”

A slice of Strawberry Lemonade Coffee Cake on a plate with a fork

An impossibly moist, streusel-topped, strawberry-stuffed, and lemonade-glazed breakfast treat, strawberry lemonade coffee cake is your ticket to swaying the universe in your favor.

Have heavy objects that need lifting? Bribe your brawny neighbor with a big slice of strawberry lemonade coffee cake (FYI this Pumpkin Coffee Cake has powers of persuasion too).

Computer giving you the blue screen of death? Offer your favorite techie a piece in exchange for resuscitating it.

Need a foolproof, yet impressive dish to bring to the in-laws? Show up with strawberry lemonade coffee cake (or this Apple Coffee Cake is another sure winner) and be named Grandma’s new favorite.

As any affection-garnering coffee cake should be, strawberry lemonade coffee cake is smothered with an irresistible streusel topping. That sweet, crunchy, buttery layer is worthy of being designated its own food group.

Don’t be shy; pile it high. We have hearts to win.

Easy Strawberry Lemonade Coffee Cake with lemon glaze.

5 Star Review

“It was absolutely divine. Not too sweet, not too heavy, but perfectly indulgent. Perfect for a chilly Sunday afternoon.”

— Sue —

The cake portion of strawberry lemonade coffee cake has a secret ingredient that makes it uniquely tender: yeast. (This Cinnamon Swirl Yeasted Coffee Cake is another amazing yeasted coffee cake to try.)

Fear not—no kneading and only one short rise is required. The yeast is beaten into the batter with other ingredients, the dough is briefly left to rise, and the result is a melt-in-your-mouth cake (like my favorite Buttermilk Cake) that is simultaneously lightly spongy and ridiculously moist.

It’s soft without feeling heavy, fluffy but still satisfying. I find many coffee cakes to be either too dense or too cakey, but strawberry lemonade coffee cake is juuuuuust right (these Coffee Cake Muffins are equally divine).

Yeasted Coffee Cake with strawberry and lemon on a plate with a simple lemon glaze

How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Coffee Cake

Whether you make strawberry lemonade coffee cake for a special brunch (preferably with Goat Cheese Quiche), lazy Saturday (pass the Oven Baked Bacon), or to pay your movers, it’s sure to endear you to everyone who takes a bite.

TIP!

This yeasted batter makes an excellent base for all sorts of mix-ins, but in honor of spring and upcoming Easter brunches, I chose to fill it with fresh strawberries and drizzle it with a bright lemon glaze.


The Ingredients

  • Strawberries. I love their fresh flavor combined with the glaze’s zippy lemon. It reminds me of all things happy and spring. This Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake I baked a few weeks ago ignited my annual berry fervor, and I’ve been adding them to every recipe possible.
  • Lemon. For this recipe, you’ll use a healthy amount of both lemon zest and juice (like this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake). It adds such a lovely brightness to this tender coffee cake that enhances the natural flavor of the strawberries to make this yeasted coffee cake really shine.
  • Yeast. The secret ingredient that makes this strawberry coffee cake with lemon sing. It enhances the crumb of this bake making it light and fluffy.
  • Flour. Nothing fancy here. Just everyday all purpose flour.
  • Sugar. Lightly sweetens the coffee cake dough letting the natural sugars in the strawberries do the heavy lifting.
  • Egg. Softens the dough and also helps with the rise for supreme fluffiness.
  • Butter + Milk. Enrich the dough with extra fat to make this strawberry coffee cake moist and ultra-tender.
  • Streusel. A simple mixture of brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and butter creates an out-of-this-world crunchy topping that covers every inch of this homemade coffee cake recipe. (For a fall streusel treat, try this Pumpkin Coffee Cake.)
  • Lemon Glaze. For a touch of extra pucker and sweetness. A simple glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice finishes this bright and fruity coffee cake recipe.

The Directions

  1. Mix together the dry ingredients, reserving 1 1/4 cups of flour.
  2. Warm the milk, water, and butter together.
  3. Add the warm liquid to the dry ingredients, then mix until combined.
  4. Beat in egg, then gradually stir in the remaining flour and strawberries.
  5. Spread the batter into a prepared round baking pan.
  6. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled in size.
  7. Meanwhile, prepare the streusel. Set aside.
  8. Pat the risen dough down so it reaches the edges of the pan. Let rest.
  9. Top the dough with all of the topping, and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until golden. You may need to cover the cake with foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.
  10. Remove and let cool slightly before removing from the pan.
  11. Finally, mix the glaze and then drizzle over the warm coffee cake. ENJOY!
Strawberry lemonade Coffee Cake with yeast on a plate with easy lemon glaze

My plan: leave a slice on my manager’s desk, then skip out on my 8 a.m. meeting. In case he’s tempted to mind, I’ll drop a second piece in his top drawer.

Never underestimate the powers of carbs and crumb topping—bake your way to persuasion!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Active Dry Yeast Instead of Instant Yeast?

I have not made this recipe with active dry yeast before however it can be done. To swap for active dry, you’ll want to add the yeast to the warm liquid (rather than mixing in with the other dry ingredients) and allow it to proof for 5-10 minutes before pouring the mixture over the dry ingredients. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.

Can I Make Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat Flour?

I have never made this recipe with anything other than all purpose flour before so it would be an experiment. If you’d like to play around with the recipe, you can usually swap up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour without impacting the taste or texture of the recipe. If you give this a try, I’d love to hear about your results.

Can I Make Strawberry Coffee Cake Gluten Free?

I have not tried making this recipe gluten free before so I can’t offer specific advice or direction for adapting this recipe to be gluten free. If there is a 1 to 1 gluten free baking mix that you’ve used with other coffee cake recipes successfully in the past, however, you could certainly experiment.

Strawberry Lemonade Coffee Cake

5 from 2 votes
For an easy yeasted coffee cake, try this strawberry lemonade coffee cake with strawberries, streusel, and lemon glaze. Moist and fluffy!

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 10 slices; (1) 10-inch cake

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter 4 tablespoons
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups strawberries hulled and quartered

For the Streusel Crumb Topping:

For the Lemonade Glaze:


Instructions
 

  • Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and salt.
  • In a microwave-safe measuring cup, combine milk, water, and butter and heat until the liquid reaches the temperature specified by the yeast manufacturer (usually between 110-125°F). The butter may not melt completely.
  • Add the warm liquid to the flour mixture, then mix the batter on a low speed until combined. Beat in egg, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes. By hand, gradually stir in remaining the 1 1/4 cups of flour and strawberries.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread as evenly as possible. Cover with plastic wrap that is lightly misted with cooking spray, then let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size; about 30 minutes. Place rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the streusel topping. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and flour. Pour the butter over the top, then with your fingers, quickly mix until crumbly. Set aside.
  • Once the dough has doubled, lightly flour your hands and softly pat dough out to the edges of the pan. Recover and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle dough with all of the crumb topping, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven, cover with aluminum foil, then bake an additional 10 minutes, until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove cake from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, then remove the ring.
  • Finally, prepare the glaze. Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl, then whisk in 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth, adding slightly more lemon juice as needed to create a thin glaze. Drizzle over the warm coffee cake, then serve.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Leftover strawberry lemonade coffee cake may be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days, wrapped tightly in plastic. 
  • TO FREEZE: This coffee cake may be kept in the freezer, tightly wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then allow to come to room temperature before serving. If planning to freeze, I suggest waiting to glaze until you’re ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 10)Calories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 6gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 299IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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6 Comments

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  1. Ok, SOOOOOOO I actually made this…TWICE…in one weekend (no joke) and girl, this recipe is just flat out AMAZING! I made it once with the strawberry – lemon combo and once with cherries instead of strawberries. Both came out so perfect!5 stars

    1. Phi, I am so SO excited that you tried and loved this! Not once, but TWICE. That is the ultimate compliment. Also, I love your idea of making it with cherries. I’m totally going to try that version next!

  2. I stumbled across your blog randomly. This recipe caught my attention and I just had to try it. It was absolutely divine. Not too sweet, not too heavy, but perfectly indulgent. Perfect for the chilly Sunday afternoon we just had here (it’s autumn in Sydney, Australia). I thought I had a wide cake repertoire – but I have never made a yeasted cake! Thanks for sharing.5 stars

    1. Hi Sue! I’m so, so excited that you tried and loved this coffee cake. Thanks for taking time to share your review and enjoy every bite

    1. HI Laurel! I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. It could of been the yeast or the temperature of the water. It’s really hard for me to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you.