Summer Strawberry Cake

Memorial Day weekend signals the beginning of summer.  Everyone has shed their coat and tie for shorts and T-shirts, stilettos for flip flops and headed for the beach or lake in droves. We're ready for relaxed, easy entertaining and menus. Things that don't take much time and effort but make that "summer is here" statement.  This delightful and simple strawberry cake fits the bill.  It's modestly adapted from Martha Stewart and Jenn Segal's version.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
6 oz softened butter, plus more for buttering pie plate
1 cup sugar, plus 2 tbls divided
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 pound strawberries, washed, stemmed and halved

Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 9 inch deep dish pie plate or cake pan (round or square).

Mix the first three ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat to incorporate. Add the flour mixture and liquids alternately in three portions and beat until smooth.  The batter will be fairly thick.

Pour into greased pie plate and top with halved strawberries. Don't press the berries down in the batter.  Sprinkle 2 tbls sugar over the berries and batter to form a crisp topping while baking.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 and continue baking for 50 minutes or when the top is browned and a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool in the pie plate and serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 6-8.