A lot of what I know about baking, I learned from my step-mom, who is French and makes cakes accordingly. Now, when you think of French desserts you might think of pristine pastries and flaky tarts but I think of the type of cake that many French people make at home — simple, round, rustic, unadorned, and usually a preparation that only involves a single bowl. That’s precisely what type of cake this One-Bowl Strawberry Cake is. It’s the easy type of cake you could make any day for afternoon goûter (that’s snack) and it’s a celebration of one of summer’s best things: fresh strawberries.

First, you’re going to beat together and sugar. Simple. Pretty standard.

Then, (since this is a take on French yogurt cake) you’ll add yogurt, oil, and vanilla before you mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. That can all happen in one bowl, just do it in the right order and don’t over-mix.

Your batter is done, so then it’s time for the strawberries. Cut half of them in half and dice up the rest.

The diced ones get folded right into the batter…

… and the sliced ones nestle into the top.

That way the batter rises up around the larger berry halves but you still have small pops of fresh strawberry running throughout. If you want to serve this casually out of the cake pan, a regular 9-inch cake pan works fine but if you’d like to plate it, a springform is a little easier. (Either way, it’s just as delicious.)

The crumb is moist with a creamy vanilla flavor and the slightest caramelized crunch at the edges and so much fresh strawberry flavor. It doesn’t need a glaze or frosting or powdered sugar — it’s lovely just the way it is!