High altitude makes cookies spread in the pan, cakes fall, and few baked goods turn out as they do at sea level. This twice-monthly column presents recipes and tips that make baking in the mountains successful. 

Morsels of buttery dough embracing sweet strawberries — this cake is simple, unpretentious and just plain good. More like a berry crumble than a cake, it’s as easy to prepare as it is to eat. You can serve it any time of day. In the morning, present it plain; later add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or fancy it up with a few fresh berries, a strawberry sauce or a topping of sweetened whipped cream.

What matters? The berries star in this pretty thing, so find some that are ripe and full of flavor. Like most fresh fruit desserts, the cake is best the day it’s made, but still good after a day in the refrigerator. 

Why do I recommend using a baking pan that’s made of shiny metal? Because they don’t absorb as much heat as darker or matte pans do and they distribute heat more evenly. This prevents the edges of a baked good from browning too quickly while the center remains undercooked, which is a common problem when baking at high elevations. It honestly makes a difference.  

Strawberry crumb cake

Adjusted for altitudes of 7,000 feet and above. Make in a shiny metal, 8-inch springform pan

Filling

• 10-12 medium-sized strawberries
• Granulated sugar, optional
• 1/2 cup thick strawberry jam
• Lemon juice, optional

Cake

• 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, spoon and level
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, preferably superfine
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt 
• 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
• 1 large egg, room temperature 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste

Confectioners’ sugar, optional

Get ready: Grease the pan with a baking spray that contains flour and preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center position.

Prepare the berries: Wash and hull the strawberries, then cut them into 1/2-inch slices; you want about 1 1/2 cups of them. Keep them small or the cake will be difficult to cut. Give one a taste and, if necessary, toss them with a little sugar to sweeten them and increase their flavor. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the cake crumbs.

Make the cake crumbs: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and zest (if using) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine them well. (This can also be done by whisking the ingredients in a bowl by hand). Cut the butter into small pieces, add them, with the egg and vanilla and pulse/process only until the mixture is in small crumbs (1/8-inch nuggets of dough that hold together) and no dry ingredients are visible. (This can be done by hand, tossing the mixture with a fork, a pastry blender or, even, with clean hands). You don’t want to make a smooth dough, your goal is to form little chunks.

Assemble the cake: Dump half of the crumbs into the prepared pan and gently press them into an even layer, it need not be smooth, it should be a little pebbly. Stir the strawberry jam until it’s fluid and spread it on top, leaving 1/2-inch border of uncovered dough around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the chopped strawberries on top and the rest of the dough crumbs over them, covering them completely. 

Bake and cool the cake: Move the pan to the oven and bake until the top is a light golden color, with slightly darker edges, and the crumbs are crisp, 30-35 minutes. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then carefully unlock the pan’s sides, remove them, and let the cake cool completely or serve it when it’s slightly warm. 

Serve and store the cake: It’s best the day it’s made, but you can keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It’s easiest to cut (with a serrated knife) when it’s cold and is good served warm, cold or at room temperature. 

Vera Dawson’s column “High Country Baking” publishes biweekly in the Summit Daily News. Dawson is a high-elevation baking instructor and author of three high-altitude cookbooks. Her recipes have been tested in her kitchen in Frisco, where she’s lived since 1991, and altered until they work at elevation. Contact her at veradawson1@gmail.com.