Posted by kdipaolo May 30, 2001

1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 large eggs
4 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoon sSteen's 100 percent Pure Cane Syrup
    or other cane syrup
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 2-inch round cake pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

In a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, combine the strawberries, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook at a boil for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add to the strawberry mixture and cook, stirring, until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, cream 1/4 pound of the butter with the remaining 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Into a medium mixing bowl, sift 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt. Add the flour mixture, buttermilk, and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat with an electric mixer until everything in incorporated.

In another medium-size mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup butter, the remaining 1/2 cup flour, the brown sugar, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Using your hands, combine the mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Spread the strawberry mixture over the batter. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the mixture, about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the surface. Put the cake pan on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, cane syrup, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the frosting over the top of the coffee cake. Cut into slices and serve.