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Strawberry coffee cake with a buttery crumb topping and a layer of sweet strawberry jam baked into the center. This easy coffee cake with jam is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon cup of coffee.

Sometimes the best bakes are the ones you didn’t plan to make. This one started with a craving for something fruity to go with my coffee and, with no fresh fruit on hand, a jar of strawberry jam waiting in the fridge. The cake came together almost on a whim and turned into a simple crumb cake with a buttery topping and just enough strawberry tucked into the middle.

Ingredients & Notes

Strawberry Jam: The star of the cake. It adds sweetness and a fruity flavor without needing fresh berries. I like using Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves, but any strawberry jam you enjoy will work here.
Unsalted Butter: Butter gives both the cake and crumb topping their rich, tender texture. Let it come to room temperature before baking for the best results.
Vanilla Bean Paste: A small amount adds warmth and depth to the cake. Vanilla extract works well too if that’s what you have on hand.
Milk: Milk helps create a soft, moist crumb and brings the batter together. Whole milk will give the richest texture, but any milk you regularly bake with should work.
Brown Sugar: A little brown sugar in the crumb topping adds a subtle caramel note and helps create those buttery crumbs that make coffee cake so comforting.

Strawberry Jam Cake Recipe

Start by creaming the butter and sugar until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. This little bit of extra mixing helps create a soft, tender cake.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Then add in the dry ingredients. Mix the batter just until no streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps are perfectly fine here.

Spread most of the batter into an 8×8 pan, then dollop the jam over the top. Try to leave a small border around the edges to keep the jam tucked inside the cake.

Spoon the remaining batter over the jam and gently spread it out. It doesn’t need to completely cover the jam.

For the crumb topping, work the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a mixture of small and large crumbs. The uneven texture is what gives the topping its charm.

Once baked, look for a golden top and a cake that springs back lightly when touched. A toothpick inserted into the cake portion should come out mostly clean.

Let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze. Once drizzled, you’ll have little pockets of strawberry sweetness in every slice.

Serve it with coffee or tea.
This is the kind of cake that feels right at home alongside a quiet morning coffee or an afternoon cup of tea.

Store leftovers for later.
Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let chilled slices come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Baking Notes

Don’t worry about perfectly covering the jam.
When you add the remaining batter over the jam, a few spots may peek through. The cake will bake up beautifully either way.

Warm the jam if needed.
If your jam is especially thick, a few seconds in the microwave will make it easier to spread over the batter.

Try a different jam.
Raspberry, blackberry, apricot, or even cherry jam would all work beautifully here. It’s a simple way to make the recipe your own.

Add a little lemon.
Stir a teaspoon of lemon zest into the batter for a brighter flavor that pairs especially well with the strawberry jam.

Leave off the glaze.
For a less sweet cake, skip the glaze and let the buttery crumb topping shine on its own.

If you’re looking for more easy summer fruit dessert recipes, here are some of our favorites:

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