Ingredients

• 2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, with larger ones quartered (about 2 lb. strawberries)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Gently stir sliced strawberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ¼ cup of sugar in a large bowl until totally combined. Let strawberry mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 15 minutes.

Place butter in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, and put the dish in pre-heated oven until butter is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the dish from oven.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and remaining ¾ cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk together buttermilk and vanilla in a glass measuring cup. Whisk buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, and continue to whisk until batter is smooth. Pour mixture evenly over melted butter in hot baking dish. (Do not stir.) Using a slotted spoon, scatter the strawberry mixture evenly over batter. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of accumulated juice from the bottom of the bowl over strawberries. Discard any remaining juice, or reserve for another use.

Bake in preheated oven until batter is puffed and slightly golden in the center and dark golden brown around edges, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.