1. 1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. This size is perfect for ensuring the spoon cake bakes evenly and provides ample servings.

1. 1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisking ensures that the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is crucial for consistent leavening and flavor.

1. 1. Cut in Cold Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. The goal is to have small pieces of butter still visible, as these will create flaky layers when baked. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.

1. 1. Add Buttermilk and Combine: Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in a tough biscuit base. The dough will be slightly sticky, which is perfectly normal.

1. 1. Press Dough into Baking Dish: Gently press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. You can use your fingers or the back of a spoon to spread it out. Don’t worry about making it perfectly smooth; a slightly rustic look is part of the charm of spoon cake.

Preparing the Strawberry Filling:

1. 1. Combine Strawberries and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, gently toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar. Let them sit for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the sugar to draw out the natural juices from the strawberries, creating a syrupy base for the sauce.

1. 1. Add Cornstarch and Lemon Juice: Sprinkle the cornstarch over the strawberries and toss to coat evenly. Then, stir in the lemon juice. The cornstarch will thicken the strawberry juices as they bake, and the lemon juice will enhance the strawberry flavor.

Assembling and Baking the Spoon Cake:

1. 1. Pour Strawberry Filling over Biscuit Base: Pour the strawberry mixture evenly over the biscuit base in the baking dish. Distribute the strawberries and their juices as evenly as possible.

1. 1. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the biscuit base is golden brown and the strawberry filling is bubbly and thickened. The edges should be nicely browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the biscuit should come out clean (though it might be slightly moist from the strawberry juices).

1. 1. Cool Slightly: Let the spoon cake cool slightly while you prepare the creamy sauce. This will prevent the hot sauce from melting the biscuit base too much.

Making the Creamy Sauce:

1. 1. Combine Sauce Ingredients: While the spoon cake is baking or cooling slightly, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sugar, and salt.

1. 1. Heat and Simmer: Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the cream is just beginning to simmer. Do not boil. Boiling can cause the cream to curdle or become too thick.

1. 1. Reduce Heat and Thicken: Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. It should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

1. 1. Stir in Vanilla Extract: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. The vanilla adds a lovely warmth and aroma to the sauce.

Serving and Enjoying:

1. 1. Spoon Sauce over Warm Spoon Cake: Generously spoon the warm creamy sauce over the warm Strawberry Spoon Cake. Make sure to distribute the sauce evenly so that every bite is deliciously saucy.

1. 1. Garnish (Optional): Garnish with fresh mint leaves, extra sliced strawberries, or a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

1. 1. Serve Warm: Strawberry Spoon Cake is best served warm, while the biscuit is still slightly tender and the sauce is warm and comforting. It’s traditionally served with a spoon, hence the name “spoon cake”!