Hull strawberries, cut in half, and place in bowl. Sprinkle sugar and lemon juice on top and mix together. Place plastic wrap over bowl and place bowl in refrigerator for about 4 hours (until strawberries are very soft.)
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray nonstick cooking spray inside a 9x9-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
In a separate bowl (or stand mixer), beat eggs on high speed for about 4 minutes, until thick. (If you’re using a stand mixer, I would suggest using your whisk attachment for this step.)
Gradually add sugar and beat at medium speed for 4-5 minutes until fluffy.
Slowly add the flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed until just combined (don’t overmix or cake will turn out rubbery).
In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add milk and butter and stir until butter is melted. Do not boil – you just want this mixture to be very warm (scalded is the cooking term).
Add milk and butter mixture to batter, also add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Pour into baking dish and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Serve slices warm with macerated strawberries spooned on top and fresh whipped cream.
Video
Notes
I always use hot milk cake as a base for adding strawberries and whipped cream. It is deliciously sweet as-is though! Or you can try adding other toppings that you prefer!