Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a mixing bowl, combine sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside to macerate for 10 minutes, allowing juices to release.
4 cups fresh strawberries, 1 cup granulated sugar
In another bowl, prepare the crumble topping by combining flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cubed cold butter. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized lumps.
1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, pinch of salt
Spread the macerated strawberries evenly in the bottom of a 9-inch baking pan. Cover the fruit layer with the crumble mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
4 cups fresh strawberries, 1 cup all-purpose flour
Bake the assembled cake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the strawberry juices are bubbling around the edges. The crumble should look crisp and airy on top.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool slightly for about 10 minutes. The topping will set further and the filling will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
