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Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
This bright and springy strawberry pound cake is a joy to make and eat—and a thing of beauty to behold, with a beautiful pink glaze that gets slightly crunchy when set. Fresh strawberries are a seasonal delight, and when they're at their freshest—small, juicy, and jam-packed with flavor—it's the right time to highlight them in wonderful recipes like this pound cake.
For extra strawberry flavor, there are berries in the batter, berries in the glaze, and berries in the garnish. We probably couldn't add more berries if we wanted to.
Learn how to make strawberry pound cake. The classic pound cake is great for breakfast, dessert, or a snack any time of day.
Ingredients for Strawberry Pound Cake
All ingredients for strawberry pound cake are widely available at any local grocery store. You'll need basic baking ingredients, plus the fresh berries, so you may have nearly everything you need:
- Baking spray with flour: For coating the loaf pan. You can also coat with butter and sprinkle with flour. Just be sure to shake out the excess.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavor to the batter. We prefer butter in pound cake because it is rich and lends great crumb to the final loaf.
- Cream cheese: Makes the final pound cake richer and more cakey, but not dense.
- Granulated sugar: For sweetness.
- Eggs: Brings the pound cake batter together and helps give it loft.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the preferred flour for most pound cakes because it develops a great crumb that's cakey but still delicate and light.
- Kosher salt: Balances all the sweetness.
- Baking powder: A leavener that helps the cake rise during baking.
- Fresh strawberries: Bring your best berries to this pound cake. They're used in the loaf, in the glaze, and as a garnish.
- Grated lemon zest: Bright and floral zest elevates the flavor of the pound cake. You could also add some to the glaze for more flavor.
- Powdered sugar: For the glaze. You can skip the glaze entirely if you want and top the loaf with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
How To Make Strawberry Pound Cake
Here's a brief outline of the process for making a strawberry pound cake. The full recipe is further below:
- Step 1. Prepare the loaf pan with baking spray, and warm up the oven.
- Step 2. Start the batter by creaming butter and cream cheese, then adding the sugar. Beat until fluffy, and add the eggs. Finish the batter with the dry ingredients that have been sifted together and some of the mashed strawberries and lemon zest.
- Step 3. Add batter to prepared pan, and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool the pound cake completely.
- Step 4. Make glaze by combining mashed strawberries with powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Step 5. Garnish the glazed cake with strawberries. Slice and serve.
Test Kitchen Tip
Mash some strawberries to use in the cake batter as well as in the icing for an irresistible double whammy of flavor and color.
Can You Make Strawberry Pound Cake Ahead of Time?
You can make strawberry pound cake ahead of time. If you're planning to serve the pound cake later, avoid adding the garnish and glaze until just before serving.
To keep the pound cake fresh and moist, cover it tightly for storage, or store in an air-tight container. You can also keep it in the fridge for extra freshness. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
How To Store Strawberry Pound Cake
Cover strawberry pound cake tightly before storing with storage wrap or in an airtight container. For the best results, refrigerate the loaf. The glaze may begin to weep if left at room temperature too long.
You can also hold the glaze until just before serving for a more freshly prepared look (the glaze will add moisture whenever you add it).
More Southern Pound Cakes
Pound cakes are welcome at all types of gatherings, and you can never have too many good recipes. These are some of our favorites:
- Million Dollar Pound Cake
- Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes
Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.
Ingredients
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Baking spray with flour
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1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
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4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
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1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
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3 large eggs
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1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/8 oz.) all-purpose flour, sifted
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3/4 tsp. kosher salt
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1/2 tsp. baking powder
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3/4 cup mashed fresh strawberries (about 8 oz.), divided
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1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
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1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
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Fresh strawberries, for garnish
Directions
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Prepare pan and oven:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parchment paper; coat parchment with baking spray with flour.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
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Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar:
Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add cream cheese, and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
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Finish batter:
Stir together sifted flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture alternately with 1/2 cup of the mashed strawberries, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon zest. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
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Bake pound cake:
Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
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Make strawberry glaze:
Whisk together powdered sugar and remaining 1/4 cup mashed strawberries until smooth.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
Drizzle over cooled cake.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
Garnish with fresh strawberries.
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood