A simple, moist, sweet vanilla cake with strawberry pieces, that keeps well for several days, and can be frozen. It's a no-fuss recipe for when you want a little extra in your regular pound cake. The berries get soft and jammy and add a wonderful flavor and the pink glaze adds another layer of sweetness.
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As a lover of pound cake recipes, I wanted to add a fresh strawberry cake recipe to this category.
Berries and cake are always a good idea, especially when strawberry season hits and our sweet tooth craves them.
It was originally made with a pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs, hence the name.
The modern versions include some type of leavening and sometimes cream cheese, sour cream, or a liquid such as milk.
Why make this recipe
- Flavor. I wanted to allow both the pound cake and the fruit to shine. So I added fresh strawberry pieces to the batter and topped it with a strawberry glaze. The result? A moist cake with a tender crumb and wonderful pops of fresh strawberries.
- Versatile. Pound cakes are great, solid cakes that can be eaten alone or topped with fruit or creams for a more rounded dessert.
- Keeps well. It can be made ahead, kept wrapped (I use plastic wrap) in the fridge for a week, or frozen (with or without the sweet glaze).
Ingredient list
For the cake:
- Strawberries: fresh, sweet, seasonal berries are always the best option.
- Cream cheese: the regular type, full-fat cream cheese is needed for consistency and creaminess. I always use Philadelphia original cream cheese, but other premium brands work fine.
- Unsalted butter.
- White granulated sugar.
- Flour: all-purpose flour or cake flour, both work well.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
- Baking powder: make sure it's active.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper.
- Orange zest: it goes very well with strawberries, and a small amount is used.
For the strawberry glaze:
- Pureed strawberries: you have to process fresh sliced strawberries and make a strawberry puree.
- Powdered sugar: this ingredient can't be substituted.
See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
How to make the pound cake batter
Using a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer (I use a mini Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment) is highly recommended to beat it properly and achieve the right consistency.
- Creaming: pound cakes are dense and need proper beating for the best results. It's key to cream the butter and sugar well, for several minutes, before adding the room-temperature eggs.
- Dry ingredients: are added alternating with the cream cheese to integrate well. If using a stand mixer, do so at a low speed. Don't overbeat it, as it will produce a tougher crumb.
Cake batter: it should be smooth and silky before adding the strawberries and flavorings. I use a spatula to fold it a few times at the end and make sure there are no dry spots.
Strawberries: chopped or sliced strawberries are added at the end and gently incorporated with a spatula. We don't want to break them up or have them stain the batter too much.
Preparing the pan: butter or spray the pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper that covers the bottom and the two short sides. This will make it easier to remove the baked cake and transfer it to a cooling rack.
The batter is thick, so smooth it out before baking, so it rises as evenly as possible.
Pink strawberry glaze
A simple powdered sugar glaze never fails. And this one with fresh, processed strawberries is gorgeous and delicious!
Adding more or less strawberry puree allows you to adjust your glaze's consistency (thinner or thicker).
Drizzle the glaze on a completely cooled-down cake, and let it drip down the sides. Let the glaze dry out before cutting.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Strawberries: chop them into bite sizes, not too large. Fresh strawberries work best, so I recommend you make this cake seasonally.
- Make ahead: you can keep the cake in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a month, well wrapped (I wrap it first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil). If you store leftovers with glaze, they will lose some of their shine, but they will still taste good. So, if you want to make it ahead before serving, I recommend storing the pound cake plain and glazing it an hour or so before serving it. You can use another type of airtight container or wrapper; make sure it's well covered to prevent freezer burn.
- Flavorings: you can use lime or lemon zest instead of orange. They pair very well with strawberries.
- No cream cheese? Use the same amount of regular sour cream or Greek yogurt instead. The crumb will be a tad less dense and a smidge tangier. They both add excellent moisture and tenderness.
- Bundt cake: you can easily double this recipe and bake it in a bundt pan or tube pan.
- Desserts: you can use this cake for the Strawberry Cream Trifle or go the fancier route and cover it with whipped cream and whole strawberries, similar to the Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes. I know a friend that serves it thickly sliced with a mound of sliced strawberries on top and vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, similar to a shortcake.
Why is my pound cake heavy?
It probably wasn't beaten well (too little or too much), so not enough air was incorporated and/or the ingredients weren't properly mixed. Also, some recipes use less flour and are lighter than others while maintaining a pound cake's dense structure, so you might want to try different ones and see which is your favorite.
Why is my pound cake dry and crumbly?
It's usually the result of using a recipe with too little butter or liquid or baking the cake for too long. Be sure to follow the recipe closely and avoid over-baking the cake. Remove the pan from the oven as soon as a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
Why did the pound cake stick to the pan?
If using a pan that's too small or not greasing it well enough can make the cake stick and break when you remove it. To prevent this, use the correct size pan and make sure to grease it well with butter or cooking spray. You can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for added insurance.
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Strawberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups about 9 ounces whole fresh strawberries
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature (see Notes for substitutions)
For the glaze:
- 3-4 strawberries or a few tablespoons of strawberry puree
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Butter or spray a 9x4 inch (10x24 cm) loaf pan, and, if you want, add a strip of parchment paper to cover the bottom and two shorter sides.
- Wash, dry and hull the strawberries, and chop them into bite sizes.
For the cake:
- Beat soft butter for 20 seconds in a large bowl with electric beaters or a stand mixer.
- Add sugar gradually while you continue beating at medium speed, and then for 3 more minutes after adding all of it. The mixture should be light in color, fluffy, and the sugar will have partially dissolved.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Add vanilla with orange zest and mix.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking powder) together in a bowl, or have them measured and sift them directly over the egg batter.
- Add them in 2 parts, alternating with the sour cream in 1 part. That means you start and end with the dry ingredients.
- Mix and integrate it well, but don't beat much at this point. After adding the flour cake batter should be beaten *just* until fully incorporated but no more.
- Add the fresh strawberry pieces and integrate them with a spatula. Just a few strokes trying not to crush them much, or at all.
- Put the thick batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until it rises, the top cracks, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Pound cakes are dense, so make sure it's fully baked. If the top is browning too quickly, but the middle is not done, cover it loosely with a piece of foil and continue to bake.
- Cool on a wire rack and remove carefully from the pan, removing the strip of paper.
- Drizzle the glaze over and let it dry before cutting.
- Serve with some extra fresh strawberries if you want.
For the glaze:
- Puree the strawberries with an immersion blender or a fork if you have patience. It can be smooth or have small chunks if you like them. You should have 2-3 tablespoons.
- Mix half of the berry puree with the powdered sugar in a bowl and check the consistency. It should be like thick honey. Add more strawberry puree if needed to adjust.
JuiceyTwat says
I love poundcake! This recipe is perfect!
Eva Lee says
I did not see orange zest or sour cream in the ingredients. Amount of each, plz?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Eva! It uses cream cheese, not sour cream. I added it to the Notes because both can be used. The orange zest was an oversight, a teaspoon is needed. I added it to the ingredients.
angiesrecipes says
Such a pretty loaf of cake! The pinky glaze makes the pound cake so much more appealing.