🍓🍰This strawberry pound cake is soft, buttery, and packed with real berry flavor from fresh strawberry puree in both the cake and the glaze. It's the kind of simple, pretty dessert that feels special enough for spring brunch, but easy enough for an everyday bake.
Love Strawberry recipes? Try Strawberry Crinkle Cookies and Strawberry Sheet Cake next.
If you have a craving for a pink cake, this Strawberry Pound Cake is right up your alley! Made with fresh strawberries (even the glaze), it's smooth, delicious and so very pink!
If you love strawberry desserts that taste like actual strawberries instead of just flavored cake, this pound cake is for you. It's rich, moist, and topped with a glossy strawberry glaze that makes every slice look bakery-worthy while still being simple enough for home bakers.
I wanted this strawberry pound cake to taste like actual strawberries, not just look like them, so I built the flavor in two places: the cake and the glaze. Instead of relying on boxed shortcuts or a heavy hand with extract, I lean on fresh strawberry puree for a softer, brighter berry flavor and a crumb that stays tender without turning gummy. What I like most about this version is that it still gives you everything you want from a pound cake - buttery richness and neat slices - but it finishes with a glaze that tastes fresh, not artificial (similar to these Strawberry Glazed Donuts).
Why this recipe works
- Fresh strawberry puree builds real fruit flavor.
- Butter and eggs give the cake a rich pound-cake texture.
- A simple glaze keeps the flavor bright instead of heavy.
Ingredients for Strawberry Pound Cake
- All-purpose flour: I used unbleached flour in this recipe because it retains the original structure and creates a better texture. Unbleached flour also has more protein than bleached.
- Butter - I used unsalted butter just because different manufacturers add various amounts of salt to salted butter. But if you don't have unsalted butter, then go ahead and use salted butter! Just omit the extra salt (see next).
- Eggs: Adding two large eggs to a pound cake batter can creates a moist texture because egg yolks are full of fat which adds richness and a tender texture; while whites hold everything together, helping the cake set.
- Sugar: There are almost 2 cups of sugar in the strawberry pound cake (both granulated and powdered). It sounds like a lot, but remember that you are using most of it for the strawberry glaze. Also, sugar does much more than sweeten cakes. It liquifies as the cake bakes, creating a softer center.
- Vanilla: For a beautifully vanilla flavored batter.
- Sour cream: Because sour cream is acidic it tenderizes the batter of the cake and as a result and tenderness like no other ingredient. It also adds moisture and richness to the cake.
- Strawberries: Fresh and diced🍓.
- Lemon juice: Creates a distinct and pleasant contrast with floral and sweet strawberries. Used in the glaze only.
How to make strawberry pound cake with fresh strawberry glaze
1. Make Cake Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Add in the flour and baking powder, mixing on low speed just until the batter starts to come together. Pour in the milk and mix until fully incorporated.
Gently fold in the diced strawberries🍓 with a spatula.
Fold those strawberries for the delicious flavor burst in your mouth.
2. Add Cake Batter to Loaf Pan
Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top.
3. Bake
Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing.
4. Make Strawberry Glaze
In a small bowl, mash the chopped strawberry with a fork. Really smash them hard. This breaks them up into small bits and lets out all the yummy strawberry juices. Add some powdered sugar, cream and lemon juice; and you've got a delicious glaze for your strawberry pound cake
Whisk until smooth.
5. Glaze the Cake
Generously glaze the entire cake: sides, top and bottom (if you want). Glaze is what makes this strawberry pound cake colorful and appealing. Pour that glaze over the cooled loaf!
Bakery-Style Strawberry Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberry Glaze
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Ingredients
Pound Cake
- ½ cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ cups diced fresh strawberries
Strawberry Glaze
- 1 strawberry diced
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Pound Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Add in the flour and baking powder, mixing on low speed just until the batter starts to come together. Pour in the milk and mix until fully incorporated.
- Gently fold in the diced strawberries with a spatula.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, mash the chopped strawberry with a fork. Add the powdered sugar, cream, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf. Slice and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Texture
- For the best texture, mix the batter only until the flour disappears. Once you add the dry ingredients, overmixing can make the cake tough instead of tender, so stop as soon as everything looks evenly combined.
- Measuring the flour correctly matters just as much. If you scoop directly from the bag, you can pack in too much flour and end up with a dry cake, so it's better to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
- Room-temperature ingredients: Eggs and butter should be at room-temperature so that they emulsify much easier into batter, which will create a uniform texture throughout your brownies. Think of cold, hard butter. It's impossible to cream cold butter into a soft consistency. Same goes for eggs-they add much more volume to the batter when they're at room temperature.
- Use parchment paper: Make sure you line your cake pan with parchment paper to help the cake seamlessly release from the pan.
- Finally, don't overbake the cake. Pound cake should be baked until the center is set and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs, not completely dry, because it will continue to firm up as it cools.Double the strawberries in the glaze to take it over the top!
FAQ
- Can I use frozen strawberries? Yes you can thaw home out and use them instead.
- Can this be made with gluten free 1:1 flour? It will be delicious with tons of strawberries and gluten free flour.
- How can I cut down on sugar here? You can omit the glaze (because that's where the majority of sugar is) and serve it with mashed strawberries and whipped cream.
- Can this cake be made in the bundt pan? I would double the recipe, fill the bundt pan, and fill the loaf pan with the rest (if any left).
- Can I make this into cupcakes? Yes. Same oven temperature. This batter will fit into a 10 cupcakes. I'm unsure of the exact bake time, so use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Variations and substitutions
- Sour cream can be replaced with Greek Yogurt. If lactose intolerant, substitute coconut milk for the sour cream.
- Strawberries can be replaced with chocolate chips.
- Sugar substitute - ¾ cup of maple syrup instead of sugar, reduce the oil by ⅓ and a few extra minutes in the oven.
Serving suggestions
Instead of putting the glaze on you can make fresh whipped cream and spread a spoonful of fresh strawberries or mashed strawberries. Top it off with a dollop of the whipped topping and dust lightly with power sugar for presentation.
Storing Strawberry Pound Cake
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Any longer than that and the strawberries inside the cake batter will make the entire thing mushy.
Freeze the cake part only and not the glaze for up to 1 month. The glaze has to be made fresh and cannot be frozen.
Juanita says
The frosting is out of this world! I'm going to make this in the 8 inch round pan next week as well! Great recipe!!!!
Vika says
Great recipe that's easy and doesn't involve ton of ingredients
Susanna says
Wow! So moist and delicious!!
Alina says
Delicious!
Cat M. says
I had to keep it in the oven for 10 minutes longer for some reason but it turned out delicious
Olya says
Probably due to water content in strawberries. Sometimes it depends on external factors humidity and temperature of the room