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This Strawberry Pound Cake recipe is packed with strawberry flavor in every bite. It’s moist, buttery, and perfectly soft with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb. We top it with a sweet strawberry glaze that makes every slice pretty, plush, and full of berry flavor. If you love a classic pound cake but want something bright, beautiful, and a little extra, this one is it!
For more strawberry cake recipes, try my strawberry cake with strawberry filling, strawberry jam cake and strawberry butter cake!
I’ve been working on this strawberry pound cake for at least a year now. I’m not even exaggerating. A lot of strawberry pound cakes don’t taste like strawberries, are too gummy/moist, or just fall flat. I’m happy to report I finally nailed the perfect balance of fruity packed goodness, moist buttery crumb, and that strawberry glaze on top just seals the deal every time!
Strawberry Pound Cake 🍓
This Strawberry Pound Cake is rich, buttery, moist, and full of real strawberry flavor in every bite. It’s made with a fresh strawberry reduction, a little strawberry emulsion for that bold berry flavor, and a soft, tender crumb that slices beautifully. Then we finish it off with a sweet pink strawberry glaze that makes the whole cake look as good as it tastes. 😋
Table of Contents
Recipe Development Notes 🍓
- This recipe is built for a soft, sliceable crumb 😋 Pound cake should be rich and buttery, but not heavy or dry. This version uses a balance of butter, oil, buttermilk, and sour cream to keep the cake moist, tender, and sturdy enough to slice cleanly.
- Reducing the strawberries gives this cake a stronger, more concentrated flavor. Instead of adding watery puree straight to the batter, the strawberries are cooked down first so the cake gets real berry flavor without throwing off the texture. This is what makes the cake taste more like strawberry while still baking up soft, moist, and sliceable.
- The glaze is made with reserved strawberry reduction for extra flavor. Instead of using a basic powdered sugar glaze, this recipe uses some of the cooked strawberry reduction in the glaze too. That gives the cake a pretty finish and adds one more layer of real strawberry flavor right on top.
Strawberry Pound Cake Ingredients
(full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below)
- Fresh Strawberries – Use the sweetest, ripest strawberries you can find. They’re pureed and cooked down into a strawberry reduction, which concentrates the flavor without adding too much extra moisture.
- Strawberry Emulsion gives the cake that bold strawberry flavor that fresh berries alone can’t always deliver after baking. It’s different from extract because it’s water-based and doesn’t bake out in the oven.
- Salted Butter and vegetable oil work together for flavor and moisture. Butter gives the cake that classic pound cake flavor, while oil helps the crumb stay soft even after the cake sits for a day or two.
- Vanilla Extract rounds out the strawberry flavor while almond extract enhances it!
- All-Purpose Flour gives this cake the structure it needs to hold the strawberry reduction while still baking up soft and tender.
- Buttermilk and Sour Cream – This combination adds moisture, richness, and a slight tang that balances the sweetness. It also helps create a plush, tender crumb.
- Food Coloring – Totally optional, but a few drops of red or pink food coloring can give the cake a prettier strawberry color. Without it, the cake may bake up more naturally golden or soft pink.
How to make a Strawberry Pound Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
Step 1: Make the strawberry reduction. Puree the fresh strawberries until smooth, then cook the puree on the stovetop until it thickens and reduces to ¾ cup. Reserve ¼ cup for the glaze.
Step 2: Whisk together wet ingredients. Add buttermilk, sour cream, flavorings, and food coloring to the remaining (1/2 cup) of strawberry reduction. Whisk togther and set aside.
Step 3: Cream the butter, oil, sugar, and eggs. Beat the butter, oil, and sugar until pale and fluffy, then mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
Step 4: Make and bake the cake batter. Alternate adding the strawberry mixture and dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Step 5: Cool, glaze, and serve. Let the cake cool briefly in the pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Whisk together the strawberry glaze, pour it over the cooled pound cake, then slice and serve.
Pro Baking Tips
- Reduce the strawberries until thick. The strawberry puree should cook down to ¾ cup and look thicker, darker, and more concentrated. If it’s too loose, it can add too much moisture to the cake batter.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature butter, eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream blend more smoothly into the batter, which helps create a softer, more even crumb.
- Scrape the bowl often. Strawberry pound cake batter is thick, so scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions to make sure everything mixes evenly.
- Grease the Bundt pan really well. Use nonstick baking spray with flour and make sure you get into all the grooves so the cake releases cleanly.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, frozen strawberries can be used. Because we’re blending the strawberries and making a strawberry reduction, you’ll want to let the strawberries thaw before adding to the blender, otherwise you’ll have a strawberry slushy.
Yes, strawberry pound cake freezes well. Wrap the cooled cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
It can last for about 5 to 7 days when stored in an airtight container. Pound cake can typically be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Fruity Pound Cake Recipes
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Strawberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Pound Cake
- 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) Strawberries
- 3 1/4 cups (406 g) All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 3/4 cups (168 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
- 5 tbsp (88 g) Vegetable Oil
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large (200 g) Eggs, (room temperature)
- 2/3 cups (160 g) Buttermilk
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Sour Cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp Strawberry Emulsion
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Almond Extract
- 2 drops Red Gel Food Coloring
Strawberry Glaze
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Reserved Strawberry Reduction, (from above – see instructions)
- 3-4 tbsp (60 g) Whole Milk
- 2 tbsp (28 g) Salted Butter, (melted)
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- Remove the stems from the strawberries and place into a food processor. Blend until smooth and there's no chunks of strawberries, about 30-40 seconds. 1 1/2 lbs Strawberries
- Place strawberry puree into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30-40 minutes, until the you're left with 3/4 cup puree (180g). Stir frequently so that the bottom of the pan doesn't burn. The mixture will thicken as it reduces so keep an eye on it as it begins to thicken.
- Once you've reduced the mixture to 3/4 cup, pour into a medium bowl or large 4-cup measuring cup. Reserve 1/4 cup of the reduction and set aside for the glaze. To the remaining 1/2 cup of puree, add buttermilk, sour cream, strawberry emulsion, vanilla extract, almond extract, and red gel food coloring. Set aside. 2/3 cups Buttermilk 1/4 cup Sour Cream 1 1/2 tbsp Strawberry Emulsion 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 tsp Almond Extract 2 drops Red Gel Food Coloring
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. 3 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter, vegetable oil, and sugar and mix together on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. 3/4 cups Salted Butter 5 tbsp Vegetable Oil 2 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar 4 Large Eggs
- Add half of the strawberry/buttermilk mixture to the bowl and mix until just combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix together until just combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining strawberry mixture and continue to mix until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, then add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the strawberry glaze. Add the remaining strawberries reduction to a large bowl, then add melted butter, and whole milk. Stir together until smooth, then add the powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. 1/4 cup Reserved Strawberry Reduction 3-4 tbsp Whole Milk 2 tbsp Salted Butter 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- Pour the strawberry glaze on top of the cooled cake and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
