I’m excited to share my Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe, a one-bowl cake topped with a fruity sweet glaze that has become my go-to for spring and summer.
So I adore a loaf that looks humble but pulls you back for another slice, I cant explain why but it just hooks people. This Strawberry Pound Cake is a one bowl treat with a fruity sweet glaze and it seriously satisfies that sweet tooth.
I love using lots of unsalted butter and bright fresh strawberries to keep the crumb perfectly moist and packed with flavor. Ive tried versions, even when searching Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake riffs and Easy Strawberry Pound Cake Recipes for ideas, this one still wins.
Trust me your guests will be curious and sneaking bites before the plates arrive.
Ingredients
- Rich butter adds fat and moisture, makes cake tender and gives buttery flavour.
- Granulated sugar sweetens, helps browning and structure; too much makes it very sweet.
- Eggs add protein and lift, bind ingredients, and give richness and slight chewiness.
- Sour cream adds tang, moisture and tender crumb, also provides some protein.
- All purpose flour supplies carbs and structure; too much makes cake dense.
- Fresh strawberries give fruity sweetness, a bit of acidity, vitamins and fiber.
- Lemon juice brightens flavor, balances sweetness and adds a fresh sharp note.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temp
- 1/3 cup whole milk, room temp
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and finely chopped or mashed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) for glaze
- 2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries for glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for glaze
- Pinch of salt for glaze
- Optional: sliced strawberries for garnish
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan or line it with parchment and set aside. Make sure your butter, eggs and sour cream or yogurt are at room temp so they mix easy.
2. In a large bowl cream 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes with a mixer. Scrape the bowl down once or twice.
3. Add 4 large eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
4. In a measuring cup whisk together 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and 1/3 cup whole milk, then add that to the batter and mix until just combined.
5. In a separate bowl whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the flour to toss with the strawberries. Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions, mixing gently and only until just combined so you dont overwork the batter.
6. Hull and finely chop or mash 1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, toss them with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and the reserved tablespoon of flour (this helps prevent sinking). Fold the strawberries into the batter gently and stop as soon as they are evenly distributed.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake at 325°F for about 60 to 70 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If it browns too fast loosely tent with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it to the rack to cool completely. Cooling fully is important so the glaze wont run off.
9. Make the glaze by whisking 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable; add more puree if you want a thinner drizzle. Drizzle over the cooled cake and garnish with sliced strawberries if you like.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven set to 325°F (163°C)
2. 9×5 loaf pan, greased or lined with parchment
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer (either works)
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for gentle folding
7. Whisk for wet ingredients and the glaze
8. Knife and cutting board to hull and chop strawberries
9. Fine mesh sieve or small strainer for the glaze/strained puree
10. Cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
FAQ
Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Butter (1 1/2 cups): solid coconut oil, measured solid, 1:1, gives a touch of coconut and a slightly moister cake; vegetable shortening, 1:1, neutral flavor and firmer crumb; or use 1 1/8 cups neutral oil (canola or grapeseed) instead of 1 1/2 cups butter, the cake will be tender but less buttery.
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (1 cup): buttermilk, 1 cup, for tang and a lighter crumb; milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, let sit 5 minutes, use 1 cup; or blended silken tofu, 1 cup, for a dairy free swap that keeps richness.
- All purpose flour (2 1/2 cups): cake flour, use same volume but whisk in 2 tbsp cornstarch per cup AP replaced for a lighter cake; 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend, use same volume and include xanthan gum if the blend is gum free; or replace up to half with whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor but expect a slightly denser loaf.
- Eggs (4 large): flax “eggs” for vegans, 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg, let gel 5 minutes; unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup per egg, makes cake denser and moister; or commercial egg replacer (follow package amounts), good for lift without changing flavor.
Pro Tips
– Let your butter, eggs and yogurt actually warm up to room temp so everything mixes smooth, if you forgot the eggs you can sit them in warm water for 8 to 10 minutes — sorry, dont use a microwave for that.
– Macerate the chopped strawberries with a little sugar for 10 to 15 minutes then drain off excess juice, it boosts flavor without making the batter too wet; toss the berries in a spoon of flour right before folding so they dont all sink to the bottom.
– Use an instant read thermometer if you have one — aim for about 200 to 205°F in the center for a perfectly baked loaf, if not the toothpick test plus a light spring-back when you press the top usually works.
– For a silky glaze strain out the seeds, start with less puree and add more till the texture is right, and only glaze when the loaf is completely cool or the glaze will run everywhere; chill briefly to help the glaze set before slicing.
Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe
I’m excited to share my Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe, a one-bowl cake topped with a fruity sweet glaze that has become my go-to for spring and summer.
12
servings
544
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven set to 325°F (163°C)
2. 9×5 loaf pan, greased or lined with parchment
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer (either works)
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for gentle folding
7. Whisk for wet ingredients and the glaze
8. Knife and cutting board to hull and chop strawberries
9. Fine mesh sieve or small strainer for the glaze/strained puree
10. Cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temp
1/3 cup whole milk, room temp
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and finely chopped or mashed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) for glaze
2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries for glaze
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for glaze
Pinch of salt for glaze
Optional: sliced strawberries for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan or line it with parchment and set aside. Make sure your butter, eggs and sour cream or yogurt are at room temp so they mix easy.
- In a large bowl cream 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes with a mixer. Scrape the bowl down once or twice.
- Add 4 large eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- In a measuring cup whisk together 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and 1/3 cup whole milk, then add that to the batter and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the flour to toss with the strawberries. Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions, mixing gently and only until just combined so you dont overwork the batter.
- Hull and finely chop or mash 1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, toss them with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and the reserved tablespoon of flour (this helps prevent sinking). Fold the strawberries into the batter gently and stop as soon as they are evenly distributed.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake at 325°F for about 60 to 70 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If it browns too fast loosely tent with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it to the rack to cool completely. Cooling fully is important so the glaze wont run off.
- Make the glaze by whisking 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry puree or strained mashed strawberries, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable; add more puree if you want a thinner drizzle. Drizzle over the cooled cake and garnish with sliced strawberries if you like.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 159g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 544kcal
- Fat: 29.2g
- Saturated Fat: 17.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.14g
- Polyunsaturated: 1g
- Monounsaturated: 6.8g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
- Sodium: 134mg
- Potassium: 106mg
- Carbohydrates: 65.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 45.3g
- Protein: 6g
- Vitamin A: 250IU
- Vitamin C: 9.3mg
- Calcium: 42mg
- Iron: 0.68mg
