If you love strawberries, this Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake is one you have to try! Made with real strawberry puree and strawberry extract, this homemade pound cake is moist, buttery, and packed with fresh strawberry flavor.

The strawberries are pureed and cooked down before being added to the batter, which concentrates their flavor without adding too much extra liquid to the cake. Then, some of the fresh strawberry puree is used to make a beautiful homemade strawberry glaze.

The result is a delicious strawberry pound cake that's perfect for spring and summer, or anytime you can get your hands on some good strawberries!

And don't let that pretty pink glaze fool you. This cake may look fancy, but I'll walk you through exactly how to make it.

Video Tutorial

Why You'll Love This Strawberry Pound Cake

There are so many things I love about this recipe!

Made with real strawberries: Fresh strawberry puree gives the cake real fruit flavor instead of relying solely on artificial flavoring.

Moist and tender: Sour cream adds moisture and richness while helping create a tender pound cake crumb.

Double the strawberry flavor: You'll get strawberry flavor in both the pound cake and the homemade glaze.

Beautiful presentation: The strawberry glaze gives this cake a naturally beautiful finish that's perfect for entertaining.

Recommended tools and equipment:

Bundt Pan (A 12 cup bundt pan is needed for this volume of recipe.)
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Silicone Spatula
Oven Thermometer
Cake Keeper
Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons
Strawberry extract

Ingredients You'll Need

Here's a closer look at some of the key ingredients that make this Strawberry Pound Cake so delicious.

Fresh strawberries: You'll need one pound of fresh strawberries. They'll be pureed and cooked down before being incorporated into the batter. You'll also reserve some of the fresh puree for the glaze.

All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for your pound cake.

Unsalted butter: Gives the cake its rich, buttery flavor. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature before you begin.

Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and works with the butter during the creaming process.

Eggs: You'll need five large eggs at room temperature. Eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness.

Sour cream: Helps create a moist, tender pound cake.

Strawberry extract: Enhances the fresh strawberry flavor.

Baking powder: Provides additional leavening and helps the cake rise.

Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.

Food coloring: This is optional if you'd like your cake to have a deeper pink color.

Image of Strawberry Pound Cake with a Strawberry Glaze - Strawberry Pound Cake with a Strawberry Glaze recipe - Whip It Like Butter

Why Do You Cook the Strawberry Puree?

Fresh strawberries contain quite a bit of water. Adding too much liquid directly to pound cake batter can affect the texture and structure of the finished cake.

That's why it's important to cook the strawberry puree before adding it to the batter.

Cooking the puree for approximately 15-20 minutes allows some of that excess moisture to evaporate while concentrating the strawberry flavor.

It's an extra step, but it's worth it!

Just make sure you allow the cooked puree to cool to room temperature before adding it to your batter.

Does Strawberry Pound Cake Taste Like Fresh Strawberries?

Yes! This recipe gets its strawberry flavor from both real strawberries and strawberry extract. The fresh strawberry puree gives the cake authentic fruit flavor, while the extract helps enhance it.

One thing to keep in mind is that fresh strawberry flavor in baked goods is naturally more delicate than flavors created with strawberry gelatin or artificial flavoring.

If you want a completely different strawberry experience, try my Strawberry Crunch Pound Cake, which uses strawberry gelatin and a Golden Oreo strawberry crunch topping.

Do I Have to Use Food Coloring?

No. The food coloring is optional and is mainly there to enhance the cake's appearance.

If you're happy with the natural color from the strawberry puree, you can leave it out.

If you'd like a more vibrant pink or red color, you can add food coloring until you reach your desired shade.

Liquid vs. Gel Food Coloring: Which Works Best for Baking?

Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?

Yes. If fresh strawberries aren't available, you can use frozen strawberries.

Thaw them before pureeing and drain away excess liquid. Since frozen fruit can release additional moisture as it thaws, reducing the puree is particularly important.

How to Serve Strawberry Pound Cake

Simple & Classic: Slice and serve as-is. This dessert is perfect by itself!
With Whipped Cream: Add fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip to balance the fruity glaze.
Fresh Berries on Top: Garnish with sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for color and freshness.
Serve with Ice Cream: Pair slices with vanilla or strawberry ice cream for an indulgent dessert.
Charcuterie Style: Slice thinly and serve alongside fresh fruit, tea, and/or coffee for an elegant brunch spread.
No glaze option: If you aren't into glaze, simply dust the cake with powdered sugar.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Pound Cake

Use room-temperature ingredients. Your butter, eggs, sour cream, and cooked strawberry puree should be at room temperature so everything combines properly.

Don't skip reducing the strawberries. Cooking the puree concentrates the strawberry flavor while removing excess moisture.

Reserve your glaze puree first. Remember to set aside the ¼ cup of fresh puree before cooking the remaining strawberries.

Cream the butter and sugar properly. Give them the full mixing time needed to become light and fluffy.

Don't overmix after adding the flour. Mix just until your ingredients are combined.

Prepare your Bundt pan thoroughly. Coat every groove with baking spray to help your cake release cleanly.

Don't overbake. A few moist crumbs on your tester are okay!

Cool completely before glazing. A warm cake can cause your glaze to thin out and run right off instead of beautifully coating the cake.

How to Store Strawberry Pound Cake

Once the glaze has set, store your Strawberry Pound Cake covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring individual slices back toward room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Can You Freeze Strawberry Pound Cake?

Yes!

Once completely cooled, you can freeze the whole pound cake or individual slices for up to 3 months.

For the best presentation, freeze the cake before glazing it, then add the fresh strawberry glaze after the cake has thawed.

How to Freeze a Pound Cake (Step-by-Step + Storage Tips)

Image of Strawberry Pound Cake with a Strawberry Glaze

Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake with a Strawberry Glaze recipe

4.60 from 5 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: strawberry pound cake

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Servings: people

Calories: 503kcal

Author: Ashley Frederick

Ingredients

To make the cake:
3 c all purpose flour- sifted
3 c granulated sugar
5 large eggs- room temperature
1 c unsalted butter - room temperature
½ c sour cream - room temperature
1 teaspoon strawberry extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 pound strawberries
½ tsp red food coloring
To make the strawberry glaze:
2 c powdered sugar
¼ c strawberry puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon whole milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the Pound Cake:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
First, remove the stems from your strawberries and rinse the strawberries.
Then add the strawberries to a food processor and puree them. Reserve ¼ c of the puree for the glaze.
Next, add the strawberry puree to a pot/pan and cook over medium heat until it thickens (approximately 15-20 minutes), stirring periodically. Allow the puree to cool down to room temperature and set it aside.
Using a hand or a stand mixer, add the butter to your bowl and beat for two minutes on low speed.
Slowly add in the sugar and beat on low speed until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides of your bowl.
Then add the strawberry extract and mix.
Add the baking powder and salt to the flour mixture and mix.
Add the flour to the batter alternating with the sour cream and strawberry puree beginning and ending with the flour.
Pour the batter into a 12-cup greased bundt pan and bake for an hour and 15 minutes. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean/with moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze:
Add the powdered sugar to a large bowl. Mix in the vanilla, milk, and strawberry puree until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the cake as desired. Allow the glaze to set prior to serving.
Serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Frequently asked questions:

Will the strawberries make my pound cake soggy?

They shouldn't when the recipe is prepared correctly. That's one reason the strawberry puree is reduced before being incorporated into the batter-the cooking process removes some of the excess water.

Why did my Strawberry Pound Cake turn out dense?

Pound cake naturally has a tighter crumb than a traditional layer cake, but it shouldn't be heavy or gummy. Improper creaming, overmixing, inaccurate measurements, or ingredient temperatures can all affect the final texture.

Can I make Strawberry Pound Cake ahead of time?

Absolutely. Pound cake is a great make-ahead dessert. Bake it a day ahead, allow it to cool completely, and keep it properly covered.

Can I bake this recipe in loaf pans?

Your current recipe notes that the batter can be divided between two loaf pans, but the baking time will need to be adjusted.

How to convert a pound cake from a bundt pan to a loaf pan

Why is my strawberry glaze too thin?

You probably have too much liquid compared with the powdered sugar. Add additional powdered sugar a little at a time until the glaze thickens.

Why is my strawberry glaze too thick?

Add milk in very small amounts until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. A little liquid can make a big difference.

More Recipes You'll Love

Strawberry Crunch Pound Cake - moist strawberry pound cake is topped with a sweet and buttery strawberry crunch topping made with Golden Oreos and strawberry gelatin, creating the perfect combination.

Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake - sour cream pound cake with a filling of juicy strawberries and whipped cream cheese for the ultimate dessert.

Ready for another pound cake with fruit? Try my Banana Pudding Pound Cake

Love to entertain? Read my 30 Crowd Pleasing Pound Cakes article here

Comments

4.60 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)