A Strawberry Pound Cake That’s Rich, Buttery, and Light as a Spring Afternoon
This rich and buttery pound cake boasts streaks of perfectly tart strawberries and a simple lemony glaze.
Serves10 to 12
Prep20 minutes to 25 minutes
Cook1 hour
In my old backyard we had an Asian pear tree that produced the most delicious fruit every summer without fail. Our first summer there, a neighbor knocked on our door and asked if she could occasionally pick some fruit from the tree, as the pears were a childhood favorite of hers. We happily obliged, because the tree produced far more fruit than we could possibly eat, and so she was honestly doing us a favor by taking some off our hands.
She left that afternoon with a bowl full of fruit and returned the next day with a token of her appreciation: a Sara Lee all-butter pound cake. I’d never actually eaten pound cake before, so I had no idea what a treat I was in for; the cake was rich and buttery, but somehow still incredibly fluffy. That summer was the start of a tradition that went on years. Mid-summer would roll around, and our exchange of pears for pound cake would commence.
Needless to say, pound cake has always been of symbol of summertime to me. While the Sara Lee pound cake will always be special, these days I enjoy making my own — and this strawberry number is my absolute favorite.
Tips for the Best Pound Cake
This recipe delivers the buttery richness of a classic pound cake, contrasted with streaks of perfectly tart strawberries. Here’s what makes it so good.
- Add sour cream. The sour cream gives the cake a slight tang and a deliciously tender crumb.
- Top with lemon glaze. A simple lemon glaze lends the pound cake depth of flavor with just a hint of tartness.
- Bake in a Bundt pan: Yes, you can use a different pan to bake this pound cake (I recommend using two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans). But a Bundt pan makes it look extra-impressive, making it the perfect dessert to wow your friends with this summer.
Strawberry Pound Cake
This rich and buttery pound cake boasts streaks of perfectly tart strawberries and a simple lemony glaze.
Prep time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 10 to 12
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 sticks
(8 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 4
large eggs
- 1 cup
sour cream
- 3 cups
plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 pound
fresh strawberries
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon
baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
- 2 cups
granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 1 cup
powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Place 2 sticks of the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. (Alternatively, place in a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer.) Place 4 large eggs and 1 cup sour cream on the counter. Let everything sit at room temperature until the butter is softened, at least 1 hour.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375ºF. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and place in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the all-purpose flour and mix to form a paste. Brush the paste on the inside of a 12-cup bundt cake pan, making sure to thoroughly coat the tube and all the crevices. Trim and dice 1 pound strawberries.
Place the remaining 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add 2 cups granulated sugar to the bowl of butter. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the sour cream. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining sour cream. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just combined.
Add the strawberries and gently fold them into the batter by hand with a silicone spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Flip the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the cake.
Recipe Notes
Using the right bundt pan: The recipe calls for a 12-cup Bundt pan, which is the larger size. If in doubt, measure the amount of water it takes to fill the pan.
Storage: The cake can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 4 days.