Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake recipe (Real Fruit, No Jello, or Kool-Aid)is a delightful strawberry pound cake made with condensed fresh strawberries. It’s luscious and soft, yet not too sweet, and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor.
This from-scratch Strawberry Pound Cake is totally homemade it has fresh strawberries and it is the perfect spring dessert!
FRESH STRAWBERRY POUND CAKE
If you follow me on Facebook, you know how much I like Strawberry Cake. You also know how much I enjoy making pound cakes. I’ve been wanting to make a Strawberry Pound Cake for a while for my pound cake series. And, now, here it is Real Fruit Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake.
It was important to me to flavor my Strawberry Pound Cake with real fruit. You can find several Strawberry Pound Cake recipes online that contain strawberry gelatin or strawberry kool-aid. Globally, gelatin and ‘kool-aid’ aren’t available. Plus, I wanted to use real ingredients. Taking a tip from Sally, I reduced and condensed fresh strawberries for my cake.
HOW TO MAKE FRESH STRAWBERRY POUND CAKE
Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake has a nice strawberry flavor within the cake itself. It’s not a plain cake with strawberry chunks. It’s wonderful!😍
Just like a traditional pound cake, my Real Fruit Strawberry Pound Cake is dense and luscious with a small crumb. As well, the outside has that wonderful crunchy crust that you just want to keep eating and eating.
However, while being like a traditional pound cake in those regards, this cake stands out because of the wonderful, fresh strawberry flavor. It has the perfect taste and texture.
Served warm with homemade whipped cream is out of this world! If you have a strawberry lover in your life, this is the cake to make for them.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES
- Amaretto Peach Upside Down Pound Cake
- Key Lime Coconut Marbled Pound Cake
- Easy Strawberry Cake
- Old Fashioned Blue Ribbon Pound Cake
- Whipping Cream Pound Cake
- Chocolate Frosting with Cocoa Powder and Powdered Sugar
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Crock Pot Crack Hash Brown Potatoes
- Dark Chocolate Brown Sugar Cookies
- Million Dollar Pound Cake
- Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
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- I use this 10-inch tube pan for this cake.
- This is my favorite mixer.
- You’ll find a ton of uses for this mini-food processor. Or, you can blend the strawberries in a blender.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TIPS FOR SUCCESS FOR FRESH STRAWBERRY POUND CAKE?
- First of all, use room temperature ingredients. Set the butter, eggs, and milk products on the counter for 1 to 2 hours before mixing. This will allow for maximum volume in your cake.
- Next, measure your ingredients and arrange them in the order they will be added to the recipe. You’re less likely to skip a step or measure incorrectly if you’ll do it this way.
- Calibrate your oven. You can do everything else right, but if your oven is cooking at the temperature it shows on the dial, your cake will not cook correctly. Please read this post I wrote on How to Calibrate your Oven.
- As well, measure accurately. It is very important to measure your ingredients accurately. Maybe you think you have been measuring correctly but your cake still isn’t coming out correctly. Read this post, Twix Bars Sweet Rolls on How to Correctly Measure Flour.
- Finally, read this article for all my best tips on How to Bake the Perfect Pound Cake
Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 1 pint strawberries
- 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted (do not use self-rising flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 4 – 5 drops red food coloring *if desired
Instructions
For the strawberries
- Wash the strawberries, remove stems, and puree in a food processor.
- In a saucepan on low heat, reduce strawberry puree until thick. You will have about 1/2 cup.
- Cool strawberry puree.
For the cake
- Prepare a 10-inch tube pan with solid vegetable shortening and either flour or sugar. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Cream shortening until fluffy.
- Add sugar to shortening and mix until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs to the mixture, one at a time. Wait until one is combined in the mixture before adding the next egg.
- Add soda to buttermilk. Stir.
- Add salt to flour and sift.
- Add flour and buttermilk to shortening mixture, beginning and ending with flour. (Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1/2 milk, 1/3 flour, 1/2 milk, 1/3 flour)
- Add strawberry puree, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, and red food coloring. Mix on low just until incorporated
- Spoon into prepared tube pan
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 80 to 90 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in thickest part of cake comes out clean or with dry crumbs.
- Cool cake in cake pan on wire rack for 20 minutes.
- With a thin knife, loosen cake from pan. Invert on serving platter and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream
Notes
Nutrition
Also, you can also find great recipes in my recipe index
Wendy says
I can’t imagine a better cake for summer! This is simply amazing.
Glenda says
The flavor is spectacular. The fact that you use fresh strawberries to get the flavor and color, instead of just extract, sold me on this recipe. After tasting it, the flavor will keep me coming back to use this recipe again and again. Absolutely delectable!
Karen Pruitt says
Very delicious! I made this for a camping trip over Memorial Day Weekend for the family. A big hit to say the least!
Robin says
I love pound cake and this one is so great with the strawberries! I am going to make this one often.
Martha says
At the top it says to have butter at room temperature but the ingredients list does not list butter. Should it have butter or should that say buttermilk?
Paula says
Those are general tips for all pound cakes at the top. The recipe card is correct.
Ann says
Yummy, easy to make strawberry pound cake. A great recipe to take along for a picnic.
Marla M Nelson says
Try pulverizing freeze dried strawberries 🍓 for a more intense flavor and color along with the puréed reduced berries ( you may or may not need the flavoring or food color )
Lisa says
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Paula says
It’ll change the flavor/texture slightly, but you can use it.
Desiree says
Can’t wait to make this! I try not to have large amounts of sweets around the house though. Do you think it will have the same texture if I cut the recipe in half and bake it in a load pan? I’m assuming it won’t bake as long.
Paula says
Yes, for loaf pans I’ve found it takes about an hour but that depends on your pan so just watch it. I also have frozen this cake and it freezes well if you wrap it good. I wrap a couple times in plastic wrap then in freezer foil. If that’s an option for you.
Glenda says
Your cake looks so moist and dense. It’s making me hungry to read the recipe. lol Looking forward to trying a pound cake with strawberry flavor.
laura L sampson says
Oh I needed a new pound cake recipe and this one will be so perfect for spring!
Sarah says
The strawberry flavor on this moist cake really shines through! Made it for my husband for his birthday.
Rachel says
OMGoodness! This cake looks so good. I can almost taste that sweet dense treat right now. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Sabine says
Just want to say that I’ve tried your regular pound cake seven times (I add lemon zest) and I’m learning so much! Exact measurements and room temp as well as oven temp and following your instructions to the letter have have been sooo key! I finally got it right on cake #7. 🥳!
Paula says
yay!!!
Leslie says
Love your recipes, Paula. But, this one takes the cake. Delicious.
Paula says
Thank you!!
Kendyll says
Heaven!
Paula says
Thank you, Kendyll!!
Eileen says
Can this be made in loaf pan/s. If so, is there a change in bake time?
Nancy says
What if I can’t find strawberry extract?
Paula says
Substituting vanilla will be fine, you’ll have enough strawberry flavor from the strawberries
chrispy says
I’m curious why you use all shortening, and no butter in the cake?
Paula says
When there’s fruit in a pound cake, I like to use all shortening. You can sub half butter or all butter.
Toni says
This will be a sure hit at my house!
Toni says
I love it! Looks so good!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
Strawberry cake is one of my favorites! This looks so good!
Carla Beasley says
OK I want to know can I make it with unsalted butter instead of shortening strawberry buttermilk pound cake
Paula says
You can, but butter will give it buttery flavor versus the shortening that has a neutral flavor.
Marilyn Gregg says
can this cake be frozen for a week before serving?
Paula says
Yes it can
Becky Hoover says
Hey Mrs. Paula. Your recipe sounds Great. My daughter’s Birthday is coming up February 7th. She always asks for a strawberry cake. So I’m going to try yours. I was wondering if I should use plain/ enriched or self rising? Can I can I also add both fresh strawberries and the strawberry gelatin to add the rich color? Thank you. Have a Bless Afternoon.
Paula says
Hi Becky, If you want a bright pink color, I recommend using this recipe>> https://www.callmepmc.com/melt-in-your-mouth-strawberry-buttermilk-pound-cake/
And use all-purpose flour.
Nena says
I try not to use shortening. Will butter sub for shortening here?
I have strawberry lovers in my house, too! 😊
Paula says
yes it will
Kathy King says
Since fresh strawberries are now out of season—can we use frozen — and if so, how much
Paula says
Yes, one pound. Puree then condense to 1/2 cup.
Linda Martin-Desy says
How much shortening?
Paula says
1 cup
LorenA says
Can I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour
Paula says
Yes
Amy says
Shortening? How much?
Otherwise, this looks brilliant.
Karen Tyler says
Did I miss something? What shorting? How much?
Thanks
Paula says
1 cup
Karen Tyler says
What kind of shortening do you use? Any recommendations?
Deborah says
How much shortening?
Paula says
1 cup