This strawberry pound cake is a simple yet elegant dessert! It’s topped with a three-ingredient strawberry glaze that takes the berry flavor of this dessert over the top.

A glazed strawberry pound cake, garnished with fresh berries.

Pound cake was originally made with one pound of each of its ingredients — eggs, butter, flour, and sugar. While I can appreciate the simplicity of traditional pound cake recipes, I much prefer making my own variations. 

First, I created this ultra moist cream cheese pound cake recipe. And to ring in the warmer weather, I’ve created this easy strawberry pound cake. 

But here’s the big secret about this pound cake recipe: you can make it year-round! Instead of spending 30+ minutes reducing fresh strawberries on the stovetop, I flavored the batter with strawberry extract and freeze-dried strawberry powder. 

It may not be the traditional method, but I promise this strawberry glazed pound cake tastes like it was made with in-season berries! Serve slices of this pound cake with fresh strawberries and a generous portion of strawberry glaze for a decadent treat.

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make pound cake with strawberry glaze.

Ingredients in This Recipe 

This scratch recipe calls for a couple of special ingredients you may not keep on hand, but the rest of the ingredients list is very basic. Here are a few key ingredients you’ll want to stock up on before preparing the pound cake. 

  • Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Freeze-dried strawberries add a concentrated strawberry flavor to this cake. I used two 1-ounce packages (2-ounces total) of freeze-dried strawberries and was able to get 1/2 cup for the cake and 2 tablespoons for the icing. You can blend them up in a small blender or food processor until they’re powdery. It doesn’t take very long and it’s much easier than reducing strawberries on the stove for 30 to 40 minutes!
  • Strawberry Extract: Can be found in the baking aisle of your local grocery store. Don’t omit the strawberry extract or replace with additional vanilla extract otherwise the strawberry flavor won’t be as pronounced. 
  • Cake Flour: Contains less protein than all-purpose flour, which results in a lighter pound cake. 
  • Red food coloring: This isn’t necessary, but it turns the batter a lovely shade of pink. I used liquid food coloring and only needed about six drops total. 
  • Hot water: I recommend using hot water to make the strawberry glaze for the pound cake. It helps to dissolve the freeze-dried strawberry powder and makes a smoother glaze than milk would. 

How to Make Strawberry Pound Cake

For this recipe, you’ll first prepare and bake the pound cake. Once the cake has cooled completely, you can drizzle the strawberry glaze over the top. Don’t try to glaze the cake while it’s still warm, otherwise the glaze will slide right off! 

  • Prepare your bundt pan: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Then, spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray. Make sure your bundt pan has a 10 to 12 cup capacity! 
  • Combine the dry ingredients: Add the flour, freeze-dried strawberry powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine, then set aside. 
  • Cream together the butter and sugar: I prefer using my stand mixer for this step. You’ll first need to beat the softened butter until smooth, then add the sugar and continue beating for about 5 minutes. You’re looking for the mixture to become light and fluffy. 
  • Add the eggs to the butter mixture: Add one egg at a time, waiting until each is fully combined before adding the next one. 
  • Add the remaining wet ingredients: To the butter mixture, stir in the oil, vanilla and strawberry extracts, and the food coloring. 
  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, alternating between the flour mixture and the sour cream. Be careful not to over mix the batter! 

Strawberry pound cake batter in a metal bundt pan.

  • Bake the pound cake: Turn the batter into the prepared bundt pan, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  • Cool the pound cake: The cake will need to cool in the bundt pan for about 30 minutes before you can safely invert it onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. 
  • Make the strawberry glaze: It’s a simple mixture of freeze-dried strawberry powder, powdered sugar, and hot water. If the icing is too thin, add more sugar. If it’s too thick, add more hot water. 
  • Glaze the cake: Drizzle the strawberry pound cake glaze over the cooled cake. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. 

A side view of a sliced pound cake with strawberry glaze.

Recipe Substitutions 

The freeze-dried strawberry powder and strawberry extract are two non-negotiable ingredients in this recipe. However, there are a few other ingredient swaps you can make as needed. 

  • Cake Flour: You can make DIY cake flour if you don’t have any in your pantry. 
  • Unsalted butter: You may use salted butter, just be sure to omit the additional salt called for in the recipe. 
  • Red liquid food coloring: May be omitted, just note that the batter won’t be as pink as shown in my photos. 
  • Oil: Any neutral oil, like canola, vegetable, or coconut oil will work. 
  • Sour cream: Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt would be a suitable alternative. 

A slice of strawberry glazed pound cake on a white dessert plate with fresh berries and a fork.

Baking Tips 

  • It’s best to use hot water instead of milk for the icing. It helps to dissolve the strawberry powder and makes for a smoother icing!
  • Freeze-dried strawberries may not be in the baking aisle of your local grocery store. Check the snack aisle as well, or anywhere you’d normally find the dried fruits.
  • If you prefer a cake made with fresh strawberries, try my strawberry cake recipe instead. The baking time should be similar to this recipe.

More Strawberry Desserts You’ll Love! 

Recipe Video

A strawberry pound cake topped with strawberry icing. A few strawberries rest on top of the cake.

Strawberry Pound Cake

4.50 from 2 ratings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Strawberry pound cake is a simple yet elegant dessert perfect for strawberry season! It's topped with a three-ingredient strawberry glaze that takes the berry flavor of this dessert over the top.
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Ingredients

Servings: 12 slices

Strawberry Pound Cake

  • 3 cups cake flour spooned & leveled (345 grams)
  • ½ cup freeze-dried strawberry powder (40 grams) see recipe notes
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened (230 grams)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil (60 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
  • 6 to 8 drops red liquid food coloring or a small squeeze of red gel coloring
  • 1 cup sour cream at room temperature (240 grams)

Strawberry Glaze

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (180 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder (10 grams)
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water use more as needed (45 to 60 ml)

Instructions
 

  • To make the strawberry pound cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously spray a 10-inch (10 to 12-cup) bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cake flour, ½ cup of freeze-dried strawberry powder (40 grams), baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the granulated sugar.
  • Once all of the sugar is added, increase to medium speed and continue mixing for another 5 minutes or until the mixture is light in color and fluffy.
  • Mix in the eggs, one at a time, making sure to stop and scrape around the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Mix in the oil, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, and red food coloring until fully combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients in two additions alternating with the sour cream (begin and end with the dry ingredients) on low speed. Mix in each addition until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.
  • Use a rubber spatula to scrape around the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is well combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread it around into one even layer.
  • Bake for 55 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Slide a knife between the outside of the cake and the pan to loosen it, then carefully remove the cake from the pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the strawberry glaze: Add the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, and hot water to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined and no lumps remain. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar as needed. If the icing is too thick, add more water as needed.
  • Drizzle the icing on top of the cake and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes so the icing has time to firm up slightly.

Notes

Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder: I used two 1-ounce packages (2-ounces total) of freeze-dried strawberries and was able to get 1/2 cup for the cake and 2 tablespoons for the icing. You can blend them up in a small blender or food processor until they're powdery.
Storage Instructions: Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions: To freeze the cake, wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it inside a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Danielle
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