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Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe

Published: Last Updated: by 1534 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.

A vibrantly pink, strawberry pound cake that is dense, moist, and velvety thanks to cream cheese and sour cream. It's dense enough to be used for wedding cakes but works for bundt cakes or cupcakes, too!
Total time 1 hour 55 minutes
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This is one of my favorite desserts to take to potlucks! I have plenty more strawberry recipes that will get your mouth watering, too.

A slice of bright pink strawberry pound cake with title text overlay.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

Lusciously moist and dense strawberry pound cake recipe is made with cream cheese and sour cream so it melts in your mouth!

Unsweetened strawberry Kool Aid gives it its vibrant color and fresh flavor - it's literally bursting with tons of strawberry flavor!

It's firm enough to use in a stacked wedding cake (I've done it!) but easy enough for every day. The lack of berries actually helps it maintain the dense texture needed for heavy cakes -- keeps them from collapsing.

Freezes well, too.

🧾 Ingredients

Ingredients for this recipe:

  • butter
  • cream cheese
  • sugar
  • eggs
  • sour cream
  • vanilla
  • strawberry Kool-Aid (the old fashioned, unsweetened packets)
  • all-purpose flour
  • kosher salt

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter on the lowest speed of the mixer.
  2. Add the sugar and continue to beat.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time.
  4. Add the Kool Aid mix, vanilla, and the sour cream.
  5. Add the flour and salt.
  6. Mix just until blended and smooth.
  7. Spoon into prepared bundt pan.
  8. Bake until a cake tester inserted in halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean.
  9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
  10. Remove from pan.
  11. Cool completely.

💭 Tips for success

Expert tip: make this into two strawberry loaf cakes. Add the batter into two prepared 9-inch loaf pans and bake at 325 F for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • You can make this a day or two in advance - or even freeze it for longer storage.
  • Pound cakes are usually best the second day.
  • If you are making this into wedding cake rounds the baking time will depend on the size of each pan. Bake at 350F and start checking after 25 minutes - unless it's a 6-inch layer or smaller.
  • I like this strawberry dessert just dusted with powdered sugar but you can make a delicious glaze with the cream cheese icing from my cinnamon rolls. Add a little milk or cream to get the exact gooey texture you like.
  • Be careful not to over mix the batter or you'll run the risk of it being tough.
  • Baking the cake at 325F is what helps it to have that dense, melt in your mouth texture. It will need between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes to bake. It's baked in a slow oven for a long time but the result will knock your socks off.

👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

Can you use strawberry Jello?

Yes you can. It works very similarly to the Kool-Aid. I think the Kool-Aid mixes in better, though.

Can you use strawberry cream cheese?

No - you need to use the regular, full fat cream cheese block. The other types are not firm enough to give the cake the right texture.

🥫 Storage

This pound cake will be fine at room temperature for about 4 or 5 days as long as it's covered.

For longer storage wrap it and freeze it for up to 3 months. Sometimes I slice it and put parchment paper between the slices before freezing so I can get one or two slices out at a time.

🍓 How to make strawberry shortcake

This easy strawberry pound cake is especially good for strawberry shortcake!

  1. Hull and slice ripe berries into a bowl.
  2. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar for each pound of berries.
  3. Let stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature, or until they get juicy.
  4. Cut the cake in slices and add a spoonful or two of the berries.
  5. Add a scoop of strawberry or vanilla ice cream.
  6. More berries!
  7. Top with some whipped cream.
The whole strawberry pound cake, uncut on a plate.

I love cake - you, too? Here are some of my favorite recipes. I hope you love them as much as I do!

  • Hawaiian Wedding Cake
  • is not really a wedding cake but it has coconut, pineapple, and so. much. yum.
  • Chardonnay & Lemon Pound Cake is fresh and delicious for summer. This is another good one to use as a base for strawberry shortcake.
  • Margarita Pound Cake has great flavor and a salty pretzel crust on the outside of it - keeping it real!
  • Marble Pound Cake has all of my favorite flavors - for when I can't decide what I want.
  • Sweet Corn Pound Cake has a unique flavor ... sweet and delicate vanilla with a touch of something everyone loves but no one can put their fingers on... SO good.
  • Buttermilk Pound Cake is moist and delicious - perfect if you are looking for a plain pound cake.

🍰 Why this began as a wedding cake

My eldest daughter's lifelong, best friend got married she asked me to make the cake. I don't make wedding cakes often anymore - usually just for family and close friends.

A wedding cake made from this recipe.
This luscious strawberry pound cake recipe makes great wedding cake!

(The image above is the wedding cake I made with this recipe and my wedding cake frosting. As you can see it has big, heavy layers.

That's what it looked like after traveling a hundred miles to the venue... in 90 degree heat in May... in Texas.)

Anyway, after discussing various flavor combos she decided on strawberry with chocolate ganache filling. I was cool with that.

I was cool with that until I realized that there is no strawberry pound cake recipe that I know of that would stand up to the rigors of being stacked, being transported an hour and a half in Texas heat, etc.

I thought about it for days and just before I was about to tell her we had to go with something else I got an idea.

Why not try strawberry Kool Aid?

I made a test cake, using my favorite pound cake recipe and adding the unsweetened strawberry Kool Aid powder for flavor. It came out perfectly!

The color was a little intense but very pretty but best of all, one of the people who tasted a test slice said, "I can tell you used fresh berries in this! There's so much strawberry flavor!"

It just doesn't get better than that. It held up perfectly and tasted delicious.

An ad for cake supplies at the Restless Chipotle shop on Amazon.

I love this strawberry pound cake for summer parties because it's so vibrantly pink and the color matches the flavor. It's a Pinterest favorite and I'm sure it will be a favorite at your house, too.

If this is not quite what you want try my triple layer orange cake with orange buttercream. It's spectacular!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

4.36 from 116 votes

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Print Add to Collection Pin Recipe
A vibrantly pink, strawberry pound cake that is dense, moist, and velvety thanks to cream cheese and sour cream. It's dense enough to be used for wedding cakes but works for bundt cakes or cupcakes, too!
Course Dessert - Cake
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cool in Pan: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings:16
Calories:397
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, unsalted - room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 packets unsweetened strawberry Kool Aid, the kind you add sugar to
  • 3 cups flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325F.
  • Grease a bundt pan thoroughly and then dust with flour.
  • Pour out excess flour, tapping the pan lightly to get the as much out as possible.
  • Set aside.
  • Beat the cream cheese and butter on the lowest speed of the mixer until well blended.
  • Add the sugar and continue to beat until blended.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each in thoroughly before adding the next one.
  • Add the Kool Aid mix, vanilla, and the sour cream and blend.
  • Add the flour and salt.
  • Mix just until blended and smooth.
  • Spoon into bundt pan and smooth top.
  • Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean. Start checking at 1 hour 15 minutes.
  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
  • Remove from pan and drizzle with a glaze or let cool and dust with confectioner's sugar.
  • Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Can you use strawberry Jello?
You can. It works in a similar way to the Kool Aid but I didn't like the texture as much.
Tips:
Expert tip: make this into two strawberry loaf cakes. Add the batter into two prepared 9-inch loaf pans and bake at 350F for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • You can make this cake a day or two in advance - or even freeze it for longer storage.
  • Pound cakes are usually best the second day.
  • If you are making this into wedding cake rounds the baking time will depend on the size of each pan. Bake at 350F and start checking after 25 minutes - unless it's a 6-inch layer or smaller.
  • I like this cake just dusted with powdered sugar but you can make a delicious glaze with the cream cheese icing from my cinnamon rolls. Add a little milk or cream to get the exact texture you like.
  • Be careful not to over mix the batter or you'll run the risk of the cake being tough.
  • Baking the cake at 325F is what helps it to have that dense, melt in your mouth texture. It will need between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes to bake. It's baked in a slow oven for a long time but the resulting cake will knock your socks off.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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    First published May 20, 2015. Last updated February 5, 2021 to increase readability and page speed.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rebekah archer

      Im very upset at this cake. I have a commercial $4,000.00 oven and this cake is not a good recipe no matter what is said. I followed the directions and it still fell. I am in the process is having a pop up shop tomorrow and this was my showcase cake. Mary’s you were wrong to share this recipe. I seen all the negative comments and thought they must be wrong but, trying it myself very angry. Take this recipe down please.

      Reply

      • Marye

        There are also plenty of people who love it. Sorry you didn't have a good experience but I've made it hundreds of times and it works fine for me.

    2. Summer

      2 stars
      I don’t know what happened. I called myself doing everything as should. Mine turned out horrible and the taste is no better. It also fell flat as i sat it to cool. I just gave two stars because the inside color was beautiful. I had such high hopes for this cake 😪🤷🏽‍♀️

      Reply

      • Marye

        I'm sorry Summer - I've never had that happen.

    3. Danielle

      2 stars
      No one in my family liked this cake. It was too tart. I think it wohave been better with strawberry jello instead of Kool aid. Otherwise the recipe ok. It was definitely moist.

      Reply

      • Morgan Lindsay

        1 star
        This recipe did not work for me at all and I am an experienced baker. As stated in the directions it can be made into cupcakes which I tried, they spilled over the tops and sunk terribly in the middle. That was a lot of ingredients wasted unfortunately.

      • Marye

        Sorry you didn't care for it. Others have had success - not sure what happened.

    4. Donna

      Can you make with a boxed pound cake min

      Reply

      • Marye

        No, I don't think so.

    5. Jess

      What is the recipe for the frosting?
      Is the 1x measurements for one standard size cake ?

      Reply

      • Marye

        There is no frosting. It's dusted with powdered sugar. Yes, 1x is for a regular bundt cake pan.

    6. KATHY A VICKERS

      okay, so I went to the store to buy strawberry kool-aid & they do not have it or strawberry extract--the cooking gods are working against me. So I have fresh strawberries which would make the cake to wet (not a good cake) and I have freezed dried strawberries (a good option) but I need to know the ratio as a good substitution. Please help, I really want to make this cake. Can it be prepared as a 2 layer cake or bundt cake is my only option?

      Reply

      • Marye

        I have never used anything but Koolaid so I can't help there. I have no idea. I'd powder the freeze dried berries and add them to the batter, tasting often until it seemed right. You can make this into layers - I used it as a wedding cake once. About 25 minutes at 350F for a 9" layer but check it at 20 minutes.

      • Rebekah

        Hi Kathy, I use oils in my cakes when it comes to flavoring. Walmart has oils and your cake shops has them too. Also it was hard to find strawberry koolaid but at carry outs is your best bet to find it. That’s where I found mine. Hope this helped.

    7. KATHY A VICKERS

      This cake looks wonderful, I would like to use Freeze Dried strawberries in it, what would the ratio be & would it substitute the strawberry kool aid?

      Reply

      • Marye

        Kathy, I've never tried that so I can't really say. Sorry!

    8. Kathy

      Is this all purpose flour or self rising. I’m nervous about not using any leavening if it’s all purpose.

      Reply

      • Marye

        It is all-purpose. This recipe does not require leavening.

    9. Barbara N

      I’ve made this a couple times. But have used strawberry jello instead. It’s really thick but moist as a pound cake should be!

      Thank you

      Reply

      • Marye

        Try it with the koolaid! I like the texture even better. Thanks for stopping by, Barbara!

    10. Ronda

      5 stars
      I made this cake yesterday! Delicious. So moist and tasty and beautiful. I did add some baking soda. I have trouble resisting this in cake recipes! This is a versatile recipe because you can try different flavors of kool aid. I am going to try pink lemonade next time! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

      Reply

      • Marye

        so glad you liked it!

      • Debbie

        Hi! I never can get a pound cake without baking soda/powder to turn out right! May I ask how much baking soda you used?

      • Marye

        None. This recipe doesn't call for leavening.

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