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This strawberry pound cake is pink, proud, and packed with that nostalgic, punchy flavor you loved as a kid—thanks to a little help from strawberry Kool-Aid. It’s dense, tender, and never pulls that gummy nonsense some strawberry cakes do. No berries to slice, no extract to buy—just pure throwback magic baked into every bite. Make it for Mother’s Day, birthdays, or any day you want dessert that says, “Yes, it’s a little extra. So am I.”
Sometimes I want to be a little more fancy and then I make this triple layer strawberry chantilly cake!
🧾 Ingredients
I like this homemade strawberry bundt cake recipe dusted with some powdered sugar. However, you can make a sweet glaze with my cream cheese icing. Add a little milk or cream to get the perfect gooey texture you like.
🔪 Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, let the butter and cream cheese come to room temperature. Beat on low speed until smooth.
- Add the sugar and beat again.
- One at a time, mix in the eggs.
- Blend in the Kool-Aid mix, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Then, add the flour and salt and combine cake batter just until smooth. Spoon into the prepared pan and bake.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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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
- 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.
- 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
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
📖 Variations
- Use a different flavor of Kool-Aid to give your cake a different taste. Try Pink Lemonade for a hint of lemon. Berry Cherry or Strawberry Kiwi would also taste yummy!
- Make this easy strawberry pound cake recipe in a loaf pan or layer cake pans, instead! It will make 2 loaves or layers. Find the baking time on the recipe card.
- Or, make mini strawberry pound cake cupcakes. There's enough batter for approximately two dozen cupcakes. Bake for 20-30 minutes or so.
- Glaze the cake with some chocolate ganache for a chocolate-covered strawberry flavor.
- Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until very fine, then mix them with some powdered sugar and melted butter. It makes a flavorful strawberry glaze!
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip:
- Once you add the dry ingredients (mainly the flour mixture) be careful not to over-mix the batter.
- For this strawberry pound cake recipe, I recommend using the paddle attachment for your mixer, instead of the whisk.
- Baking the cake at 325F is what gives it that dense, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It might seem like it's taking a long time compared to a regular cake, but after the first bite, you'll see why it's worth the wait!
- Unsure if your cake is done baking? An instant read thermometer will read 210F when inserted halfway between the center hole and the outside edge.
- Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for ten minutes, before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack. Turning it out too early can cause the cake to break, and letting the cake cool too long in the pan can cause it to dry out and/or stick.
- Pound cakes like this one usually taste best on the second day. So, there's no problem if you want to bake this in advance!
👩🍳 FAQs
Nope, not this time, y'all! Use full-fat cream cheese and don't try to swap it (or the sour cream, for that matter) with any alternatives. The most delicious recipes are done a certain way for a reason!
No, sorry! Full-fat cream cheese in a brick, only. You can't use whipped cream cheese, either. See above! (Strawberry cream cheese is a little more watery because of the fruit.)
This recipe is specially formulated to work with dry Kool-Aid powder. Adding fresh strawberry puree to the batter would throw off the balance of wet and dry ingredients. However, you can drizzle the puree on top when serving! Or, check out my other strawberry recipes, here!
📚 Related recipes
- With delicious lemon flavor and fresh blueberries studded throughout the yummy cake, this Lemon Blueberry Bundt is a tasty summer treat!
- Strawberry Sheet Cake is easy to make and features a light, whipped cream cheese strawberry frosting so good you can eat it with a spoon!
- This No-Bake Strawberry Angel Food Cake combines store-bought cake with fresh, juicy strawberries for a quick, easy, fun dessert!
This is one of my favorite desserts to take to potlucks! I have plenty more strawberry recipes that will get your mouth watering, too.
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.
And what about serving it with squares of this strawberry shortcake crunch ice cream cake? Strawberry heaven!
First published May 20, 2015. Last updated February 3, 2024 for editorial improvements.
Lisa Tibbedeaux says
Can this recipe be increased to make a 12 in layer cake?
Marye Audet says
Probably - you can increase the serving sizes on the recipe card and that should help.
Charlotte Andrews says
I used this recipe in my bakery for a wedding cake and it was a hit. It is so delicious . Thank you for posting this. I have one in my oven right now to decorate for a wedding shower.
Marye Audet says
Great! Thanks for letting me know.
Neisha says
Hi This recipe is awesome!!! The texture was so nice and the flavor. I would love to make just plain vanilla cupcakes without the red Kool-aid. Would that mess with the recipe?
Marye Audet says
That should be fine. 🙂
Keys says
Trying this out for the first time and I'm going to top with fresh strawberries and a cream cheese glaze. Wish me luck!!!
Marye Audet says
Let me know what you think. 🙂
Keona Thomas says
Hi! I DEFINITELY WILL BE trying this this weekend. I've been on a pound cake frenzy. I'm excited to make it!
James says
What kind of flour to use
Marye Audet says
All purpose flour is perfect in this recipe. 🙂
Kessa says
Your cake looks delicious!! Could fresh or frozen strawberries be substituted for the koolaid?
Marye Audet says
Thank you, Kessa. No, actual fruit would throw off the proportions of the recipe.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
The color of this is insane! Such a pretty surprise to cut into!
Bonita Slaughter says
I plan on making this, but what glaze did you do because i don't see one for it. Thanks
Marye Audet says
I just dusted it with Confectioner's sugar. 🙂
Ashley says
This may be a silly question but, if I change out the koolaid flavors would it still bake about the same? I've got a party coming up and would love to have strawberry and a lemonade version of the same cake and then serve them side by side.
Marye Audet says
Believe me, I've had some silly questions and that's not even in the top 10. Everything would stay exactly the same. Just change out the flavors. 🙂
Ashley says
Fantastic! Thank you so much for the quick reply I'm super excited to give this a go! I'm thinking puttin blue dye in the glaze so red white (yellow in this case I guess haha) and blue cakes 😀
Marye Audet says
Let me know what you think!
Quinn says
Hey can I subsitute the koolaid with strawberry gelatin
Marye Audet says
I've never tried so I'm not sure.
Nonya Mace says
Hello, I want to make this, but I'm curious to know...why the sour cream?
Marye Audet says
It adds moistness and helps the cake have a tender crumb. 🙂
Jenn says
My husband and I just made this. It is delicious! We are taking it to my parents tomorrow. I bet no one will guess it's koolaid and not fresh strawberries.
Thanks so much for the recipe.
Marye Audet says
Thank you! I am glad you liked it. How did your parents like it?
Starla says
I noticed that it says you can make cupcakes with this recipe. Would love to try, could you tell me about how long I should cook them and at what temperature? Thanks!
Marye Audet says
I'd bake them at 375F and check for doneness after about 15 minutes. 🙂
Rita says
My God child wants a birthday cake with one layer strawberry and the other blueberry! Strawberry frosting. Going to look for blueberry kool aid and half the flavoring in each. How long will it take to bake?
Marye Audet says
About an hour and forty minutes per cake including prep time.
Megan {Country Cleaver} says
Oh mercy this looks like just the ticket for spring!
Marye Audet says
Thank you!!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
I love the color of this cake! I bet it is delicious!!
Marye Audet says
Thanks!
Maris Callahan says
This must have been a fun one to make around Valentine's Day!
Marye Audet says
Actually the first time I made it was for a wedding. 🙂
Heather Tallman says
Love the color!
Marye Audet says
It really is vibrant, isn't it?
Florian @ContentednessCooking says
Looks fantastic and inviting!
Marye Audet says
🙂 thank you! It is so good.
Kaitie says
Not only does this look amazing, but seriously - the colour of the cake! BEAUTIFUL! I like that it's not an overly sweet chocolate cake, and this would go beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee as a sweet treat!
Marye Audet says
Awww... thank you!