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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.
Rebekah archer says
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.
Marye says
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.
Summer says
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 😪🤷🏽♀️
Marye says
I'm sorry Summer - I've never had that happen.
Danielle says
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.
Morgan Lindsay says
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 says
Sorry you didn't care for it. Others have had success - not sure what happened.
Donna says
Can you make with a boxed pound cake min
Marye says
No, I don't think so.
Jess says
What is the recipe for the frosting?
Is the 1x measurements for one standard size cake ?
Marye says
There is no frosting. It's dusted with powdered sugar. Yes, 1x is for a regular bundt cake pan.
KATHY A VICKERS says
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?
Marye says
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 says
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.
KATHY A VICKERS says
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?
Marye says
Kathy, I've never tried that so I can't really say. Sorry!
Kathy says
Is this all purpose flour or self rising. I’m nervous about not using any leavening if it’s all purpose.
Marye says
It is all-purpose. This recipe does not require leavening.
Barbara N says
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
Marye says
Try it with the koolaid! I like the texture even better. Thanks for stopping by, Barbara!
Taneka Boldon says
How much strawberry jello do you use
Marye says
None? It's strawberry Koolaide like the recipe says.
Ronda says
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.
Marye says
so glad you liked it!
Debbie says
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 says
None. This recipe doesn't call for leavening.
Calla says
Ronda
How much baking soda did you add? I have the cake in the oven now and worried regarding the recipe not calling for baking soda!
Marye says
The recipe doesn't call for baking soda.
Erin Grimes says
I made this, it was delicious! I'm wondering how other flavors of koolaid would work with it? Have you tried any other flavors?
Marye says
I have tried others and they work fine!
billiejo lear says
Today I am trying this recipe! It was NOT easy finding the strawberry kool aid mix offline but I found ONE lost packet at one of the groceries.
I am laying two small pound cakes and then adding strawberries and whipped to cream for a strawberry shortcake with a twist! I am soooooooooo excited to see how this turns out! Thank you! 😀
Julia says
What kinda flour did u use?
Marye Audet says
All purpose is what I always use unless the recipe states differently
Peggy says
I made this cake it came out beautiful it makes me feel like a baker thanks
Cecee says
Can u use cake flour (swan) instead of all purpose flour? These look good.... I want to add this on my list of pound cakes...
Marye says
I wouldn't. The recipe was created with all-purpose and the cake flour would be too light.
Marye Audet says
I haven't tried so I don't know - it should work... but I'd think the gelatin would make it grainy.
Deatrice says
Which flour do you use? All purpose or self-rising?
Marye Audet says
all-purpose. 🙂
Tisha says
Could I use cakeflour instead of all purpose flour? The cake looks delicious by the way.
Marye Audet says
I'd be afraid it wouldn't rise well.
Kay Booth says
I've been asked to make a 2-layer strawberry birthday cake that will hold a heavy topper. This recipe sounds perfect!
Could you help with the following questions?
1. Does this recipe yield enough batter to make two 9" round cakes?
2. What temperature and baking time should be used?
Thank you so much for the recipe and for answering my questions!
Marye Audet says
1. I believe it does- although I haven't measured. I think a bundt pan is equal to 2 layers.
2. I'd say 375F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Let me know how it goes!
Kay Booth says
Thanks for your quick response, Marye. The batter filled two 9" round pans and the assembled cake was the height of a typical two-layer cake. I baked the cakes at 350 for 33 minutes (I was waiting to see if the cake edges would pull away from the sides - which they never did). In retrospect, I think 30 minutes would have been about right. Due to the density, the cake was easy to frost and decorate. Looking forward to tasting the cake!
Marye Audet says
I am so glad! Thanks for letting me know.
Suzanne says
Getting ready to make this right now for a friend's birthday. But...I noticed you didn't list baking powder/soda? Is that correct? Thank you!
Marye Audet says
That is correct. 🙂
Annette says
Rather than dusting the pan with flour, could you dust with an extra packet of strawberry koolaid so the cake wouldn't have the white flour on the outside when removed from the pan?
Marye Audet says
It would make it too tangy for my tastes but I imagine you could? I've never had the problem of the flour sticking. Just don't use much.