Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe

Searching for a dessert that is moist, rich, and full of fruity flavor? This Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake is everything you know and love about classic pound cake…but with a fresh, summery twist. 

This cake is prepared using fresh strawberries, rich buttermilk, and a touch of vanilla, and it is dense, tender, and has a sweet glaze on the top that makes every slice of this cake to die for. 

This cake is a great solution when you have to bake something during a brunch, family meeting, or simply because you want to eat something homemade, and each bite of this cake is full of flavor.

What Is Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake?

This Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake is a variation of the traditional Southern pound cake. It adds buttermilk to make it extra moist and tangy, and fresh (or frozen) strawberries to make it naturally sweet and pink. 

Instead of a simple pound cake that is usually rich and buttery yet plain, this one is fruity and beautiful with the pink color running through the crumb. The outcome is a well-balanced cake that has a soft texture and a nice taste of berries.

The First Time I Pound Cake Strawberry Buttermilk

It was late in the spring the first time I baked this cake. I just happened to have a lot of ripe strawberries and a bottle of buttermilk in the fridge. As a sweet-toothed, inquisitive person, I chose to experiment. 

The result of a baking period was something not less than magic–a very moist loaf, lightly pink, that filled the kitchen with the sweet odor of strawberries and vanilla. This cake has since been made a seasonal cake in our house, particularly when there is strawberry season.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups (400g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature

1 ½ cups finely chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen, thawed and drained)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for coating strawberries)

For the Glaze:

1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

2–3 tablespoons milk or lemon juice

1–2 tablespoons finely chopped strawberries (optional, for a pink tint)

Instructions

1. Ready Pan and Ingredients

Heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Prepare a 10-cup Bundt pan or regular loaf pan by greasing and flouring. Set aside.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Beat Butter and Sugar

Using a large mixing bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed, 3-5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

4. Add Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add in the vanilla extract.

5. Add the Buttermilk and Dry Ingredients

The dry ingredients should be added in three parts, alternating with buttermilk. Start and finish with dry ingredients. Stir only until incorporated- do not overstir.

6. Fold the Strawberries in

Mix the sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour so they do not sink. With a spatula, fold them gently into the batter.

7. Bake

Prepare the pan by pouring the batter into it and leveling the top. Bake 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Glaze

When the cake has completely cooled, combine powdered sugar with milk (or lemon juice) in a whisk until smooth. To make a pink glaze, add chopped strawberries or some strawberry juice. Pour the glaze over the cake and let it set.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Exploding with Strawberry Flavor –Stuffed with fresh strawberries in each bite.

Moist and Tender Crumb- Buttermilk gives a beautiful texture and tang.

Occasion Perfect – Tea time, baby showers, or summer potlucks.

Customizable- Try lemon zest or almond extract, or change berries.

Success Tips

1. Make sure to use room temperature ingredients for a smooth batter.

2. Avoid overmixing once flour is added to the batter- this may result in a tough cake.

3. Toss the berries with flour to avoid sinking and streaking.

4. Leftovers can be stored at room temperature (up to 2 days) or refrigerated (up to 5 days).

Serving Suggestions

This cake is gorgeous with:

1. A piece of whipped cream

2. Fresh strawberries or Berry compote

3. A single scoop of vanilla/strawberry ice cream

4. A tea or coffee

Final Thoughts

This Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake is an ethereal dessert that honors the inherent sweetness of strawberries and the warm comfort of a traditional pound cake. Simple enough to make on a lazy weekend and pretty enough to serve to guests, it is the cake you will want to make all year round. You should see what it can do to your kitchen (and your taste buds), so give it a try.

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