Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake

This Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake is perfect for the summertime. Rich pound cake is infused with lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh strawberries. It's an easy dessert with common ingredients you probably already have at home!

Pound cake is a dessert we love to make all year round. This Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake is perfect for the summertime, it reminds me of a delicious cold glass of strawberry lemonade! I happen to be a pound cake expert, my viral Whipping Cream Pound Cake recipe has been passed down in my family for three generations - it's a classic dessert.

This pound cake is extra easy to make, it only uses two bowls and no hand mixer or stand mixer, just stir by hand. Plus it's baked in a classic loaf pan, no fancy pans required!

With just a handful of pantry staple ingredients, this dessert is prepped in just 20 minutes. It's guaranteed to be a crowd-winning dessert or snack for any gathering. If you love an easy cake recipe, you should also try our Zinger Cake, Texas Sheet Cake Bites, or White Chocolate Cake.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Foolproof baking recipe for beginners. This cake is so easy to stir together in two bowls and takes 20 minutes to prep, we've tested it to make sure it works great every time!
• Uses pantry staple ingredients. No fancy ingredients are used here, you probably already have them in your kitchen! Mix up a glass of this Strawberry Lemon Water recipe while you bake your loaf!
• Customize with your favorite seasonal fruit and spices. We're using strawberries and lemon for this version but use whatever fruit is in season like blueberries, figs, plums, etc. We also love adding a pinch warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for the winter months.

Laura Ashley's Tip: You can use frozen strawberries for this recipe, just be sure to thaw and drain off the excess liquid before stirring into the batter. Any excess liquid will change the texture of the cake!

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Pound Cake:

• Whole Milk: Make sure it's whole, you want the fat to keep great moisture in the the cake.
• Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt: Brings a nice tang and density to the cake texture. Make sure the yogurt is full-fat, it makes a difference.
• Sugar: Adds the right amount of sweetness.
• Salted Butter: Gives that delicious flavor in each bite, salted is preferred here to add a bit of seasoning to the batter.
• Lemon Juice and Zest: Make sure it's fresh from actual lemons, not the bottled juice. Adds the classic tang we all love.
• Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the fruit flavors with sweet caramel flavors.
• Flour: All-purpose is the best option for this recipe, it has the right density to make the classic texture.
• Baking Powder: Allows the batter to rise and be light and fluffy.
• Baking Soda: Tenderizes the batter so it melts in your mouth.
• Salt: Be sure to always season your baked goods with salt, it enhances the flavor of every ingredient.
• Fresh Strawberries: Perfect for the summer season, you can also use frozen strawberries too, just be sure to thaw them and drain off any excess liquid before stirring into the batter.

Lemon Glaze:

• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the glaze perfectly. If your glaze is too thin, don't worry just whisk in additional powdered sugar until the preferred consistency is reached.
• Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest: The base flavor for the glaze that will make you pucker! The lemon zest also takes this sweet topping to a whole new level of intense flavor.

Tools You'll Need

• Mixing Bowls
• Spatula
• Loaf Pan
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cups
• Pairing Knife
• Cutting Board
• Zester

How to Make Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray with non-stick spray an 9.25"x5.25" loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold ⅔ cup of the chopped strawberries into the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Scatter the remaining strawberries along the middle on top.

6. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the pound cake to rest 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. If needed, add more lemon juice or milk to thin or add more powdered sugar to thicken to your desired consistency.

9. Once the cake has completely cooled, pour the glaze over on top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Serve slices with fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Tips for Recipe Success

• Don't pack the flour. Be sure when you measure out the flour to scoop it into the measuring cup and gently scrape off the top of the measuring cup with a knife. If you pack the flour, it will lead to a dense cake.
• Have ingredients at room temperature. The key to a great lemon strawberry pound cake is to make sure your chilled ingredients are room temperature before assembling. This ensures everything is incorporated evenly for a more consistent bake.
• Use the toothpick test to check bake time. The best way to guarantee your batter has baked through is to insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If there are only crumbs and no wet batter on the toothpick, then the cake is done.
• Thicken the glaze properly. If you glaze is too thin simply whisk in more powdered sugar. If your glaze is too thick, then add a drop or two of lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Variations & Substitutions

This pound cake recipe is a staple to have on your baking list all year round! Some other mix-ins we love are:

• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Chopped Figs
• Peaches
• Plums
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom
• Other extracts like almond or orange

Swap out the yogurt. You can also use sour cream or even cream cheese here instead of yogurt if desired.

Try buttermilk instead of regular milk. If you love an extra tangy pound cake, try swapping the milk for buttermilk.

Serving options. We always recommend topping this dessert with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh chopped strawberries. You really can't go wrong here!

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Before storing the strawberry lemonade pound cake, be sure to let it cool to room temperature. If you wrap the cake warm, it will make the texture very soggy later.

Wrap the cooled cake in foil and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can freeze the loaf as well! Just wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. We recommend also slicing the cake into pieces before freezing for easy serving too.

To thaw the cake, leave it on the counter a couple of hours. Feel free to warm the cake slices in the oven or even the toaster if desired!

Frequently Asked Questions

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