Moist Strawberry Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberry Glaze

Introduction & Inspiration

Get ready for a wonderfully moist, tender, and flavorful pound cake bursting with fresh strawberries! This recipe uses Greek yogurt and oil to create an incredibly tender crumb, subtly flavored with almond extract that pairs beautifully with the sweet strawberries baked right into the batter. To make it even more special, it’s finished with a simple yet vibrant fresh strawberry glaze.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from wanting an easy loaf cake that was reliably moist and celebrated the deliciousness of fresh strawberries. The combination of Greek yogurt and oil guarantees a tender texture, while the almond extract adds a lovely background note to the star fruit. It’s simple comfort baking at its best.

This Strawberry Pound Cake is perfect for brunch, afternoon tea, a simple dessert, or even gifting. It’s easy to whip up, smells amazing while baking, and the fresh strawberry glaze adds a beautiful finishing touch. It is a perfect cake for strawberry season.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Pound cakes hold a special place in the realm of comfort baking. Their dense yet tender texture and simple, buttery flavor are deeply nostalgic for many, reminiscent of classic home baking and family recipes. Adding fresh strawberries brings in the familiar comfort and sweetness associated with summertime treats and berry season.

This recipe combines the comforting structure of a pound cake with the bright, beloved flavor of fresh strawberries. The simple preparation method (mixing wet and dry ingredients) also adds to its comforting, approachable appeal.

It’s a homey, satisfying cake that feels both familiar and delightfully fresh. A perfect cake to share with family and friends.

Homemade Focus

This Strawberry Pound Cake recipe is entirely homemade, focusing on simple techniques and fresh ingredients. We’re mixing the batter from scratch, using the combination of Greek yogurt and oil for moisture, and folding in fresh diced strawberries. The vibrant pink glaze is also made simply at home by mashing fresh strawberries with powdered sugar.

Making this cake yourself allows you to enjoy the true flavor of fresh strawberries baked into a tender cake, far superior to anything artificially flavored. You control the quality of the ingredients and the simple mixing process ensures a great result even for beginner bakers.

It celebrates easy, straightforward homemade baking that yields a delicious and beautiful result. The homemade taste is incredible.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a moist, tender pound cake with balanced sweetness, featuring prominent fresh strawberry flavor complemented by a subtle hint of almond extract. The cake crumb itself should be soft and dense, characteristic of a pound cake, but very moist.

The diced strawberries should provide juicy bursts of fruit flavor throughout the cake. The almond extract adds a warm, slightly nutty aroma that pairs wonderfully with strawberries. The glaze should provide an extra layer of intense, sweet, fresh strawberry flavor and a pretty pink finish.

The overall experience should be a moist, tender, flavorful cake bursting with fresh strawberries and a hint of almond, topped with a sweet fruit glaze. A perfect balance between flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

For the Cake:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the main structure for the pound cake.
• Baking Powder & Salt: Leavening and flavor enhancement/balance.
• Plain Greek Yogurt: Adds significant moisture, tenderness (due to acidity), and a slight tang. Full-fat or low-fat works. Room temperature preferred but less critical than butter/eggs in creaming methods.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake.
• Large Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and binding. Room temperature preferred.
• Almond Extract: Provides a distinct, warm, nutty flavor that complements strawberries beautifully. Vanilla extract can be substituted if preferred.
• Vegetable Oil: Guarantees a moist cake crumb. Use a neutral oil like canola or standard vegetable oil.
• Diced Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are best here. Dicing them helps distribute them evenly. About 1 ¼ cups whole berries yield 1 cup diced.

For the Glaze:

• Smashed Strawberries: Provides the fresh strawberry flavor and natural pink color for the glaze. Mash ripe berries well with a fork. About 1 cup whole berries yields ½ cup smashed.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the glaze to a drizzly consistency. Sifting helps prevent lumps.

Essential Equipment

• 8 or 9-inch Loaf Pan: The baking vessel. Ensure it’s well-greased.
• Non-stick Cooking Spray (or Grease & Flour): For preparing the pan.
• Mixing Bowls (Medium, Large): For dry ingredients and wet ingredients/batter.
• Whisk: For combining dry ingredients and wet ingredients.
• Rubber Spatula or Spoon: For folding in strawberries and spreading batter.
• Wire Cooling Rack: Essential for cooling the pound cake completely.
• Small Bowl: For making the glaze.
• Fork: For mashing strawberries for the glaze.

Ingredients

(Based on 1x column)

Cake:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla extract)
• ▢ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 cup diced fresh strawberries (from about 1 ¼ cup whole)

Glaze:

• ▢ 1/2 cup smashed fresh strawberries (from about 1 cup whole)
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Oven and Pan:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Spray an 8 or 9-inch loaf pan generously with non-stick cooking spray (or grease and flour it well). Set aside.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients:

• In a medium-sized bowl, stir or whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients:

• In a separate, large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, granulated sugar, large eggs, almond extract (or vanilla), and vegetable oil until well combined and smooth.

4. Combine Wet and Dry:

• Pour the dry ingredients into the large bowl containing the wet ingredients.
• Stir gently with a whisk or rubber spatula until the ingredients are just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are okay.

5. Fold in Strawberries:

• Gently fold the diced fresh strawberries into the batter using a rubber spatula.

6. Bake the Cake:

• Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
• Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the center is set and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check for doneness starting around 45 minutes.

7. Cool the Cake:

• Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake sit in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Carefully invert the cake out of the pan onto the wire cooling rack. Let it cool completely before glazing (at least 1-2 hours).

8. Make the Glaze:

• While the cake is cooling (or once cooled), make the glaze. Wash and hull about 1 cup of fresh strawberries. Mash them well with a fork in a medium-sized bowl until you have about 1/2 cup of smashed berries and juice.
• Add the sifted powdered sugar to the smashed strawberries. Stir well until a smooth, thick, pink glaze forms. If too thick, add a tiny drop of milk or water; if too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar.

9. Glaze and Serve:

• Ensure the pound cake is completely cool. Place it on a serving plate or keep it on the wire rack with parchment underneath to catch drips.
• Pour the fresh strawberry glaze evenly over the top of the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
• Let the glaze set for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Troubleshooting

• Cake Dry: Overbaked. Pound cakes can become dry easily. Check for doneness at the lower end of the time range. Ensure accurate measurement of oil/yogurt.
• Cake Dense/Rubbery: Overmixing the batter after adding flour. Mix just until combined.
• Strawberries Sank: Berries were very large/heavy, or batter too thin (unlikely with yogurt/oil). Tossing the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour before folding them in can help suspend them better.
• Glaze Too Thin/Thick: Adjust consistency by adding more sifted powdered sugar (to thicken) or a tiny bit of liquid like milk, water, or lemon juice (to thin). Ensure strawberries were well mashed.
• Cake Sticking to Pan: Pan wasn’t greased sufficiently. Use baking spray or grease and flour thoroughly. Let cool 10 mins in pan before inverting.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t Overmix: Crucial for a tender pound cake crumb. Mix dry and wet ingredients only until just combined.
• Yogurt Substitute: Sour cream can be substituted for Greek yogurt in equal amounts.
• Extracts: Vanilla extract can be used instead of, or in addition to, almond extract. Lemon extract could also add a nice dimension.
• Add Zest: Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon or orange zest to the cake batter along with the wet ingredients for extra citrus brightness.
• Different Berries: Substitute diced raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries for the strawberries (adjust glaze accordingly if desired, or use a plain vanilla/lemon glaze).
• Nuts: Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter.
• Pan Size: An 8×4 or 9×5 inch loaf pan works. Baking time may vary slightly. Ensure pan is filled no more than 2/3 full.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve at Room Temperature: Best texture for pound cake and glaze.
• Sliced Plain: Delicious on its own with the glaze.
• With Tea or Coffee: Perfect for an afternoon snack or simple dessert.
• With Whipped Cream: A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is a lovely addition.
• Brunch Addition: A wonderful sweet bread/cake option for a brunch spread.

(Note: Estimated, per slice, assuming 10-12 slices from a standard loaf pan. Variable based on exact pan size, yogurt fat %, etc.)

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 350-450
• Fat: 18-25g
• Saturated Fat: 3-6g
• Cholesterol: 50-70mg
• Sodium: 150-250mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 45-55g
• Dietary Fiber: 1-2g
• Sugars: 30-40g
• Protein: 4-6g

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This Moist Strawberry Pound Cake is an easy loaf cake made with Greek yogurt and oil for moisture, flavored with almond extract and fresh diced strawberries. It’s baked in a loaf pan and topped with a simple glaze made from fresh smashed strawberries and powdered sugar. The process involves mixing wet and dry ingredients separately, combining them gently, folding in fruit, baking, cooling, making the glaze, and glazing the cooled cake.

Q&A:

• Q: Why use oil AND Greek yogurt?
  • A: Both contribute significantly to moisture and tenderness. Oil provides direct moistness, while the acidity in Greek yogurt helps tenderize the gluten in the flour, resulting in a softer crumb.
• Q: Can I use frozen strawberries?
  • A: For the cake batter, yes, you can use frozen diced strawberries – do not thaw them first, and toss them with a tablespoon of flour before folding in to prevent sinking and excess moisture. For the glaze, fresh mashed strawberries work best for flavor and consistency; thawed frozen berries might be too watery.
• Q: My glaze is too pale. How can I make it pinker?
  • A: Use very ripe, deeply colored strawberries for mashing. You can also add a tiny drop of red or pink food coloring to the glaze if desired.
• Q: How do I store this cake?
  • A: Store the cake covered tightly at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days (let come to room temp before serving for best texture).