Pound cake just got sweeter. Swirl some strawberry into this moist, simple pound cake batter for the ultimate spring and summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder, from about 20 grams (3/4 oz.) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 1/3 cups sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup strawberry preserves, optional
- fresh strawberries to garnish, optional
- red food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a standard loaf pan and line with parchment.
- Use a food processor to grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder with a tablespoon of sugar. Set aside.
- In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, salt, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Whip until fluffy and light.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and milk and stir on low just until fully combined.
- Scoop out one generous cup of batter and place it in a small mixing bowl. Stir in the strawberry powder with one more tablespoon of lemon juice. If you want a slightly more vibrant color, add a drop or two of food coloring.
- Spoon half of the plain vanilla cake batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly with a small spatula. Smooth the strawberry batter on top of the vanilla batter. Layer the strawberry jam, if using, on top of the strawberry batter, then add the remaining vanilla cake batter and spread evenly.
- To Swirl the Batter and Bake: Use a butter knife to drag big, loopy swirls from one end of the cake pan to the other. Bake for about one hour, or until the top springs back lightly and a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool fully before topping with powdered sugar or vanilla buttercream. Serve with fresh or sugar-macerated sliced strawberries.
