What happens when you take one of my favorite pound cake recipes and stuff it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream? Magic, definitely magic – and that magic is called Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake! It’s moist, dense and soft. It literally just melts in your mouth, and you can’t resist the crumbs, trust me boos. As spring nears, I can imagine this cake making quite a few appearances on holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!
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I’ve always had a soft spot for strawberry shortcake, but let me tell y’all, this strawberry shortcake pound cake recipe has completely stolen my heart! All it takes is a handful of simple ingredients, a bit of gelatin, a mixer, those juicy fresh berries, and a swirl of whipped cream to bring it all together. Sure, assembling it might sound like a bit of a puzzle, but trust me, honey, it’s easier than pie. Once you get to layering that cake with the cream and berries, it all just comes together!
The Heart & Soul Of Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Sweet and rich, with a fresh strawberry burst
Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Sweet Spots
- Perfect for Gatherings: This strawberry shortcake pound cake ain’t just a cake – it’s a celebration in every slice! It makes any occasion feel extra special with its layers of love and fresh flavors.
- SO Flavorful: With every bite, you get that perfect mix of sweetness from the strawberries, a rich, dense pound cake, and the smooth, light whipped cream tying it all together. It’s the perfect balance of textures and flavors, y’all.
- Impressively Easy to Make: This cake looks like you’ve been slavin’ away in the kitchen for hours, but it’s surprisingly simple to whip up. It’s one of those show-stopper desserts that’ll have everyone thinkin’ you’re a seasoned baker but without all the fuss.
- Yummy Leftovers: If by some chance y’all have leftovers, this strawberry shortcake with pound cake just keeps getting better. The flavors meld together in the fridge, making that second (or third) piece even more delicious.
Ingredients to make Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake
- Unsalted Butter: This is the heart of your cake, giving it that rich, buttery flavor. Ain’t no substitute for good ol’ butter here!
- Cream Cheese: Goes with the butter for that creaminess and slight tanginess.
- Granulated Sugar: To sweeten up yo life!
- Eggs: Room-temp large eggs, binding it all together.
- Cake Flour: Sifted. It’s lighter than all-purpose flour and makes for a tender cake.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash for that classic, sweet flavor for your cake and whipped cream.
- Heavy Cream: This will whip up nice and fluffy.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: To sweeten the whipped cream.
- Unflavored Gelatin: For stabilizing the whipped cream.
- Strawberries: Fresh, sliced strawberries for a burst of berry goodness!
How to make Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake
Step 1: Mix The Cake Batter
- Add room-temperature cream cheese, salt, shortening, and butter to a large mixing bowl.
- Cream until smooth, and slowly add sugar to the bowl.
- Cream until light and fluffy. Then, add one egg at a time and mix until incorporated.
- Slow the mixer to a slower speed and add flour one cup at a time into the bowl until just incorporated. Do not overbeat at this point.
- Add vanilla extract to bowl.
- Mix until you get a smooth batter.
Step 2: Bake It
- Pour cake batter into a greased and floured or baking sprayed tube pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan, then remove the cake and place it on a cooling rack.
Step 3: Whip up the cream
- Add cold water and gelatin to a pan and allow it to sit until it thickens.
- Heat on the stove over low temperature stirring until the gelatin dissolves.
- Remove the gelatin and allow it to cool slightly without setting.
- Add heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl.
- Beat until slightly thick. Then, pour in the gelatin mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
- Continue to whip until the cream stiffens up.
Step 4: Assemble the shortcake
- Gently place a serrated knife at the center of the completely cooled pound cake and slice the cake in half (I placed my cake on my decorating turntable to make this easier!). Remove the top layer and set aside.
- Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to the top of the pound cake bottom layer. Spread out around the layer.
- Add 2/3 of the strawberry slices to the top of the whipped cream.
- Carefully place the top pound cake layer on top of the strawberries and whipped cream without it spreading everywhere.
- Spread the remaining whipped cream on top of the cake.
- Decorate with the remaining strawberries, and enjoy!!!
Tips for making the best strawberry shortcake with pound cake
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Babes, this can’t be stressed enough. Ensure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth, well-blended batter.
- Mix the Batter Gently: Overmixing can make the cake tough, and we want it as tender as a mama’s love. Fold it in until just combined, and you’ll have a texture that’s just right.
- Go For Fresh Strawberries: Thawed frozen strawberries can work if you’re out of strawberry season, but always try to use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and presentation.
- Proper Cooling: Letting your cake cool completely before slicing or adding any toppings is key. A warm cake is a fragile cake, and rushing could lead to a crumbly mess.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Strawberry Overload: If you wanna take the strawberry factor to the next level, use my strawberry pound cake recipe! I made this tweak once for a friend who lives and breathes strawberries, and she was absolutely delighted.
- Pan Swap: No tube pan? No prob, sugar. A bundt pan can step in and do the job just fine. It might change the look a bit, but that cake will still be as delicious as ever.
- DIY Cake Flour: If you don’t have cake flour, you can make a substitute with all-purpose flour and a little cornstarch. For every cup of flour, just replace 2 tablespoons of it with cornstarch.
- Zesty Twist: Add the zest of one lemon to the cake batter. It’ll give your strawberry shortcake pound cake a refreshing lift, perfect for those warm, sunny days. Plus, lemon and strawberry are like two peas in a pod – they just belong together.
What to serve with this easy strawberry shortcake cake recipe
- With Ice Cream: A scoop of ice cream right next to a slice of this cake is always a solid, classic choice. Raspberry ice cream adds a tart touch, strawberry ice cream doubles down on berry flavors, and strawberry shortcake ice cream? Well, that’s just a dream come true.
- For a Spring Lunch: This cake ends the meal on a high note. Pair it with something light like a zesty salad, air fryer salmon, or a delicate shrimp scampi.
- Breakfast or Brunch: Who says cake can’t be a morning treat? Serve it up with a fresh fruit salad, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or alongside a savory quiche.
- Afternoon Tea or Coffee: The rich, moist texture and fruity flavor of this strawberry shortcake pound cake recipe pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of Earl Grey or a strong coffee.
How to store Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake
To store your strawberry pound shortcake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container to maintain freshness. It’s best kept in the refrigerator, especially since it’s been topped with fresh strawberries and cream.
How long will Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake last in the fridge?
Enjoy your scrumptious fruity creation within 3-4 days for the best flavor and texture!
Can I freeze this strawberry pound shortcake recipe?
The pound cake layers themselves freeze beautifully. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, then add a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. You can freeze them like this for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for cake time, thaw the cake layers at room temp. Once they’re thawed, go ahead and whip up your fresh cream, slice up those strawberries, and assemble the cake!
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! Just make sure to store it well in the fridge in an airtight container. It might lose a bit of its fluffiness overnight, so give it a quick whip before using to get it back to its peak creaminess.
Yes, you can! While strawberries are a classic choice, feel free to get creative with other berries like raspberries, blueberries, or even a mix of your favorites.
A dry cake can result from a few things: overbaking, not enough fat in the batter, or measuring the flour incorrectly. Make sure to follow the recipe closely, especially the baking time and temperature. Also, be precise with your flour measurement – too much can make the cake dry. Oh, and remember to sift the flour!
Whether you’re celebrating something special or just treating yourself because, well, you deserve it, this strawberry shortcake pound cake is sure to fill your day with a lil’ extra joy and a LOT of flavor! I hope your kitchen fills up with the smell of baking cake and fresh strawberries real soon. And hey, if you’ve got questions or wanna share how your cake turned out, I’m all ears.
More strawberry cake recipes
- Strawberry Shortcake Cake
- Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe
- Strawberry Lemonade Cake
- Strawberry Crumble Cake
- Strawberry Cornmeal Cake (With How To Video)
- Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
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Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 teaspoons cold water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 1/2- 2 pints fresh strawberries-stemmed and sliced
Instructions
- For the pound cake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Add room temperature cream cheese, salt, shortening and butter to large mixing bowl and begin creaming until smooth.
- Slowly add sugar to bowl and cream until light and fluffy which takes up to 10 minutes.
- Add one egg at a time and mix until incorporated.
- Slow mixer to slower speed and add flour one cup at a time into bowl until just incorporated.
- Do not overbeat at this point.
- Add vanilla extract to bowl and mix.
- Once everything is incorporated, pour cake batter into greased and floured or baking sprayed bundt or tube pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove cake and place on cooling rack.
- Cake should be cool to the touch (I like to wait at least an hour) before assembling or it will melt the whipped cream.
- For the whipped cream, add cold water and gelatin to pan and allow to sit until it thickens.
- Heat on stove over low temperature stirring until the gelatin dissolves.
- Remove and allow to slightly cool without setting.
- In a large bowl, beat heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla until slightly thick.
- Pour in gelatin mixture and beat on slow until combined. Continue to whip until the cream stiffens up.
- To assemble, taking a serrated knife, gently place knife at the center of the completely cooled pound cake and slice the cake in half (Tip: I also placed my cake on my decorating turntable to make this easier.)
- Remove the top layer and set aside. Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to the top of the pound cake bottom layer.
- Spread out around the layer. Next add 2/3 of the strawberry slices to the top of the whipped cream. Carefully place the top pound cake layer on top of the strawberries and whipped cream without it spreading everywhere.
- Next take the remaining whipped cream and spread on the top of the cake and decorate with the remaining strawberries.
- Lastly, enjoy!!!
Notes
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Babes, this can’t be stressed enough. Ensure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth, well-blended batter.
- Mix the Batter Gently: Overmixing can make the cake tough, and we want it as tender as a mama’s love. Fold it in until just combined, and you’ll have a texture that’s just right.
- Go For Fresh Strawberries: Thawed frozen strawberries can work if you’re out of strawberry season, but always try to use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and presentation.
- Proper Cooling: Letting your cake cool completely before slicing or adding any toppings is key. A warm cake is a fragile cake, and rushing could lead to a crumbly mess.
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vanilla extract is list twice.
1 tablespoon and 1 1/2 teaspoon.
Is the tablespoon added to the cake batter? And the 1 1/2 teaspoon for the whipping cream?
Yes it is divided. The first tablespoon is for the cake batter and the rest for the whipped cream.
Hi…I just received your cookbook for Mother’s Day from my hubby…and just discovered your site.
I did want to ask you a question about your Strawberry Pound Shortcake which looks devine!
My question is about the whipped cream…..you add gelatin.
Could you please tell me why you do that…Does it make it a stiffer whipped cream to hold up under the cake? I’m assuming it tastes normal because of the no taste of the gelatin..correct?
I appreciate your answer….and …THANKS for the great cookbook and site !
Valeria Clarke
I actually added that so it would stabilize if it is in heat. You can omit it if you would like. I am so happy to hear you like the cookbook and my site!
Hi jocelyn. Very lovely site! 🙂 I would really like to try one of your pound cake recipes and I noticed that you have 3 types, where you use either sprite, cream cheese or sour cream. I was wondering how different they are in taste and crumb, and which one you like the best if any.