This recipe provides instructions for making a luscious Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake, a delightful dessert that beautifully marries the rich, buttery flavor of a classic pound cake with the creamy tanginess of cheesecake, all infused with the sweet and slightly tart taste of fresh strawberries. This cake features a dense yet tender crumb, studded with bits of strawberry throughout, and often has a swirl of creamy cheesecake batter incorporated within. The top is typically adorned with a smooth, often strawberry-infused, glaze and fresh strawberries, making it as visually appealing as it is delicious. This cake is perfect for special occasions, elegant brunches, or any time you desire a sophisticated and flavorful treat that offers the best of both pound cake and cheesecake worlds.
The pound cake component of this recipe adheres to the traditional ratio of one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, although modern variations often adjust these proportions slightly to achieve a desired texture. Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, is creamed with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, creating air pockets that contribute to the cake’s tender crumb. Eggs are added gradually, providing richness, structure, and moisture. All-purpose flour is the standard choice, providing the necessary gluten development for the cake’s body. A touch of vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile. Fresh strawberries are a key addition, often diced or pureed and swirled into the batter, imparting their sweet and slightly tart flavor and beautiful flecks of red throughout the cake.
The cheesecake element is typically introduced as a separate batter, made with cream cheese, sugar, and eggs (or egg yolks for extra richness). A bit of vanilla extract or lemon zest can also be added for flavor. This creamy cheesecake batter is often swirled into the pound cake batter before baking, creating pockets of rich, tangy goodness within the denser cake.
The baking process involves pouring the combined batters into a prepared loaf pan or a bundt pan and baking it in a preheated oven until it is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Due to the density of the cake, it often requires a longer baking time at a moderate temperature to ensure it cooks through evenly without drying out.
Once the cake has cooled, it is often finished with a glaze that complements the strawberry and cheesecake flavors. This glaze can be a simple mixture of powdered sugar and a liquid, such as milk, cream, or strawberry juice or puree, often with a touch of vanilla or lemon. The glaze is drizzled over the cooled cake, adding sweetness and a smooth, elegant finish. Fresh strawberries are typically used as a final garnish, arranged artfully on top of the glazed cake, adding a burst of color and a hint of the cake’s key flavor.
Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake offers a delightful combination of textures and flavors. The buttery, slightly dense crumb of the pound cake is beautifully contrasted by the creamy, tangy pockets of cheesecake, while the fresh strawberries provide bursts of sweetness and a subtle tartness. The glaze adds a final touch of sweetness and moisture, making each slice a truly satisfying and sophisticated dessert. The image shows a round cake, likely the Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake, sitting on a silver serving plate. The cake has a light, creamy-colored frosting studded with small red pieces, presumably strawberries. The top of the cake is decorated with piped swirls of white frosting and fresh, ripe strawberries arranged in a circular pattern. The cake appears moist and dense, characteristic of a pound cake.
The texture of Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake is dense yet tender, characteristic of a pound cake, with pockets of smooth and creamy cheesecake swirled throughout. The fresh strawberries add a soft, juicy element, and the glaze provides a smooth, slightly firm topping.
The flavor profile is a rich and buttery base from the pound cake, complemented by the tangy sweetness of the cheesecake swirl and the bright, sweet-tart taste of fresh strawberries. The glaze adds an extra layer of sweetness that harmonizes with the fruit and cheese notes.
Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake is a rich and dense pound cake swirled with creamy cheesecake batter and studded with fresh strawberries, often topped with a strawberry-infused glaze and fresh berries.
The preparation involves making a pound cake batter with butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, preparing a cheesecake batter with cream cheese, sugar, and eggs, swirling the two batters together with fresh strawberries, baking until golden, cooling, and then topping with a glaze and fresh strawberries.
Ingredients:
For the Pound Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
For the Cheesecake Swirl:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Strawberry Glaze (Optional):
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons strawberry puree (from about ½ cup fresh strawberries, blended and strained)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, for brightness)
For Garnish:
- Fresh strawberries, halved or sliced
Equipment:
- 9×5 inch loaf pan or 10-inch bundt pan
- Cooking spray or butter and flour (for greasing pan)
- Electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer)
- Large mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small saucepan (for puree, optional)
- Blender or food processor (for puree, optional)
- Wire rack
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or a 10-inch bundt pan. Set aside.
- Make the Pound Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
- Alternate Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Fold in Strawberries: Gently fold in the diced fresh strawberries into the pound cake batter.
- Make the Cheesecake Swirl: In another mixing bowl, using the same electric mixer (no need to clean it), beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Stir in the tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour about two-thirds of the pound cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon dollops of the cheesecake batter over the pound cake batter. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cheesecake batter into the pound cake batter. Pour the remaining pound cake batter over the cheesecake swirls.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 60-75 minutes for a loaf pan, or 70-85 minutes for a bundt pan, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in Pan: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Strawberry Glaze (Optional): While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze if desired. Blend about ½ cup of fresh strawberries until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry puree (start with 2 and add more for desired consistency and color), and lemon juice (if using) until smooth.
- Glaze and Garnish: Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the strawberry glaze over the top. Arrange fresh strawberry halves or slices on top of the glazed cake for garnish.
- Serve: Slice and serve the Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tips and Variations:
- Strawberry Puree: For a more intense strawberry flavor in the cake itself, you can substitute a portion of the milk with strawberry puree.
- Lemon Zest: Adding a teaspoon of lemon zest to either the pound cake batter or the cheesecake batter can enhance the overall flavor.
- Almond Extract: A few drops of almond extract can complement the strawberry and cheesecake flavors.
- Cream Cheese in Pound Cake: Some variations incorporate a small amount of softened cream cheese directly into the pound cake batter for an even moister and slightly tangy result.
- Chocolate Swirl: For a different twist, you can swirl in melted chocolate instead of or in addition to the cheesecake batter.
- Make Ahead: This cake can be made a day in advance. Store it covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Glaze just before serving.
Enjoy this delightful Strawberry Cheesecake Pound Cake! The combination of textures and flavors is sure to make it a favorite.