Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 70 minutes | Total Time: 90 minutes | Serves: 12 slices | Calories: 350 per slice
Pound cake that’s loaded with sweet strawberries and chunks of pineapple. This cake is seriously good – like, so good you’ll want to hide it from your family so you can eat the whole thing yourself! It’s got that perfect pound cake texture but with all this fresh fruit that makes it taste like summer. Trust me, once you make this, it’s gonna be your new favorite dessert.
What You Need (Ingredients)
For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp pineapple juice or milk (for a creamier glaze)
- Optional: 1 tsp lemon juice for extra tang
How to Make Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake (Step by Step)
Step 1: Get Your Oven and Pan Ready
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Take a 9×5-inch loaf pan and grease it really well with butter or cooking spray, then dust it with flour. Tap out any extra flour – this keeps your cake from sticking.
Step 2: Make the Creamy Base
In a big mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Beat it for about 3-4 minutes until it looks light and fluffy – kinda like whipped cream but thicker. This step is super important, so don’t rush it!
Step 3: Add Eggs One by One
Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. This helps everything mix together smoothly. Then add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing until everything looks combined and creamy.
Step 4: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This makes sure everything is evenly mixed before adding it to your wet ingredients.
Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry
Slowly add the flour mixture to your butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until you can’t see any dry flour. Don’t overmix – this keeps your cake tender instead of tough.
Step 6: Fold in the Fruit
Here’s the fun part – gently fold in the drained crushed pineapple and sliced strawberries using a spatula. Don’t go crazy mixing or you’ll end up with strawberry mush. You want nice chunks of fruit in every bite.
Step 7: Pour and Smooth
Pour all the batter into your prepared loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
Step 8: Bake Until Perfect
Bake for 60-70 minutes. Your cake is done when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and spring back when you touch it lightly.
Step 9: Make the Amazing Glaze
While your cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar and pineapple juice (or milk) in a small bowl until it’s smooth. Add the lemon juice if you want extra tanginess. The glaze should be thick but pourable.
Step 10: Cool and Glaze
Let your cake cool completely in the pan for about an hour – this is really important! Then carefully turn it out onto a serving plate. Drizzle that beautiful glaze all over the top and let it drip down the sides.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Pound Cake
- Room temperature everything: Seriously, take your butter, eggs, and sour cream out about an hour before you start. Cold ingredients will mess up your cake texture.
- Don’t go nuts with mixing: Once you add the flour, mix just until you can’t see white streaks. Overmixing makes tough cake and nobody wants that.
- Drain that pineapple good: Really squeeze out all the juice or your cake will be soggy and weird.
- Every oven’s different: Start checking at 60 minutes with a toothpick. Mine always takes closer to 65 minutes.
Make It Your Own Way
- Berry blast: Use all strawberries or try a mix of berries
- Coconut tropical: Add shredded coconut for extra tropical flavor
- Citrus twist: Add some orange zest to the batter
- Cream cheese glaze: Mix cream cheese into your glaze for richness
- Mini cakes: Bake in mini loaf pans for individual servings
Perfect for Any Occasion
This gorgeous cake is amazing for:
- Spring and summer gatherings
- Birthday celebrations
- Mother’s Day or Easter brunch
- Potluck dinners
- When you want to brighten someone’s day
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Room temperature: Keep covered for up to 4 days
- Refrigerator: Store glazed cake for up to 1 week
- Freezer: Wrap unglazed cake and freeze for up to 3 months
- Make ahead: Bake the cake a day early, then glaze before serving
Why This Combination Works So Well
Strawberries and pineapple together? It’s like they were meant to be! The strawberries are sweet and the pineapple has that little bit of tang that keeps it from being too sugary. Plus they both make the cake super moist – way better than plain pound cake. And honestly? It just looks really pretty when you slice it.
Shopping Made Simple
Here’s what to look for:
- Fresh strawberries: Choose bright red, fragrant berries
- Canned pineapple: Get crushed pineapple in juice, not syrup
- Quality butter: Use real butter, not margarine, for the best flavor
- Fresh eggs: Room temperature eggs mix better
Serving Suggestions
This delicious cake is perfect with:
- A dollop of whipped cream
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Fresh berries on the side
- A cup of hot coffee or tea
- A glass of cold milk
Kid-Friendly Baking
This is a great recipe to make with kids because:
- They love adding the colorful fruit
- Simple steps they can help with
- The sweet smell while baking is exciting
- Perfect size slices for little hands
- They’ll be proud to share what they made
Healthier Options
Want to make it a bit healthier?
- Substitute half the flour with whole wheat flour
- Use Greek yogurt instead of some sour cream
- Reduce sugar slightly since the fruit adds natural sweetness
- Add chopped nuts for protein and healthy fats
Try this amazing strawberry pineapple pound cake and bring a taste of tropical paradise to your kitchen!
