Description
This Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert perfect for spring and summer. It combines fresh strawberries and zesty lemon in a tender, buttery pound cake, topped with a tangy lemon glaze that adds a sweet finishing touch. Ideal for afternoon tea or a light dessert, this cake is simple to make and impresses with its bright, fresh flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Fruit
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- lemon juice (quantity adjusted as needed for glaze consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Flour Strawberries: Chop the fresh strawberries and lightly toss them in a small amount of all-purpose flour. This helps prevent the strawberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale, about 3 to 5 minutes. This step is crucial for a light texture.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, beating well after each addition to ensure proper incorporation and smooth batter.
- Add Lemon Flavor: Stir in the fresh lemon zest and lemon juice to the wet ingredients, blending well to distribute the citrus flavor evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Fold in Strawberries: Gently fold in the floured chopped strawberries, taking care not to break them down too much and keeping some texture in the batter.
- Fill Pan and Smooth: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface evenly with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully cooked.
- Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely, which prevents sogginess and prepares it for glazing.
- Prepare and Apply Glaze: Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice to create a drizzling glaze. Adjust the lemon juice quantity until you reach a smooth, slightly thick glaze consistency. Drizzle this lemon glaze evenly over the cooled cake to finish.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs allows them to mix more evenly into the batter, improving texture.
- Tossing strawberries in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
- Do not overmix once the flour is added to avoid a dense cake.
- The glaze can be adjusted for thickness by adding more or less lemon juice.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
