This simple but stunning strawberry pound cake made in a cast-iron skillet is sure to become a favorite. Quick enough to make on a busy weeknight and so delicious you’ll want to share with your friends.
It’s strawberry season in the Carolinas which means we have about three, sometimes four, weeks to make strawberry pound cake and all our other favorite strawberry desserts including 10 different strawberry cakes.
Strawberry season around here is temperamental depending on the rain and temperature which are not very predictable in March and April. If there’s too much rain, we get waterlogged strawberries. If we have an early spring followed by a freeze, we could lose them altogether.
They’re always delicious especially if you’re baking them in a cobbler or crisp or cake. If you’re in short supply of strawberries, skillet strawberry pound cake is perfect as it only takes a pound of strawberries. But if you have an abundance of strawberries this season, here are some easy tips on making them last longer in the fridge.
If you happen to be in the mood for dessert and need something quick and easy to make, this is your recipe. Depending on how quick you can cut strawberries, you can put this together in less than 20 minutes. Great for a weeknight dessert.
If you need something for breakfast, try making some strawberry bread, it will get your morning off on the right foot or if you love frosting try a cake topped with strawberry mousse.
Basic ingredients you’re going to need
- Fresh Strawberries – about four cups. Half you will chop, the rest get sliced in half.
- Butter – all pound cakes need butter for that rich flavor.
- Sour cream – this keeps it moist, you can also use greek yogurt.
- Pantry staples – flour, sugar, baking soda and vanilla.
Some of the strawberries are chopped and folded into the pound cake batter while the rest are cut in half and placed on the top of the cake for a beautiful presentation. The result is a moist buttery cake with fresh strawberries in every bite.
Why is it called a POUND CAKE
Back in the day a pound cake actually had a pound of butter, eggs, sugar and flour. It’s much denser and more moist than a traditional cake. While this is not an actual pound cake, it does have more butter and eggs than a strawberry layer cake.
This sour cream pound cake recipe comes from my mother-in-law. It’s pretty versatile and is the same one I use for rhubarb upside down cake.
It’s so simple to make a strawberry pound cake
Step 1: start with fresh strawberries
Chop half of the strawberries and slice the 2nd half.
Step 2: cream the butter
Beat the butter and sugar then add sour cream and egg yolks. Add the flour mixture.
Step 3: fold in egg whites
Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the batter.
Step 4: fold it all together
Fold in chopped strawberries and pour into a cast-iron skillet or oven proof pan. Arrange cut strawberries on the top and bake.
What’s so nice about this strawberry recipe is that it comes together in just a few minutes which is great if you have extra strawberries that need to be eaten.
How should you store strawberries
Strawberries do not ripen off the vine, so to get really sweet strawberries they should be picked ready to eat. Once you bring them home, lay them out flat on a sheet pan so they don’t bruise each other and if one goes bad it won’t affect those under it. Leave the stems on and wash the strawberries right before you’re ready to eat them, this will keep them fresh.
If you can’t eat them the same day, then refrigerate. They have more flavor at room temperature but refrigerating them will extend their life by a couple of days, no one wants moldy strawberries. If you need to extend their life for longer than a week, check out this awesome vinegar wash.
Don’t be like me and buy more than you can eat, but if you do, you can easily make jam.
Pound cake FAQs and tips
Can you use frozen strawberries?
You should use fresh strawberries for this pound cake. Frozen strawberries have more moisture and will not work in this pound cake recipe.
Can you freeze a pound cake?
Yes, you can freeze it. First, let it cool completely and then it can easily be frozen in an airtight container.
How can you tell when a skillet pound cake is done?
The top should be golden brown and a toothpick should come out completely clean.
When are strawberries in season?
You can find a detailed guide on strawberry season where you live, in general they are in season in early spring in the South, starting in June in cooler climates, from February through Oct in California and from November through April in Florida.
Strawberry recipes to make this Spring
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Cast Iron Skillet Strawberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar Plus 1 tablespoon
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 eggs separated
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pound Fresh Strawberries 3-4 cups
- 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Rub about a tablespoon of butter in a 10 inch oven proof skillet, Sprinkle with flour and shake out the excess.
- Chop half of the strawberries and cut the remaining strawberries in half lengthwise.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar, beat until combined. Add Sour cream and beat until smooth. Separate eggs. Add the egg yolks one at a time mixing after each. Add vanilla and mix.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt and soda. Add to the batter and mix until well blended.
- Beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold into batter. Fold in chopped strawberries and pour into the prepared skillet. Arrange cut strawberries on top, pressing slightly into the batter. Sprinkle with demerara sugar.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is slightly brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- To make sure that the center is cooked, a toothpick should come out clean and the top should be golden brown.
- You’ll need fresh strawberries, frozen will add too much liquid.
- This is best served at room temperature or just slightly warm.
- You can freeze this in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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