🍓🍰 Homemade Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake
A sweet slice of Southern-Italian fusion, with rich buttery crumb, sweet strawberries, coconut flair, and tangy cream cheese frosting—it’s a romantic dessert born for summer lovers and family gatherings.
🌸 Introduction:
The Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake is a gorgeous twist on two classics: the Southern pound cake and the Italian cream cake. Traditionally, Italian cream cakes are layered with coconut and pecans, while pound cakes boast a dense, buttery richness. We marry the two here, then swirl in fresh strawberries for a vibrant flavor and color burst. This cake isn’t just dessert—it’s a declaration of love.
🧾 Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 Âľ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries (well-drained)
- Âľ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional but traditional)
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar (or more, for desired consistency)
- ½ cup finely chopped strawberries (drained & patted dry with paper towels)
🧑‍🍳 Instructions & Method:
Step 1: Prepare the Oven & Pan
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Grease and flour a bundt pan or two 9-inch cake pans (you can also use a 9×13 pan).
Step 2: Make the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
- Mix in vanilla, then fold in the strawberries, coconut, and nuts (if using).
Step 3: Bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes (bundt) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
🍓 Frosting Method:
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fully incorporated.
- Fold in very well-drained strawberries. (If they’re too wet, the frosting will be runny!)
- Spread over cooled cake. Garnish with extra strawberries, coconut flakes, or a sprinkle of nuts.
🕰️ History & Formation:
The Italian Cream Cake likely originated in the American South rather than Italy, evolving from traditional butter cakes with European roots. By adding shredded coconut and pecans—both beloved Southern ingredients—it became a fixture at weddings, church socials, and holiday dinners. The pound cake, meanwhile, traces its origins to Europe, named for its original formula: a pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs.
In this recipe, we blend cultures and centuries, enhancing tradition with a summery strawberry twist, resulting in a cake that’s as rich in history as it is in flavor.
❤️ Lovers & Occasions:
This is the cake for romantic evenings, Mother’s Day brunches, or picnics in strawberry fields. It’s soft, pink-hued, and luscious, much like love itself. Bake it with your sweetheart or surprise them with it—this cake speaks louder than flowers.
Lovers of:
- Strawberry shortcake
- Southern desserts
- Cream cheese frosting
- Vintage baking
will fall head over heels for this cake.
🎀 Conclusion:
The Homemade Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake is not just dessert—it’s a memory in the making. It’s where old-world richness meets springtime charm, and where coconut whispers secrets to strawberries over a creamy cloud of frosting. Bake it for those you love, or for yourself—because you deserve sweetness, tradition, and strawberries on your tongue.
Would you like a printable version or tips for turning this into cupcakes or a layer cake? đź’•