STRAWBERRY POUND CAKE

By bjnelson55

Most pound cakes are delicious served with fresh fruit and whipped cream, but this recipe makes the most luxurious strawberry shortcake imaginable. Fresh strawberry pieces are mixed into the batter and dot the baked loaves. When served, cake slices are buried under lightly sweetened sliced strawberries and large spoonfuls of whipped cream. The recipe makes two loaves -- one for now, one to freeze foxr later.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) strawberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 3 cups sugar, divided
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 32 tablespoons (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• 1 pound strawberries, sliced and stirred with 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream, whipped with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter paper.

In a medium bowl, use a potato masher to crush strawberries with jam and 2 tablespoons sugar. Strawberry juice will form. Set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and remaining sugar until smoothly blended and lightened slighlyl in color, about 3 minutes. Add eggs in three additions, beating one minute after each. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat one minute. On low speed, mix in half of flour mixture. Mix in crushed strawberry mixture, including liquid. Mix in remaining flour mixture, just to incorporate.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about one hour and 15 minutes. Cool cakes in their pans on a wire rack 15 minutes.

Using a small, sharp knife, loosen each cake from sides of pan. Invert onto a wire rack; turn right side up to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with optional sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

Store cakes at room temperature up to three days or wrap tightly and freeze up to one month.