This moist, dense Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake is made with sweet coconut, crunchy pecans, and fresh strawberries, all ready in just under two hours. The hero moment is pouring the velvety cream cheese glaze over the cooled bundt, letting it drip down the sides while topping it with extra nuts and berries. I absolutely love how the tart strawberries cut through the rich, buttery crumb for a perfect spring dessert.

Why This Classic Works

I used to struggle with deciding between a traditional Italian cream cake and a sturdy pound cake, until I realized combining them creates the best of both worlds. The classic Italian cream flavor profile—defined by the trio of toasted pecans, sweetened coconut, and cream cheese—can sometimes be too airy in a layer cake. By adapting these flavors into a dense pound cake batter, you get a slice that holds its shape and offers a satisfying, buttery bite that doesn’t crumble apart when you add juicy fruit.

One surprise I found while testing was how much moisture fresh strawberries add to the batter, which can make the cake heavy if you aren’t careful. The secret is tossing the chopped berries in a little flour before folding them in, which keeps them suspended beautifully rather than sinking to the bottom. This version balances the heavy creaminess of the traditional recipe with bright pops of fruit for a finish that feels lighter and more refreshing.

Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake Ingredients

Unsalted Butter: 1 cup (2 sticks), softened to room temperature for proper creaming.
Vegetable Shortening: 1/2 cup, creates a tender crumb (or substitute with another stick of butter).
Granulated Sugar: 3 cups, to build structure and sweetness.
Large Eggs: 5, room temperature.
All-Purpose Flour: 3 cups, sifted.
Baking Powder: 1/2 teaspoon.
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon.
Buttermilk: 1 cup, room temperature, adds tang and tenderness.
Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon.
Sweetened Shredded Coconut: 1 cup.
Chopped Pecans: 1 cup, toasted lightly for better flavor.
Fresh Strawberries: 1 1/2 cups, chopped small and patted dry.

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

Cream Cheese: 4 oz, softened.
Unsalted Butter: 2 tablespoons, softened.
Powdered Sugar: 1 1/2 cups.
Milk or Heavy Cream: 2-3 tablespoons, to adjust consistency.
Vanilla Extract: 1/2 teaspoon.

How To Make Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake

Prep the Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan thoroughly with baking spray or butter and flour, ensuring every crevice is coated to prevent sticking.
Cream the Fats and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is very pale and fluffy.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Do not overbeat at this stage. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss the chopped strawberries in about 1 tablespoon of this flour mixture to coat them.
Alternate Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour, 2 of buttermilk). Mix only until just combined.
Fold in Mix-ins: Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold in the coconut, pecans, and flour-dusted strawberries using a rubber spatula. Be careful not to crush the berries.
Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 70-85 minutes, or until a long wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out moist but clean.
Cool and Invert: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Glaze: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to reach a pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Recipe Tips

Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature. Cold ingredients won’t emulsify properly, leading to a heavy or greasy cake.
Dry the Strawberries: After washing and chopping the strawberries, pat them thoroughly with paper towels. Excess water adds too much liquid to the batter, which can cause streaks or a soggy bottom.
Don’t Skip the Flour Dusting: Tossing the berries in a bit of flour provides friction, helping them cling to the batter so they stay distributed throughout the cake instead of sinking.
Grease Generously: Bundt pans are notorious for sticking, especially with sticky ingredients like coconut. Use a spray with flour in it, or be meticulous with your butter and flour method.

What To Serve With Strawberry Italian Cream Cake

This rich cake pairs beautifully with a hot cup of dark roast coffee or espresso, which helps cut through the sweetness of the coconut and cream cheese. For a lighter summer option, serve slices with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream and a few fresh mint leaves to highlight the strawberry flavor.

How To Store

Because this cake contains fresh fruit and cream cheese glaze, it is best stored in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight cake carrier or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. You can also freeze slices wrapped tightly in foil for up to 3 months; just thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries? Yes, but do not thaw them first. Chop them while frozen and toss them in flour immediately before folding into the batter to prevent them from bleeding color into the cake.
Can I leave out the coconut? Technically yes, but then it becomes a strawberry pecan pound cake rather than an Italian cream version. If you dislike the texture, you can try pulsing the coconut into a finer powder before adding it.
Why is my cake taking so long to bake? Pound cakes are dense and large, so they bake slowly. If the top is browning too fast but the center is raw, tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until the skewer comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 610
Total Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 115mg
Sodium: 240mg
Total Carbohydrate: 76g
Protein: 7g

Try More Recipes:

Italian Carrot Cake Recipe (Torta Camilla)
Italian Cream Cheese Cake
Italian Almond Ricotta Cake

Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake

Recipe by Paula

Servings

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Prep time

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Cooking time

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minutes

Total time

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This Strawberry Italian Cream Pound Cake combines the moist, dense texture of a classic pound cake with the Southern flavors of coconut and pecans. Loaded with fresh strawberries and finished with a rich cream cheese glaze, it is an easy yet impressive dessert ready in under two hours.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
4 oz cream cheese, softened (for glaze)
2 tbsp butter, softened (for glaze)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan thoroughly.
In a mixer, cream butter and shortening until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat for 5-7 minutes until fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in vanilla.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss strawberries in 1 tablespoon of the flour mix.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the batter, starting and ending with flour. Mix on low.
Fold in coconut, pecans, and floured strawberries by hand.
Pour batter into the pan and bake for 70-85 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
Whisk glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the cooled cake.