Brown Butter Pound Cake With Strawberry Recipe

Mary and Brenda Maher

By Brenda & Mary

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Butter is the go-to ingredient in almost every cake recipe; even folks who don’t bake know it! 

Brown Butter Pound Cake

Yet, when I brought up brown butter, my students in the baking class were like, “Huh? I haven’t tried that, and not with strawberries.” Such a missed chance, ugh! Let me blow your mind with my easy recipe for brown butter pound cake. 

Why NOBODY Can Resist A Butter Cake With Strawberries

  • Pound cake is packed with dense, buttery goodness, so its texture is smooth HEAVEN. And then, bam! Fresh strawberries waltz in with a sweet and tangy kick, perfectly balancing out the cake’s intense flavor!
  • Brown butter is far from our regular butter, you know? The way it caramelizes gives the cake a whole new vibe — nutty, toffy-like, and totally different from any classic pound cake you have ever tried!  Trust me, I’ve whipped up the brown butter frosting and paired it with my zucchini cake just to fall in love with it a thousand more times.
  • This guy is a star on any occasion! I mean, it travels well (easy to transport), it’s a total crowd-pleaser for all taste buds, and it pairs well with a nice cup of tea or coffee. Who in their right mind could ever say No?
Brown Butter Pound Cake recipe

13 Basic Steps To Make Brown Butter Pound Cake With Strawberry

Browning The Butter

Step 1.

First, cut the butter into chunks and toss them into a bright-colored skillet (so you can see exactly when it’s browning!). 

Step 2. 

Browning Butter

Melt everything over medium heat, and remember to stir every now and then! It’ll start foaming up, and after about 5 to 8 minutes, you can see the golden brown specks at the pan’s bottom and catch a nutty smell from there. Yum! 

Step 3.

Take it off the heat immediately, then pour it into a 13 x 9 baking pan or a big Tupperware. Cover it up tight and pop it in the freezer or refrigerator — it’ll firm up in about 45 minutes.

Step 4.

Are you ready to bake? Great! Let the browned butter sit on the kitchen counter for 20 to 30 minutes to soften a little. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your 9×5 loaf pan; the fun is about to start!

Cake

Step 5. 

Whisk the baking powder, flour, and salt in a big bowl. Set that aside.

Step 6. 

Grab your mixer (stand or handheld); it’s time to work out the brown butter! Beat it on high until creamy; about a minute should do. Next, add the sugar and crank the mixer up to high for 2-3 more minutes until it’s smooth and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape the bowl’s sides as you go!

Brown Butter Pound Cake batter

Step 7. 

Lower the mixer speed and drop in the large eggs one by one, then pour in the vanilla. Crank the mixer back up to medium-high until everything’s mixed in nicely.

Step 8.

Slowly add in those dry ingredients (Step 5, remember?) while keeping the mixer on low JUST until everything’s combined. Easy does it — no need to overmix!

Step 9.

Pour all this creamy batter into your greased pan and pop it in the oven. Pound cakes like this take their sweet time, so check them after about 55 minutes (although mine often takes up to an hour and 10 minutes. Test it with a small toothpick: if it comes out squeaky clean, you’re golden! 

Brown Butter Pound Cake baking

Step 10.

Once it’s done, let it cool on a rack. You can slice and serve the cake now… or move on to my favorite part: the yummy strawberry capote!

Strawberry Capote

Step 11.

Mix the cornstarch with water until it dissolves. Grab a small saucepan and toss this mixture — plus other compote ingredients — over medium heat!

Strawberry Capote

Step 12.

Grab a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and stir this mixture while it cooks. Smash some of those juicy strawberries while you’re at it! Once it starts simmering, let it bubble away for about 5-7 minutes, stirring nonstop.

Step 13.

Take the mixture off the heat and let it cool; it will thicken up nicely! Once it’s ready, spoon it generously over your pound cake. Now, dig in and enjoy every bite! 

Brown Butter Pound Cake recipe

Can’t get enough of these pound cakes? Then try my cream cheese pound cake and Snickerdoodle chocolate pound cake! 

5 Slight Notes

1. Do not walk away when you are browning the butter! It needs constant attention, you know – because, unlike regular butter that melts slowly, brown butter can go from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds. 

Keep a close eye on it throughout the cooking process: the butter will first sizzle and foam, eventually turning a deep golden brown with a nutty aroma. That’s your cue to remove it from the heat immediately. Any longer, and you risk burnt butter that leaves your homemade cake super bitter!

2. You don’t have to strain the brown butter through a fine-mesh sieve, but if you have time for this extra step, I see no reason to skip it! 

As the butter browns, milk solids settle at the bottom of the pan. These solids can burn really easily and leave part of their bitter flavor in your tender cake! So, you see, straining will remove all of them to return the pure, nutty-flavored brown butter for your original recipe. Easy peasy. 

3. Patience is key, my friend! These cakes are very delicate and easily crumble if you cut them warm, so give them time to cool properly first. The slices turn out clean and beautiful, and adding a smooth frosting over the top and sides will also become much easier.

4. Leftover cake deserves a happy home, you know? I often store my leftover pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

You might ask me, “What, almost a whole week??” but don’t worry; the cake will still be moist and SUPER-DUPER yummy! If you plan to keep it even longer than that, store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

5. Just a simple garnish can turn your cake into a gorgeous dessert!

Dust the top with powdered sugar, for example, or drizzle the cake with a quick glaze (just whisk together powdered sugar, a touch of milk, and a splash of vanilla extract; tada!). Heck, you can even add a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh mint sprig to it. The world is your oyster.

FAQs

Can I Replace Brown Butter With Regular Butter?

Totally. But be warned: the cake will lack the rich, nutty depth of flavor we can only find in brown butter. 

The Center Of My Cake Is Still Raw After Baking. What Went Wrong? 

Your cake might be too thick. You can use a loaf pan larger than my 5 x 9 one, but make sure the baking time is also adjusted accordingly. As always, use my toothpick test while you’re at it!

—Have fun baking pound cake desserts with strawberries!

Brown Butter Pound Cake

Brown Butter Pound Cake With Strawberry

This moist pound cake takes nutty flavors to the next level! The butter is cooked until golden brown, satisfying all sweet tooths out there with a pleasant, toffee-like twist just to delight them again with a juicy strawberry kick.
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Course: Cake
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 380kcal
Author: Brenda Maher

Ingredients

  • 1 cup or 16 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Strawberry Compote

  • 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 2 ¾ cups hulled strawberries (cut in halves)
  • 1 ¼ tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Brown Butter

  • Cut the butter into chunks. Toss them into a bright-colored skillet (so you can see exactly when it’s browning).
  • Melt these chunks over medium heat. Stir every now and then (5-8 minutes) until you see the golden brown specks at the pan’s bottom and catch a nutty smell.
  • Take it off the heat immediately, then pour it into a 13×9 baking pan or a big Tupperware. Cover it up tight and refrigerate or freeze for 45 minutes.
  • Let the browned butter sit on the kitchen counter for 12 to 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease/butter up a 9×5 loaf pan.

Cake

  • Whisk the baking powder, flour, and salt in a big bowl. Set that aside.
  • Grab your mixer and beat the browned butter on high until creamy (1 minute). Add the sugar and beat for 2-3 more minutes. Scrape the bowl’s sides.
  • Lower the mixer speed and drop in the large eggs one by one, then pour in the vanilla. Beat at medium-high.
  • Slowly add in dry ingredients (from Step 5), keeping the mixer on low JUST until everything’s combined.
  • Pour the cake batter into your greased pan. Bake for about an hour (give or take). Test the doneness with a small toothpick: it should come out squeaky clean.
  • Let it cool on a rack.

Strawberry Compote

  • Mix the cornstarch with water until it dissolves. Toss this mixture and other compote ingredients into a saucepan, then heat it over medium heat.
  • Stir the mixture while it cooks, smashing some strawberries while you’re at it. Once it starts simmering, let it simmer for 7 minutes, still stirring nonstop.
  • Take it off the heat and let it cool. Spoon it generously over your pound cake. Enjoy your strawberry pound cake!

Notes

  1. Brown butter burns easily, so keep a close eye on it while it cooks.
  2. (Optional) Straining the brown butter through a fine-mesh sieve can remove the milk solids (which often burn and give the strawberry cake a bitter taste).
  3. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting or topping with fresh berries. A warm cake can become crumbly when cut.
  4. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  5. For an elegant touch, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze made of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.3g | Protein: 5.4g | Fat: 22.5g | Saturated Fat: 14.1g | Cholesterol: 126.2mg | Sodium: 170.6mg | Potassium: 128.4mg | Fiber: 1.78g | Sugar: 30.3g | Calcium: 47.8mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @cakegirls or tag #cakegirls!

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Mary and Brenda Maher

Mary & Brenda Maher

Mary & Brenda Maher, are the founders of Cake Girls, a Chicago-based online baking shop specializing in cake supplies, party decor, and DIY cake tutorials. They are known for their elaborate and artistic cake creations, which have been featured on the Food Network Challenge and in a reality show, Amazing Wedding Cakes.

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