Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake – Moist Butter Cake with Fruity Glaze

Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake is a rich, velvety pound cake with tropical sweetness from pineapple and a berry swirl of strawberry. It bakes into a dense, buttery loaf (or bundt) with a tender crumb and a sweet, glossy fruit glaze on top.

This is the kind of cake that feels homemade and old-fashioned: no frosting needed, just flavor. You get pineapple for juicy sweetness, strawberry for color and brightness, and that classic pound cake base that slices like a dream.

You’ll see how to keep the cake moist (no dry pound cake here), how to layer in the fruit without making the batter soggy, and how to finish it so it looks like a bakery loaf.

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake

Soft, tight crumb: Classic buttery pound cake texture that slices clean.
Real fruit flavor: Crushed pineapple keeps it moist, and strawberry adds a pretty swirl.
Gorgeous glaze: Light pineapple-strawberry glaze on top instead of heavy frosting.
Make-ahead friendly: Actually tastes even better the next day once the fruit settles into the cake.
All-day cake: Dessert at night, coffee cake in the morning, “little slice” in the afternoon — it fits everywhere.

Ingredients

For the pound cake:

1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream or full-fat plain yogurt, room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) crushed pineapple, well-drained
- Press out extra liquid with the back of a spoon so the batter doesn’t get watery.
1/2 cup finely diced fresh strawberries (or thawed frozen, well-drained)

For the strawberry-pineapple swirl (optional but gorgeous):

2 tablespoons strawberry jam or strawberry puree
1 tablespoon pineapple juice or a little of the drained pineapple liquid
Mix these together to create a spoonable fruity ribbon.

For the glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1–2 tablespoons pineapple juice or milk
Optional: a tiny spoon of strawberry jam whisked in for a soft pink tint

How to Make Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake

1. Prep the pan and oven

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or a small bundt pan). For a loaf, you can also line with parchment, leaving a little overhang for easy lifting.

Tip: Lower temp (325°F) helps pound cake bake through without burning the outside.

2. Cream the butter and sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy. This step is important — it builds structure and gives you that tight, velvety pound cake crumb.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in vanilla.

3. Mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2–3 additions, alternating with the sour cream. (Dry → sour cream → dry.) Mix on low just until combined. Don’t overmix.

You should now have a thick, smooth, classic pound cake batter.

4. Fold in the fruit

Gently fold in the drained crushed pineapple and the diced strawberries with a spatula. You want them spread through the batter but not smashed.

If you’re using the strawberry-pineapple swirl mixture (jam + pineapple juice), you’ll use that in the next step instead of mixing it in now.

5. Fill and swirl

Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan.

If you made the strawberry-pineapple swirl mixture, drizzle/spoon some of it over that first layer of batter.

Add the rest of the batter on top. Take a butter knife and lightly swirl just a couple of times to marble it. Don’t overwork it or the whole loaf turns pink.

6. Bake

Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 60–75 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck deep into the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs is good, wet batter is not).

If the top starts getting dark before the middle is done, tent loosely with foil and keep baking.

Remove from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out or lift it out and let it cool fully on a rack.

7. Glaze

Whisk powdered sugar with pineapple juice (and a tiny bit of strawberry jam if you want a blush-pink glaze) until smooth and pourable.

Drizzle over the completely cooled cake so it sets shiny on top instead of melting in.

8. Slice and serve

Use a serrated knife and cut into thick slices. You’ll see pale yellow pineapple cake with pretty pink strawberry streaks and a glossy glaze on top.

Serve it with fresh berries, whipped cream, or honestly just by itself.

Serving Suggestions for Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake

Serve it:

With coffee or tea in the afternoon
As a brunch table loaf instead of muffins
Cubed on a fruit platter with strawberries, pineapple, and whipped cream
As dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or strawberry ice cream

It also travels really well. This is a perfect “bring a dessert” cake because it’s sturdy and it slices clean.

Cook’s Tips

Drain the pineapple.
Too much liquid will make the cake dense and gummy in the center. Gently press the pineapple in a strainer to get that extra juice out before folding in.

Bake low and slow.
Pound cake does not like high heat. 325°F (160°C) helps it cook all the way through without a burned outside and raw middle.

Don’t rush the cool.
If you glaze while it’s hot, the glaze just disappears into the cake. Delicious, yes, but not pretty. Let it cool first for that nice drizzle on top.

Use room temp ingredients.
Soft butter, room temp eggs, and not-cold sour cream mix more evenly and give smoother batter.

Tent if needed.
If the top is browning but the center still tests wet, lay foil over the top and keep going. This is normal for pound cake.

Variations & Add-Ins

Extra strawberry:
Fold in a handful of chopped strawberries tossed lightly in a little flour (helps them not sink).
Coconut twist:
Add 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut to the batter for a tropical vibe.
Pineapple-only version:
Skip the strawberry and just use pineapple + coconut. Glaze with pineapple juice only.
Lemon finish:
Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the batter to brighten the fruit.
Mini loaves:
You can bake this batter in mini loaf pans for gifting. Watch the bake time — start checking around 30–35 minutes.

Storage & Reheating

Room temperature:
Wrap tightly in plastic or keep in an airtight container. Stays moist 2–3 days on the counter.

Fridge:
Can chill up to 5 days. Let slices come back to room temp before serving for best texture.

Freezer:
Yes. Slice it, wrap each slice, and freeze. Thaw one slice whenever you want something sweet with coffee.

To warm slightly:
Microwave a slice for about 10–15 seconds. It brings back that “fresh baked” softness.

FAQ

Is pound cake supposed to be dense?
Yes — dense but tender, not dry. It should feel rich and tight, not fluffy like a sponge cake.

Can I use canned pineapple?
Yes. Crushed canned pineapple works perfectly. Just drain it very well.

Can I use frozen strawberries?
You can. Thaw them first and drain off extra juice. Pat them a little dry so they don’t water down the batter.

My cake cracked on top. Is that bad?
Nope. Classic pound cakes usually crack on top as they rise. It’s normal and honestly kind of pretty.

Can I bake this in a bundt pan?
Yes. This batter will also work in a small bundt pan. Keep the same temp (325°F / 160°C) and start checking around 50–55 minutes.

Strawberry Pineapple Pound Cake tastes like something you’d find on a summertime dessert table — buttery, dense in the best way, and full of bright fruit pockets. The pineapple keeps it moist, the strawberry brings color and sweetness, and the glaze makes it look finished without needing frosting.

It slices clean, travels well, and keeps for days. Bake it the day before you need it and it’ll be even better when you serve it.