You’ll never have to choose between your favorite flavors again with this strawberry and vanilla marble cake. If the eye-catching swirl pattern isn’t enough to draw draw you in, maybe the rich and tangy cream cheese frosting will seal the deal.
The one thing that sets this marble strawberry cake apart is that it can be made year-round thanks to readily available freeze dried strawberries, a game changer for those of us who require strawberry food therapy in the middle of winter!
As a kid, I was always excited when cake graced the dessert menu. That hasn’t changed. If you know me, you know I’ll pick cake over pie every, single time. I am a cake enthusiast in every sense of the word.
As a summer birthday girl, fresh strawberry cakes like this strawberry cream cheese pound cake have always been my celebratory cake of choice. What I appreciate most about this loaf version of vanilla strawberry marble cake is its use of freeze-dried strawberries. It makes it a good choice even when strawberries aren’t in season.
Why You’ll Love Marble Strawberry Cake
- The cake is delicious without tasting overly indulgent.
- It’s the best of both worlds, with strawberry and vanilla flavor.
- Because it’s a loaf cake, it’s simple to put together.
- The texture is reminiscent of my chocolate pound cake and who doesn’t love that?
- Fresh strawberries, baked into cake, can create a moisture problem. That won’t happen with this recipe.
How to Marble A Cake: A Short Tutorial
There is a little bit of an art or method to creating a perfectly marbled cake. It’s either under-swirled, and ends up having a bovine-like appearance (think beef marbling), or over-swirled, resulting in a muddy looking mess. Here are my tips for getting the best swirl:
- The checkerboard method: First, I create a rough checkerboard pattern at the bottom of the pan by alternating between the white and pink batters. I repeat the process for the second layer, making sure I put the pink batter on top of the white batter of the first layer and vice versa.
- Don’t use a knife: Using a knife or spatula for swirling leads to thin and wispy patterns, leaving whole chunks of unswirled batter behind. Instead, I use a thicker tool, like the end of a wooden spoon, to make bolder and more defined swirls. This works every time.
- Make big swirls!: To get the swirl effect I want, I plunge the end of the wooden spoon into the batter and make big swirls across the pan in a horizontal direction. It will typically take me three big swirls to cover the entire pan. Next, I make three swirls in the opposite direction, moving back over the initial swirls. I make sure I’m not reaching all the way to the bottom of the pan, and pay close attention to getting into the corners.
- Z Pattern: Then, I drag my wooden spoon handle in a large ‘Z’ shape, moving down the length of the pan and back up again. If I want an even more defined swirl, I will make another zigzag pattern or do another round of swirling. The whole time I’m making sure to not overwork the batter, because the pattern will ends up looking muddy and overly-marbled.
How To Make Strawberry and Vanilla Marble Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 10 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
- In a food processor, pulverize the freeze dried strawberries, until a fine powder forms. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda with a whisk. Set aside.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, beat the butter sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
- Add flour mixture, alternating with the evaporated milk to the wet ingredients. Beat together until just combined. Do not overmix. Transfer half of the batter into a separate, medium-sized, mixing bowl and fold in strawberry powder and food coloring.
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Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the strawberry and vanilla batter in a checkerboard pattern into the bottom of the pan. Tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Create another layer of the checkerboard pattern with the opposite batters on top of each other. (See picture in post above for an example and make sure to read my marbled swirling tutorial in the above post.) Tap the pan on the counter again. Use the end of a wooden spoon to swirl batters together. Tap pan again on the counter. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
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When the cake comes out of the oven, place pan on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes before removing the from the pan. Cool completely.
- See the recipe card below on how to make the cream cheese frosting.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Since this strawberry loaf cake has a cream cheese frosting, you’ll want to keep it in the refrigerator. Assuming the cake has cooled completely, before placing it whole or sliced in an airtight container or wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap. Be sure to cover the entire cake, including the cut sides. Your cake should last for 3-4 days. However, keep in mind that the longer it sits in the fridge, the drier it will become.
- Freezer Storage: If you’re not planning on eating or serving your strawberry pound cake immediately, you can store it in the freezer for several weeks or even months. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It will be good for three months, whether you frost it or not. If the cake is frosted, you might consider flash freezing it for an hour before wrapping it up to harden the frosting. Thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to eat.
More Strawberry Recipes
- Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
- Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
- Strawberry Froyo
- Strawberry Banana Dessert
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake
- Strawberry Yogurt Muffins
- Strawberry Mousse
- Strawberry Pizza
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
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Strawberry Marble Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- red food coloring (optional)*
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 4 tbsp. butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
- Optional Garnish: extra pieces of dried strawberries and edible flowers
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 10 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
- In a food processor, pulverize the freeze dried strawberries, until a fine powder forms. Set aside.1 cup freeze dried strawberries
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda with a whisk. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, beat the butter sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix until combined.1 cup butter, softened, 1 cup granulated sugar, 4 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add flour mixture, alternating with the evaporated milk to the wet ingredients. Beat together until just combined. Do not overmix. Transfer half of the batter into a separate, medium-sized, mixing bowl and fold in strawberry powder and food coloring.1/2 cup evaporated milk, red food coloring (optional)*
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the strawberry and vanilla batter in a checkerboard pattern into the bottom of the pan. Tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Create another layer of the checkerboard pattern with the opposite batters on top of each other. (See picture in post above for an example and make sure to read my marbled swirling tutorial in the above post.) Tap the pan on the counter again. Use the end of a wooden spoon to swirl batters together. Tap pan again on the counter. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, place pan on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes before removing the from the pan. Cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until combined. Frost the cake. Garnish with pieces of extra freeze dried strawberries and edible flowers if you choose. Slice and serve.4 oz. cream cheese, softened, 4 tbsp. butter, softened, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar, Optional Garnish: extra pieces of dried strawberries and edible flowers
Notes
Nutrition
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