Pound Cake with Marsala Mixed Berries might sound fancy, but it’s a quick and easy summertime dessert that you can put together in no time, and it’s sure to earn rave reviews!
Since tomorrow is the 4th of July (Happy Birthday, America!), I thought this red, white, and blue dessert would be perfect to share today. Fresh berries are one of the best things about summer, and this simple dessert is a perfect way to enjoy them!
This dessert is a twist on classic strawberry shortcake. Truth be told, I don’t love the shortcake part of strawberry shortcake. It can be dry and crumbly and a little bland, so I like to use pound cake instead.
I wanted to take full advantage of all the awesome berries I can get right now, so I’ve got a mixture of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. You can use whatever mixture of berries you like.
Now for the part that makes this dessert extra special – the Marsala wine! It really gives the berries something extra that’s a little different and really delicious. Be sure that you use sweet Marsala here rather than dry.
And please, please, please don’t use cooking wine in this recipe. You will be really disappointed if you do. There are plenty of delicious yet inexpensive sweet Marsala wines available at your local wine and spirits shop. You definitely want to use a wine that you would actually enjoy drinking.
If you want a kid-friendly version or you’d prefer to not have alcohol in your berries, just go ahead and omit the Marsala. This dessert will still be fantastic!
After the berries macerate (fancy-schmancy word for soak) in the sugar and Marsala mixture for an hour or so, they get glisteny, and they start to soften up a little and release some of their juices. The sugar sweetens them nicely, they absorb the flavor of the Marsala, and you get this yummy liquid that soaks into your pound cake and tastes like heaven!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh raspberries
- Fresh blueberries
- Fresh blackberries
- Sugar
- Sweet Marsala wine
- Pound cake
- Whipped cream
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE POUND CAKE WITH MARSALA MIXED BERRIES:
The longer you let the berries macerate, the softer they will become and the more liquid they will release. At an hour or so, you definitely get some liquid out of them, yet the berries are still somewhat firm and fresh. This is how I like them. If you like softer berries, go ahead and let them sit longer.
Hands-on time for cutting the strawberries is 5 to 10 minutes tops. Then you just mix everything together and let it sit. Slice up your pound cake, spoon on some of the berries and juice, and top with whipped cream. Does it get any easier than that?
Now, most often when I make this (which is a lot during the summer), I take some help from the grocery store’s bakery, and I just buy a pound cake. It’s delicious. It’s super simple. Done!
BUT, when I’m feeling extra ambitious (like I was when I decided to post this recipe), I make my own Vanilla Almond Pound Cake (that’s what you see there in the photos). It’s easy, and it really makes this dessert extra delicious!
If you happen to be grilling on the day you serve this and want to do something a little different, lightly butter both sides of the pound cake and grill it just enough to make it toasty on both sides. Holy cow! Really, really good!
I hope you try this recipe for Pound Cake With Marsala Mixed Berries and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Pound Cake With Marsala Mixed Berries
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 2 cups)
- 3 ounces fresh raspberries (about 1 cup)
- 3 ounces fresh blueberries (about 1 cup)
- 3 ounces fresh blackberries (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine
- 4 slices pound cake, about 1-inch thick
- 8 tablespoons whipped cream
Instructions
- Place the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in a medium bowl.
- Add the sugar and the Marsala wine. Stir well to combine and coat all of the berries with the sugar and wine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the berries to macerate, stirring occasionally. Don't skip this step! The berries will begin to soften and release some of their liquid during this time (making a delicious juice), and they will become sweeter and soak up the flavor of the Marsala. The longer you let the berries sit, the softer they will become and the more liquid that will be released.
- To serve: Spoon one quarter of the berry mixture and juice over each slice of pound cake. Top each with 2 tablespoons whipped cream.
Notes
- Use a Marsala wine that you would enjoy drinking. Don’t use cooking wine.
- You can omit the Marsala wine for a kid-friendly version or if you prefer not to have alcohol.
Stephanie
A kid friendly wine🤔🤔
Michelle
Stephanie, please read the post a little closer! Nowhere does it say that marsala is a kid-friendly wine! In fact, I actually said, “If you want a kid-friendly version or you’d prefer to not have alcohol in your berries, just go ahead and omit the Marsala.”