Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake

Ingredients

Stephanie Miller, Blount County

1 ½ cups butter, softened

3 cups sugar

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon zest

2/3 cup strawberry swirl

1 (6 inch) wooden skewer

Strawberry Swirl

2 cups strawberries (about 1 lb.) quartered

1/3 cup sugar

½ cup water

2 tsp. lemon juice

Preparation

Combine the water, strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large saucepan on high heat.  Stir and bring up to a boil.  After the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium low.  Cook for 5-8 minutes, until the strawberries have completely broken down.  As the strawberries soften, use a potato masher to break up the berries.  Meanwhile, whist the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.  Then, pour into the strawberries.  Increase heat to high, and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens and the cornstarch becomes clear and loses its cloudy appearance, approximately 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat, and pour into separate bowl to cool down.  Use ¾ a cup to swirl in the cake.  Pour any leftovers on top of the cake.

Set oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until fluffy.  Add cream cheese, beating until creamy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Gradually add flour to butter mixture.  Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.  Stir in the lemon zest, and vanilla extract.  Pour 1/3 of batter into a greased and floured 10 inch 14 cup tube pan (about 2 2/3 cups batter).  Dollop 8 rounded teaspoons of strawberry swirl over batter, and swirl with skewer.  Repeat once, and top with remaining third of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.