Experience the delightful taste of summer with this incredibly easy Strawberry Bread recipe. It’s the perfect way to make the most of fresh, peak-season strawberries!
Strawberry season is truly a culinary highlight! When these vibrant red berries are at their peak, bursting with juicy sweetness, it’s the ideal time to bake. Beyond this amazing quick bread, be sure to explore other fantastic ways to celebrate the season. You absolutely must try this Strawberry Crumble Pie for a comforting dessert, a batch of homemade Strawberry Syrup to elevate your breakfast, and this decadent Strawberry Cobbler with Cream Cheese for a rich and fruity treat. Each recipe captures the essence of fresh strawberries, promising a taste of pure summer bliss.
There’s an undeniable magic to a fresh summer strawberry. While you can typically find strawberries in grocery stores year-round, their flavor and sweetness reach an unparalleled peak during the summer months. These seasonal gems are incredibly juicy, intensely sweet, and possess a vibrant aroma that simply can’t be replicated. When you encounter these perfect berries, it’s a culinary imperative to savor them in every possible way.
For years, this Strawberry Bread has been a cherished tradition in my kitchen every summer. It’s a recipe that masterfully highlights the natural sweetness of ripe strawberries, transforming them into a loaf that truly tastes like summer itself. The subtle addition of cinnamon introduces a touch of comforting warmth, creating a harmonious balance that elevates the bright, fruity notes. This quick bread is not just a recipe; it’s an experience, bringing the pure joy of fresh summer produce directly to your table with every moist, flavorful slice.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Strawberry Bread
Crafting the perfect Strawberry Bread starts with understanding the role each ingredient plays. This recipe relies on a few simple staples, each contributing to the bread’s moist texture, rich flavor, and beautiful rise.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our quick bread, providing structure. While I always use all-purpose flour for its consistent results and tender crumb, you could experiment by substituting up to half of it with whole wheat flour for a slightly nuttier flavor and an extra nutritional boost. Just be aware that whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid, so your batter might be a bit thicker.
- Granulated Sugar: This isn’t just for sweetness; sugar plays a crucial role in the bread’s moisture content and contributes to its golden-brown crust. It balances the tartness of the strawberries, ensuring a perfectly sweet bite without being cloying.
- Baking Soda: As our primary leavening agent, baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like those in the strawberries) to create carbon dioxide bubbles, giving the bread its wonderful lift and tender texture. Ensure your baking soda is fresh for optimal results.
- Salt: A small but mighty ingredient, salt enhances all the other flavors in the bread. It prevents the bread from tasting bland and helps to balance the sweetness, making the strawberry and cinnamon notes truly pop.
- Ground Cinnamon: This warm, aromatic spice is the secret ingredient that perfectly complements the bright, fruity flavor of strawberries. It adds a comforting depth, transforming the bread into something truly special. For an extra layer of flavor, you could also add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.
- Vegetable Oil: I prefer vegetable oil over butter in this recipe because it yields an incredibly moist and tender crumb that stays fresh longer. Oil distributes more evenly throughout the batter and contributes to a wonderfully soft texture that butter sometimes can’t achieve in quick breads.
- Large Eggs: Eggs act as a binder, helping to hold the batter together while adding richness and contributing to the bread’s structure. Make sure they are at room temperature for better incorporation into the batter.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile, adding a subtle warmth and complexity that rounds out the sweetness of the strawberries and cinnamon. Avoid artificial vanilla for the best taste.
- Diced Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show! It’s crucial to dice the strawberries into smaller, uniform pieces (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch). If the chunks are too large, they can release too much moisture during baking, making the bread prone to falling apart or becoming overly soggy. Smaller pieces ensure even distribution and a delightful burst of strawberry in every bite.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Irresistible Strawberry Bread
This delightful Strawberry Bread comes together quickly, requiring just a few minutes of mixing before it’s ready to bake. Follow these simple steps for a perfect loaf every time:
- Prepare Your Oven and Pans: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour your chosen loaf pan(s) or line them with parchment paper for easy removal. This prevents sticking and ensures a beautiful, intact loaf.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until they are thoroughly combined. Whisking helps to aerate the flour and ensures that the leavening agent and spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the vegetable oil, lightly beaten eggs, and pure vanilla extract.
- Mix the Batter: Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in a tough, dense bread. The batter will be quite thick, which is exactly what we’re looking for.
- Fold in Strawberries: Add your finely diced strawberries to the thick batter. Gently fold them in until they are just incorporated. Again, avoid overmixing, as this can crush the delicate strawberries and cause the bread to become watery or mushy.
- Fill Your Pans: Divide the batter evenly among your prepared loaf pan(s). Ensure the batter is spread smoothly. Refer to the “Different Loaf Sizes” section below for guidance on pan capacities and quantities.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the pan(s) in the preheated oven and bake until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Avoid opening the oven door frequently, especially during the initial baking phase, to prevent the bread from sinking.
- Cool Before Slicing: Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan(s) for 10-15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. This crucial step allows the bread to set and firm up, preventing it from crumbling when sliced.
Strawberry Bread Video
Storing Your Delicious Strawberry Bread
To keep your homemade Strawberry Bread fresh and delicious for as long as possible, proper storage is key. Following these simple guidelines will ensure every slice tastes just as good as the first.
For short-term storage, any leftovers should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container with a lid. While it can remain at room temperature for about a day, I highly recommend storing it in the refrigerator. This prevents the delicate fresh strawberries from becoming mushy and helps maintain the bread’s moist texture for up to 3-4 days. Before serving from the fridge, you can gently warm slices in a toaster or microwave for a few seconds to bring back that freshly baked feel.
Baking Strawberry Bread in Various Pan Sizes
One of the beauties of this Strawberry Bread recipe is its versatility when it comes to pan sizes. Whether you’re baking for a crowd, preparing thoughtful gifts, or simply want smaller portions, this recipe adapts wonderfully. I’ve successfully tried this bread in mini, small, and traditional large loaf pans, and each size yields fantastic results. The mini loaves, in particular, are a personal favorite – perfect for individual servings or sharing.
Here are the guidelines for baking this recipe in different sized pans:
Mini Loaf Pans: My mini loaf pan features 8 cavities, with each loaf measuring approximately 3.28″x2.5″. This recipe will yield about 12 delightful mini loaves. They will typically bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. Always check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center.
Small Loaf Pans: These are often labeled as “mini pans” by some manufacturers but are larger than the true mini size, typically around 6″x3″. This recipe will make approximately 6 smaller loaves. For this size, they will need to bake for about 35-45 minutes. Keep an eye on them and use the toothpick test.
Large Loaf Pans: This refers to your standard, traditional loaf pan size, usually around 9″x 5″. This recipe is perfectly scaled to make 2 generously sized large loaves. When using large pans, expect a baking time of approximately 60 minutes. Remember to test for doneness before removing from the oven.
Muffins: If you’re craving individual portions that bake even faster, you can also transform this batter into muffins! While this recipe works, for a dedicated muffin experience, you might want to try this specialized Strawberry Muffin recipe which is formulated to yield perfect muffin tops and texture.
Expert Tips for the Best Strawberry Bread
Achieving a perfectly moist and flavorful Strawberry Bread is easy with a few simple tips. These insights will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your homemade bread turns out beautifully every time.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Quick breads get their tender texture from minimal mixing. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to a tough, dense bread instead of a light and tender one.
- Mastering the Baking Time: The trickiest part of any quick bread is knowing when it’s perfectly done. You want the center cooked through, but nobody enjoys dry bread. To check for doneness, insert a wooden skewer, toothpick, or thin knife into the very center of the loaf. If it comes out with wet batter or lots of moist crumbs, it needs more baking time. If there are just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, it’s perfect! A completely clean tester indicates it might be slightly overbaked, but still delicious.
- The Importance of Cooling: Patience is key after baking! Once out of the oven, allow your strawberry bread to sit in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. This crucial resting period allows the bread to set and firm up its structure. If you try to turn it out immediately, it’s very likely to collapse or fall apart, turning your beautiful loaf into a pile of crumbs.
- Proper Strawberry Preparation: Ensure your strawberries are diced to the recommended size (1/4 to 1/2 inch). Using chunks that are too large can release excessive moisture during baking, which may result in a mushy or overly wet bread. Smaller pieces integrate better into the batter and cook more evenly, giving you delicious bursts of fruit throughout.
- Consider a Glaze: For an extra touch of sweetness and presentation, a simple glaze can elevate your strawberry bread. A basic powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar mixed with a touch of milk or lemon juice) drizzled over the cooled loaf adds a lovely finish.
- Freezing for Future Enjoyment: This strawberry bread freezes beautifully, making it an excellent candidate for meal prep or gifting. After the bread has cooled completely, wrap it tightly first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight, freezer-safe bag. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. To enjoy, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You can even warm individual slices in the microwave or toaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about making this delightful Strawberry Bread:
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries, but there are a few considerations. Do not thaw them before dicing and adding to the batter, as thawed frozen strawberries release a lot of liquid which can make the bread soggy. Toss the frozen diced strawberries with a tablespoon or two of flour before adding them to the batter; this helps absorb excess moisture. Your baking time might also be slightly longer.
Can I add nuts or chocolate chips?
Absolutely! Feel free to customize this recipe. A half cup of chopped walnuts or pecans would add a lovely crunch, while white chocolate chips or even regular chocolate chips would make it an even more decadent treat. Fold them in gently along with the strawberries.
Is this bread good for gifting?
Yes, this Strawberry Bread makes a wonderful homemade gift! Its beautiful presentation and comforting flavor are always appreciated. Bake it in mini loaf pans for individual gifts, wrap them nicely, and attach a simple tag. It’s perfect for hostess gifts, neighbor treats, or holiday baskets.
More Delicious Quick Bread Recipes
Quick breads are a baker’s best friend – easy to mix, requiring no yeast or lengthy proofing, and always delivering comforting results. If you loved this Strawberry Bread, you’ll definitely want to explore these other fantastic quick bread recipes:
Zucchini Bread
Coconut Bread
Mango Bread
Chocolate Wave Zucchini Bread
Banana Oat Bread
Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Cinnamon Bread
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Strawberry Bread
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Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175°C). Spray loaf pan(s) with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Stir in the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Gently stir in the diced strawberries until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Place the batter in the prepared pan(s), dividing evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the loaves in the pans for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Recipe Notes:
This recipe makes approximately 12 mini loaves, 6 small loaves, or 2 large loaves.
Recipe adapted from The Reluctant Entertainer.
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.