Strawberry Bread (Easy Recipe)

Whenever strawberry season kicks in, it only means one thing: it’s time to make strawberry bread.

Moist, light, and bursting with strawberry aroma and flavor, it’s the queen of all summer bread. 

I don’t mind having it for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert. Heck, I’ll have it for lunch and dinner, too!

If you think I’m crazy, have a bite of this strawberry bread and you’ll know exactly how I feel. 

Make this bread once, and you’ll whip it up again and again. Fortunately, it’s a cinch.

Strawberry Bread Recipe

This strawberry bread recipe is so simple it’s embarrassing.

Just combine a bunch of basic ingredients in a bowl and pop the batter in the oven.

It’s such an easy recipe, and yet it results in the most irresistible bread!

The aroma of the strawberries alone will make your mouth water.

The combination of sugar and fresh strawberries creates the perfect balance of flavors without being overly sweet.

It’s not just about the flavor, but the texture, too. This bread is so tender, it almost falls apart!

To sum it up, this strawberry bread tastes and smells heavenly, and comes together quickly.

There’s no reason not to make it! 

Ingredients

• Strawberries – Besides the fragrance and flavor, strawberries also help make this bread outrageously moist. Use fresh, firm bright red strawberries for the best results! Frozen strawberries contain too much water, which will make the bread soggy.
• Granulated Sugar – For sweetness. You’ll also sprinkle a little bit over the strawberries to sweeten them.
• Olive Oil – Use oil instead of butter if you want your bread to be extra light and moist.
• Eggs – They bind the ingredients and add richness to the bread.
• Vanilla Extract – It deepens the flavor of the bread.
• All-Purpose Flour – The main ingredient that provides structure to the bread.
• Baking Soda – It allows the bread to rise even without yeast.
• Ground Cinnamon – For a little warmth.
• Salt – To balance out the sweetness.
• Chopped Pecans – For crunch. Other nuts such as almonds and walnuts are okay, too.

How to Make Strawberry Bread

This quick bread literally is a quick bread! You don’t have to worry about making, kneading, and proofing dough.

All you’ll need are 2 bowls and a mixer.

1. Prepare the oven and pan.

Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray and coat them with flour.

If you have parchment paper, though, you won’t have to grease and flour.

Just line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment and you’re all set.

Tip: leave overhangs around the edges so you can use them to lift out the bread from the pan.

2. Prepare the strawberry mixture.

Sprinkle some sugar over the strawberries to counterbalance their tartness. Mash them with your fingers.

There’s no need to overdo the mashing because you’ll want chunks of strawberries in the bread.

Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla, and beat them until well combined.

3. Combine the dry ingredients.

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Sifting keeps the batter from being lumpy. 

Create a well in the center and pour in the strawberry mixture. Gently beat the dry and wet ingredients until well combined.

Gently mix in the chopped pecans.

4. Bake the bread.

Bake the bread for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Serve it and enjoy!

How to Keep Strawberry Bread from Sinking

• Don’t open the oven door during baking. I know it’s tempting, but you must resist the urge. Opening the door will cause the temperature to drop, resulting in a sunken center.
• Be sure the baking soda isn’t expired. Otherwise, it won’t trigger the chemical reaction responsible for making the bread rise. To check, drop a teaspoon of baking soda in a small bowl of vinegar. It should foam up right upon contact. If nothing happens, your baking soda is already expired.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Bread

• Measure the flour properly. Adding more flour than necessary will result in dry or rubbery bread. The best way to measure is a kitchen scale. 
• If you don’t have a kitchen scale, the spoon and level method is the next best option. Use a spoon to put the flour in the measuring cup and level it down with the back of a knife.
• Don’t over-mix the batter, or your bread will be dry. Stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are moistened and you no longer see streaks of flour.
• Want strawberry muffins instead? Easy, just pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.

How to Store Strawberry Bread

To store: Wrap the strawberry bread with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices with plastic wrap. 

Place them in freezer-safe bags, squeezing out as much air as you can before sealing them. This will protect the bread from freezer burn.

Label the bags accordingly and freeze them. Frozen strawberry bread will keep well for up to 3 months.

To thaw: Unwrap the bread and let it sit on the counter until thawed to room temperature.

This will take about 2-3 hours for a whole loaf and 20 to 30 minutes for slices.

More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love

Martha Stewart’s Banana Bread

Jamaican Banana Bread

Starbucks Coffee Cake

Orange Crush Pound Cake

Starbucks Lemon Loaf