Strawberry bread is a soft, tender quick loaf dotted with pieces of fresh strawberry and covered with a pretty pink glaze made from real berries. It is sweet but not heavy, with pockets of jammy fruit in every slice. The batter is stirred by hand in two bowls, with no mixer and no yeast. Bake it in late spring when strawberries are at their best, for Mother’s Day brunch, a baby shower or an afternoon snack.
How to make strawberry bread: Stir together sugar, milk, oil, an egg and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt just until combined. Toss diced fresh strawberries with a little flour and fold them in gently. Bake in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool completely, then spread with a fresh strawberry glaze.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fresh strawberries. Two cups in the loaf and more in the glaze.
- No mixer. Two bowls and a spoon.
- A naturally pink glaze. The color comes from the berries, not from food coloring.
- Ten minutes of prep. Then the oven takes over.
- Good any time. Breakfast, brunch, snack or dessert.
Ingredient Notes
Granulated sugar. Three-quarters of a cup.
Milk and vegetable oil. Half a cup of 2% milk and 1/2 cup of oil keep the loaf moist. Coconut oil can replace the vegetable oil.
Egg and vanilla extract. One large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Almond extract can be used in place of the vanilla.
All-purpose flour. Two cups for the batter, plus 2 tablespoons for tossing with the berries.
Baking powder and salt. Two teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Strawberries. Two cups, finely diced, for the bread, and another 1/3 cup, finely diced, for the glaze. Use fresh berries.
For the glaze. Powdered sugar, melted butter, diced strawberries and a little vanilla, with a spoonful of cream or milk only if it is needed.
Ingredients
For the bread
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups finely diced strawberries
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for tossing with the strawberries
For the glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/3 cup finely diced strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, optional
How to Make Strawberry Bread
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. Mix the batter. Stir together the granulated sugar, 2% milk, oil, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
3. Add the strawberries. Toss the 2 cups of diced strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Gently fold them into the batter without overmixing.
4. Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid repeatedly opening the oven while the loaf bakes.
5. Cool. Cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes, then turn the bread out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
6. Glaze and serve. Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter, 1/3 cup finely diced strawberries and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. The mixture may look too thick at first. Keep mixing. If needed, add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time. Spread over the completely cooled loaf, then slice.
How Do You Keep the Strawberries From Sinking?
Fresh strawberries are heavy and wet, and a quick bread batter is soft. Left alone, the fruit slides to the bottom of the pan and leaves a damp layer there. A few small habits keep the berries spread through the loaf and help the middle bake through.
| Habit | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Dice small | Cut the strawberries into fine dice | Small pieces are lighter and hold in the batter |
| Coat with flour | Toss the diced berries with 2 tablespoons of flour | The dry coating helps them grip the batter |
| Fold gently | Fold the berries in with a spatula, without overmixing | A thick, undisturbed batter holds fruit better |
| Keep the oven shut | Avoid opening the door again and again | The loaf bakes evenly from edge to center |
| Test the center | Insert a toothpick in the middle. It should come out clean | The top browns before the center is done |
When you test, aim for a spot with no strawberry. A toothpick that hits fruit comes out wet even when the bread is baked.
Tips for Success
How much should I stir the batter?
Just until the flour disappears. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixed quick bread turns tough.
When does the glaze go on?
Only after the loaf has cooled completely. On a warm loaf, the glaze melts and runs off the sides.
My glaze looks too thick. What should I do?
Keep mixing. The diced strawberries release juice as you stir, and the glaze loosens. Add cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, only if it still will not spread.
Should I pat the strawberries dry?
Yes. After washing, dry them well before dicing, so they do not carry extra water into the batter.
How long does it stay in the pan?
Fifteen to 20 minutes. Then turn it out onto a rack so the bottom does not turn soggy.
How Long Does It Take?
About 75 minutes: 10 minutes of prep, about 50 minutes in the oven and 15 minutes of cooling in the pan. The loaf then needs to cool completely before it is glazed.
Storage
Because the glaze has fresh strawberries in it, the glazed loaf belongs in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours.
What to Serve With It
A slice is lovely with coffee or tea. For more fruit loaves, bake cranberry orange bread with simple glaze, chocolate banana bread or salted caramel banana bread. If you have more strawberries to use, make the double strawberry cake, the strawberry cream cheese icebox cake or the slow cooker strawberry cobbler.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make strawberry bread?
Stir a simple batter of sugar, milk, oil, egg, flour and baking powder, fold in flour-coated diced strawberries, bake in a loaf pan and glaze when cool.
How do you keep the strawberries from sinking and check that the center is baked?
Toss the diced berries with 2 tablespoons of flour, fold them in gently, and test the center of the loaf with a toothpick.
Does the glaze use fresh strawberries?
Yes. A 1/3 cup of finely diced berries is mixed into the powdered sugar, which turns the glaze pink.
How many slices does it make?
About 10.
Final Notes
I dice the berries for the glaze at the same time as the ones for the loaf and keep them in the refrigerator until the bread has cooled. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Fresh Strawberry Bread
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar for the bread
- 1/2 cup 2% milk for the bread
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the bread; or almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour for the batter
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups strawberries finely diced, for the bread
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for tossing with the diced strawberries
- 2 cups powdered sugar for the glaze
- 2 tablespoons butter melted, for the glaze
- 1/3 cup strawberries finely diced, for the glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the glaze; or almond extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk optional, for the glaze, only if needed
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Stir together the granulated sugar, 2% milk, oil, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Toss the 2 cups of diced strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Gently fold them into the batter without overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid repeatedly opening the oven while the loaf bakes.
- Cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes, then turn the bread out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
- Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter, 1/3 cup finely diced strawberries and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. The mixture may look too thick at first. Keep mixing. If needed, add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time. Spread over the completely cooled loaf, then slice.
