The problem with going to the Farmer’s Markets is I end up with way more than we will be able to finish.  As I walk through the market everything looks so delicious and smells so good. The aroma of sun ripened fruit is intoxicating, the variety of greens and tomatoes are mind boggling, every where I turn I see or smell something that I just have to try.

The old adage “my eyes are too big for my stomach” fits me perfectly.  I return home from my market excursion, bag brimming with way too many things and in quantities that make me slap my forehead and wonder “what was I thinking”.  I don’t just have one basket of strawberries (the perfect amount for Wes and me) but a three pack (way too many).

By mid-week I am hunting for recipes that contain strawberries.

I came across this Strawberry Bread recipe in Saveur magazine.  A luscious quick bread that called for not only fresh strawberries but strawberry jam.  Strawberry squared!  It looked and sounded heavenly so I quickly pulled out my loaf pans, my baskets of strawberries and set to work making this bread.  In a wink I had the batter made (the beauty of quick breads) and I was sliding the pans into the oven.

I no longer have to worry about buying too many berries at the market.  This bread is delicious.  It is moist, slightly tart from the fresh berries, sweet from the jam that I swirled into the batter and bursting with strawberry flavor. The cinnamon adds just a hint of spice. I imagine this bread would lend itself well to other fruits. I have plans to try this with the nectarines currently sitting on my counter.

This bread is great warm just out of the oven but it’s also wonderful with a cup of tea or coffee, toasted and spread with a bit of butter.

Boy I love summer.

Print Pin

Strawberry Loaf Cake

Ingredients

• MAKES 2 LOAVES
• Ingredients
• Unsalted butter for greasing pans
• 3 cups flour plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 ⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1 ⁄4 cups canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups roughly chopped strawberries substitute peaches or nectarines
• 1 ⁄2 cup strawberry jam optional or peach jam

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°. Grease 2 (9" x 5" x 2¾") loaf pans with butter and dust with flour; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, oil, and eggs.
• Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
• Stir in strawberries and pour batter into prepared pans. If using jam, spoon ¼ cup over each loaf and using a knife, swirl jam into batter.
• Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaves comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.