This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This Strawberry Bread is made with real butter, juicy strawberries, Greek yogurt, and sweet-tart lemon glaze. It's easy to make, incredibly soft and tender, and perfectly sweet. Suitable for brunch or dessert.
For more recipes starring strawberries, don't miss Strawberry Chia Jam, Strawberry Spinach Salad, and Strawberry Crumb Bars.
Kristen's Keys for Strawberry Quick Bread
Inspired by my great-grandma's lemon bread recipe, this strawberry quick bread adds a fresh spring twist that I can't get enough of. For the best results, keep these simple tips in mind.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs. Starting with room temperature ingredients helps the butter and sugar cream together smoothly, which creates a loaf that bakes up fluffy and tender.
- Macerate the strawberries. Toss the diced strawberries with a bit of sugar and let them sit while you prep the remaining ingredients. This step intensifies their sweetness, boosts their flavor, and softens them slightly so they bake beautifully into the bread.
- Opt for Greek yogurt over buttermilk. My original lemon bread uses buttermilk, but because strawberries add extra moisture, Greek yogurt works better here. It provides just enough richness and moisture to keep the bread tender without making it soggy or dense.
- Don't skip the lemon. A little lemon zest brightens the strawberry flavor, and finishing the loaf with a simple lemon glaze adds a sweet-tart touch that really sets this recipe apart.
How to Make Strawberry Bread with Lemon Glaze
Let me walk you through how to make this glazed strawberry quick bread, sharing a few helpful tips along the way.
Step One: Prepare Loaf Pan
Butter a 9-inch loaf pan. Add about ½ tablespoon of flour and gently shake the pan to coat the bottom and sides, then tap out the excess over the sink or trash can. That light coating of flour helps ensure the loaf releases cleanly after baking.
Step Two: Macerate Strawberries
Wash and hull the strawberries, then dice into small pieces. Place the strawberries in a small bowl, add ¼ cup of sugar and toss to coat. Let them sit while you prepare the batter, giving time for the strawberries to soften and release a bit of their natural juices.
Step Three: Cream Wet Ingredients
Beat the butter with the remaining sugar until the mixture becomes light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a mixer. If it still looks grainy and yellow, keep mixing.
Once pale and fluffy, add the eggs, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat again to incorporate.
Step Four: Sift Dry Ingredients
Over a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. You can opt to just whisk the dry ingredients together, but sifting helps to remove lumps and aerate the flour, keeping the bread light.
Add the strawberries to the flour mixture, juice and all, and lightly toss to coat the strawberries with the flour. This will keep the berries suspended throughout the loaf, rather than sinking to the bottom of the pan.
Step Five: Combine Batter
Add strawberry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold together until just combined. Using a gently hand will help prevent overworking the gluten, which can make your loaf dense or tough.
Step Five: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Alternatively, insert a digital thermometer into the center and check to see if the quick bread has reached 195-200°F. Note, if you are using a metal baking dish, the quick bread will bake faster.
Step Six: Prepare Lemon Glaze
While the quick bread is baking, use that time to make a simple lemon syrup. Microwave the zested lemons for 15-20 seconds, then juice them into a small bowl. Add granulated sugar and whisk until dissolved. That warm juice helps the sugar melt quickly.
Step Seven: Glaze
As soon as the strawberry loaf comes out of the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack. Use a skewer to poke holes halfway down into the loaf, and pour the prepared glaze over the bread.
Step Eight: Cool
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then run a butter knife or spatula along the edges and transfer it to a rack to cool completely. Let cool completely before slicing, to prevent crumbling.
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free: I have had success using an all-purpose 1:1 Gluten-Free flour. Just keep in mind the quick bread will be a bit more crumbly.
- Ice instead of glaze. If you would like your glaze to ice the strawberry bread, rather than soak into the bread, skip poking holes and wait until the loaf is fully cooled and remove from the baking pan to pour the glaze over the bread.
- Double the Recipe: Double the ingredients and divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch loaf pans. I suggest placing the pans on the same rack in the oven, being sure to leave a couple of inches between each pan, and rotating their positions midway through the baking time.
More Baked Goods Perfect for Spring
Strawberry Bread
Ingredients
For Loaf Pan
- ~½ tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- ~1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Strawberry Bread
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ~1 lemon
Lemon Glaze
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ~2 large lemons
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃). Generously grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan with butter on the bottom and sides of the loaf pan. Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan, shaking to coat. Be sure to shake out any excess flour.
- Wash and hull strawberries and measure out 1 cup strawberries. Place them in small bowl, add ¼ cup of the sugar, and toss to coat. Let the strawberries sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the remaining ¾ cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Once pale and fluffy, mix in the eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to evenly distribute salt and baking powder. Add the strawberries, and the juices in the bowl, to the flour mixture and toss to lightly coat the strawberries in the flour.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the we ingredients until combined, using caution to not overmix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, spreading into an even layer.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly dry or with a few crumbs. Alternatively, insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread, it is done when it reads between between 195-200°F. If you are using a metal baking pan begin checking on the bread after 40 minutes.
- While the strawberry bread is baking, whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Tip: it may help to warm up your lemon juice for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before whisking with sugar.
- After the bread is baked, place the pan on a cooling rack. Use a skewer to poke holes halfway down into the loaf. Pour the glaze over the bread. Let the bread sit in the loaf pan for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, loosen the sides of the bread from the edges of the pan with a butter knife, then remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before slicing and serving.
Equipment
- 8.5-inch by 4.5-inch loaf pan
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Comments
No Comments