Bright strawberries, roasted to draw out their sugars and amp up their natural sweetness, are the foundation for this deliciously moist strawberry bread.
What can I do with too many ripe strawberries?
Can you think of anything better than having a basket full of sweet and juicy strawberries? Having too much to eat is a fantastic problem, and I have the perfect solution. This roasted strawberry bread recipe helps you to quickly use your strawberries before they’re well past their prime.
What do I need to make roasted strawberry bread?
Here are the most critical ingredients to successfully make roasted strawberry bread. The complete recipe list is below.
- Strawberries: 2 cups of fresh strawberries will reduce to about 3/4 cup puree when roasted.
- Sugar: As sweet as strawberries can be, sugar helps boost their natural sweetness when roasting and also sweetens the bread.
- Baking soda: I use baking powder and baking soda in this recipe, but this is why baking soda is essential. Since strawberries are acidic, we must neutralize some of that acidity with baking soda. This helps with the finished texture of the bread, so make sure you include this.
- Ground freeze-dried strawberries: This is an optional ingredient, but I promise the extra step is worth it. Just grind enough freeze-dried strawberries to equal 1 Tbsp and add it to the dry ingredients.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour has the right amount of protein to add structure to the strawberry bread. Bread flour would result in a tough crumb, and cake flour too crumbly. Think of it as the goldilocks of flours.
Can I use strawberry jam or preserves instead of fresh strawberries?
Strawberry jam or preserves are different from roasting strawberries for this recipe. Jams and preserves are much too sweet to use in place of roasted strawberries, so hang on to those jams for your favorite toast.
How do I store this strawberry bread recipe?
Once the bread has been baked and cooled completely, it can be stored on the counter in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can wrap the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap or slice and wrap each piece for individual servings, then store it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
If you’re freezing the whole loaf to serve later, freeze the loaf without the icing. When ready to serve, thaw the bread in the refrigerator overnight, then make and add the icing about 10 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Bread
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Blender
- Large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Roasted strawberries
- 2 cups strawberries washed, destemmed and cut in half
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Strawberry bread
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground freeze dried strawberry (optional)
- ¾ cup (145g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 6 tbsp (80g) neutral oil such as vegetable or avocado
- ¾ cup roasted strawberry puree divided
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp reserved roasted strawberry puree
- 3-5 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
For the roasted strawberries
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place prepared strawberries on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 tbsp of sugar. Place in the oven and roast strawberries for 20 minutes, or until softened and juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once the roasted strawberries have cooled, add to a food processor, blender, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth. Reserve one tbsp of the puree for the icing.
For the strawberry bread
- While the roasted strawberries cool, prepare the strawberry bread ingredients. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl add the flour and ground freeze dried strawberries, if using. Whisk thourougly to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the granulated sugar and egg until pale, around 1 minute. Add the oil and whisk again. Next, add the roasted strawberry puree, milk, and vanilla and whisk until fully incorporated. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Try not to overmix. I've found using a wooden spoon is helpful.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing
- Place the powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of reserved strawberry puree to a bowl. Next, add 1 tbsp of the heavy cream and whisk until completely smooth and no lumps of powdered sugar remain. Add more heavy cream to reach the desired consistency.
- Pour or spread icing evenly over the cooled bread and let it set. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
