Strawberry Bread (Heirloom Recipe)

Strawberry Bread and Cream Cheese

There is just a little bit of strawberries left from my last trip to the green grocer.  The strawberries are now very ripe and soft, just perfect to use for old fashion strawberry bread.  My mother raised strawberries and sold them in front of our house when I was growing up.  In fact she continued to raise them until she sold the house at the age of 75.  We lived on a main highway and people would start stopping in May asking if she would have any to sell.  When I was little I would sit out there in the sun, under an umbrella waiting for customers.  My mother would be busy out back in the garden , so my job was to take the money and make change. My older brother and I would take turns doing the selling.  She would pay a nickle for every quart I sold.  Strawberry season lasted only about a month, so by the time the month was over I would have five or six dollars to spend on something.  This was in the 1950’s and $6.00 would buy something really nice.  When I was 8 years old I bought my mother a birthday gift with my strawberry money.  It was pair of tomatoes salt and pepper shakers.  I still have them and they have humbly sat on the back of my stove ever since I left home. They are a little chipped and getting old but still full of strawberry season memories.

One of the most favorite sweet breads that I like is strawberry bread.  This is the original recipe that was enjoyed during strawberry season.  It is a simple inexpensive recipe that makes a small loaf just perfect for a very small family or one person.  There is nothing more delicious then a slice of strawberry bread and cream cheese. They make the perfect companions with a cup of coffee or tea. Enough said about me…lets make strawberry bread.

Old Fashion Strawberry Bread

• Servings: 1 loaves
• Time: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup crushed strawberries
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray and 8×4 inch loaf pan with vegetable spray and cut a piece of wax paper or parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. Use spray to make the paper stick to bottom.  The bread will easily drop of out pan when you remove it with the paper.

Clean and crush strawberries and set aside. Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and beat well.  Add crushed strawberries and beat in.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.  The loaf does not rise real high like modern quick bread recipes.  Cool in pan.  When cool remove from pan by turning over in to a plate. Peel the paper off the bottom and flip over.

It smells so good.  You will have a hard time waiting for it to cool enough to remove from the pan.  But it slices better when it is cooled and the cream cheese spreads better if you set it out to soften as you are waiting.  Please give this little recipe a try.