The benefits of living near a strawberry patch include bountiful buckets of berries & reasons to try out various recipes. This one below is one of my favorites and one I hadn't made for years. Avery & I started our Saturday by baking it again and I dare say that this batch is the best yet.
We use this recipe for Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c cut strawberries
1/2 c softened butter (1 stick)
4 oz (half a block) softened cream cheese
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 c flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 c buttermilk
Instructions: (my changes are in italics)
Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350* F.
With electric mixer (or by hand!) cream butter, sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend flour mixture with butter mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk and only stir until just combined; do not over mix.
(To make your own buttermilk substitution, add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup, then fill milk to 1/2c marking. Let sit for a few minutes.)
Carefully fold in strawberries. Dough mixture will be thick.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes.
Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from pan.
***
I had a great helper! I didn't bring my hand mixer with me to my parents' house so we stirred by hand.
It is so delicious! It did end up taking a bit over 60 minutes to get a nice golden top which is a key indicator of a full bake all the way through.
Let me know if you try it out!
Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba
