Strawberry Lemonade Loaf
A moist and sweet loaf cake loaded with fresh strawberries and lots of lemon flavor. Let this Strawberry Lemonade Loaf grace all your summer dessert tables!
This post was originally published in 2013. The photos and recipe have been slightly updated. Enjoy!
Today is a really really REALLY special day. It kind of blows my mind, actually.
This day, 13 years ago, I became Andrew's mom.
My little (not so little anymore!) Andrew came into this world just before I turned 20. We have grown together for all these years and I just don't know who I would be without him. This kid is amazing.
When he was a baby we were attached at the hip. Literally. Because I'm pretty sure I didn't put him down for 6 months... not that he would have let me.
Attachment parenting before it was cool. I was ahead of the curve.
He was a cowboy for Halloween when he was 2, costume complete with an eyeliner handlebar mustache. He wanted to dress up like a cowboy everyday for 3 weeks after that. I think he thought that being a cowboy meant lots of free candy. We're not cut from the same cloth or anything.
I cried huge hysterical tears when I took him to kindergarten. I was THAT mom. Andrew was unfazed. He just wanted to know if there were toy trains in his classroom.
In first grade Andrew had a REALLY MEAN teacher. She was the worst. I went to bat for my little guy. He never ever forgot it.
Once, a few years later on Columbus Day, he gave his teacher an earful about why Christopher Columbus is a fraud and should never be celebrated. Smart boy.
He is independent and mostly self-assured. I can always count on Andrew to be solid and do the right thing.
He's a speaker-upper (naturally), a thinker, a leader.
I am so so so proud of my sweet guy. Thirteen is a BIG birthday!
Let's celebrate.
And hey! In addition to this being my oldest boy's birthday it is also Leftovers Club Day!! Once a month a group of food bloggers swaps all the delicious leftovers from a baking post. This month I shipped off this Strawberry Lemonade Loaf. I think it's my favorite sweet quick bread I've ever made. Chad was pretty peeved when he realized I was sending a whole loaf to my Leftovers Club partner in NYC.
So I made it again.
It is super moist and slightly tart-- sticky sweet without being too syrupy and dotted with fresh strawberries. Oh man. We all need some of this in our lives.
Strawberry Lemonade Loaf
Strawberry Lemonade Loaf Cake is bright and sweet and has the texture of pound cake. One of my favorite ways to use up fresh strawberries!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest + juice of one lemon
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 ½ cups strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350. Butter two 8 X 4 ½ loaf pans. Set aside.
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until it's nice and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then add the lemon juice.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Stir in the lemon extract.
- Fold the strawberries into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir until everything is evenly incorporated-- the dough will be pretty thick.
- Divide the dough between the two prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let the loaves cool for at least 5-10 minutes before turning them out.
- Eat warm or cooled or cold or however you want-- but really JUST EAT!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 229mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 5g
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Hey, Andrew. Happy Birthday. Mom loves you. You're completely awesome.
Aw, Happy Birthday Andrew! this was such a sweet post to read (not just because of the strawberry-lemonade! hehe!)
Happy Birthday Andrew! It sounds like you raised a thoughtful, independent, great son! And this cake sounds perfect for summer. I love lemon cake... strawberries would take it over the top!
Wow, thirteen! Such a cool age- congrats on raising what sounds like a pretty cool kid. Also: congrats on making what sounds like a pretty delicious cake!
Happy birthday to your kiddo!!! I had a mean 2nd grade teacher and I remember ALL the parents going to bat for us kids. She was so bad - she held her own kid back a year!! Love this cake!
Thanks, Shanna!
It was a great day!
I love strawberry lemonade flavor combos 🙂 Keep your eye out for pink lemonade cake mix in the store this summer, it's fun to play around with.
I have seen the strawberry lemonade cake mix! I'll have to be on the lookout. Thanks, Erin!
So sweet if you to share a piece of your heart with us, and what a handsome teenager!! Happy Birthday, Andrew!
Ok, this strawberry/lemon loaf looks amazing! I usually give my baked items away to co-workers, but I think once in awhe it would be nice to share and get a treat from another cook/blogger. Might try to play too 🙂
Aww thanks, Sandra! Andrew is so big! Can't even believe it.
I hope you'll join the Leftovers Club! It's pretty fun to get prizes in the mail 🙂
Awwww, happy birthday, Andrew! And happy labor day to you, Heather! Hope you both have a great day!!!
Thank you, Deanna! It was a SUPER day.
Happy birthday to your awesome boy!! I didn't cry when I dropped my oldest off to K, but I'm going to have an ugly cry when I bring him to middle school in the fall. I hate it!
Your quick bread looks SO good! Those are my favorite flavors and your partner is going to be so happy when she receives it.
Nah. By middle school you're a pro at turning your kids loose. It's a definite change but you will survive-- it is hard to see them get so big though!
Aww happy birthday to your son! 13 is a BIG milestone. 🙂 This loaf cake looks awesome. I'm not sure I would be able to part with a whole loaf!
Thanks, Joanne!
13 is a way big deal, right?
It was really hard to part with a whole loaf. But... I just made more.
Wow your son is big!!! We though you had younger children!!!
This loaf looks delicious!!! What a great snack!! But the kids would love it after schoool.
BTW.... Sister and baby doing well.... Well post a photo soon on our facebook page.
Glad to hear about the baby! Yay!
My kids are bigger than I want them to be! 10 & 13. It's super weird to have a teenager... but I had my kids really young so I'm usually 10 years younger than all the other moms at the school. Ha! 🙂
Awww, happy birthday to your young man! THIS would be quite the celebration in my book!
Thans so much, Jen!!
What a handsome boy. Happy Birthday Andrew! That strawberry lemonade loaf looks gorgeous, I need to try this!
Thanks, Nicola! Can't believe my guy is so grown up.
Hope you'll try the bread--- it is my new favorite 🙂
Sweet adorable Andrew! Happy 13 and into the teens. God bless him today and always! This strawberry lemon thing is right up my alley
You'd love it, mom. Make some!