Easy & Moist Strawberry Bread with Greek Yogurt: The Ultimate Quick Bread Recipe
Welcome to your new favorite baking adventure! This incredibly easy strawberry bread with yogurt recipe delivers a delightful quick bread loaf that’s perfectly sweetened and generously studded with bursts of juicy, sweet strawberries. Whether you’re a novice baker eager to try your hand in the kitchen or an experienced one looking for a simple yet satisfying treat, this recipe is designed for effortless success. Its straightforward steps make it an ideal project for baking with kids, promising delicious results every single time. Imagine waking up to a slice of this fragrant bread for breakfast, enjoying it as a delightful mid-afternoon snack, or even transforming it into a unique twist on a classic PB&J by topping it with a generous spread of peanut butter. This versatile loaf is bound to become a staple in your home.
Developing the perfect quick bread recipe might sound simple, but getting this strawberry version just right took a considerable amount of experimentation! While every test batch tasted delicious, the true challenge lay in achieving the ideal texture. Strawberries, being wonderfully juicy, release a lot of moisture during baking. This often resulted in a bread that was too soft, crumbly, or even a bit gummy. After numerous attempts and careful adjustments, I finally cracked the code to ensure a perfectly moist yet structurally sound loaf.
The winning combination for this delightful strawberry bread involved a few key tweaks: incorporating Greek yogurt, carefully reducing the overall quantity of strawberries, and, most importantly, making sure the strawberries were finely diced. Greek yogurt adds a fantastic richness and moisture without making the bread heavy, while also providing a slight tang that complements the sweet berries. Finely dicing the strawberries helps distribute their moisture more evenly throughout the batter, preventing pockets of mushiness and ensuring every bite has just the right amount of fruit. If you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, a good alternative is to substitute an equal amount of sour cream. Both will contribute to that lovely moist crumb. For those with specific dietary needs, there are also other Greek yogurt substitutes available that might work for you.
While this sweet bread is absolutely delicious on its own, a simple glaze can elevate it to a dessert-worthy treat. You can easily whip up a basic powdered sugar glaze by mixing confectioners’ sugar with a tiny bit of milk or lemon juice until it reaches a pourable consistency. For a specific recipe that works wonderfully, try adapting the glaze from my Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Bread. The bright lemon notes would complement the strawberries beautifully, adding another layer of flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Strawberry Yogurt Bread
This strawberry quick bread isn’t just another recipe; it’s a testament to simple, delicious home baking. Here’s why it’s destined to become a go-to in your kitchen:
- Effortlessly Simple: With clear, concise steps and common pantry ingredients, even first-time bakers will find this recipe a breeze. It’s perfect for building confidence in the kitchen.
- Incredibly Moist Texture: Thanks to the inclusion of Greek yogurt and just the right amount of strawberries, this bread boasts a tender, moist crumb that stays fresh for days. No dry, crumbly loaves here!
- Bursting with Fresh Flavor: Every slice is dotted with sweet, juicy strawberries, providing natural sweetness and a lovely fruity aroma that fills your kitchen as it bakes.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: Enjoy a slice for a quick breakfast, a satisfying afternoon snack, or even a light dessert. It pairs wonderfully with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.
- Kid-Friendly Baking: The easy-to-follow instructions and fun addition of fruit make this an excellent recipe to tackle with little helpers. They’ll love seeing their creation come to life!
- Customizable: While perfect as is, this bread is also a fantastic base for customization. Add a simple glaze, a sprinkle of streusel, or even a handful of chocolate chips for extra indulgence.
Key Ingredients for the Best Strawberry Bread
Achieving that perfect balance of moist texture and vibrant strawberry flavor comes down to understanding a few key ingredients and how they work together:
Fresh Strawberries: The Star of the Show
The success of this bread heavily relies on how you prepare your strawberries. Fresh, ripe strawberries are essential for the best flavor. However, their high moisture content can be problematic. This is why finely dicing them is crucial. Smaller pieces mean the moisture is more evenly dispersed throughout the batter, preventing the bread from becoming overly wet or dense in spots. Avoid large chunks, which tend to release too much water in one area, leading to a gummy texture. While fresh strawberries are highly recommended, if you must use frozen, ensure they are completely thawed and thoroughly drained to remove excess water before dicing and adding them to the batter.
Greek Yogurt: The Secret to Supreme Moisture
Greek yogurt is the unsung hero of this recipe, contributing significantly to the bread’s wonderfully moist and tender crumb. Its thickness and acidity react with the baking powder, giving the bread a beautiful lift and light texture. It also adds a subtle tang that beautifully complements the sweetness of the strawberries. For best results, use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt. If you don’t have Greek yogurt, an equal amount of full-fat sour cream is an excellent substitute, offering a very similar texture and moisture profile. If neither is available, you could also use regular plain yogurt, but it might be slightly thinner, so consider reducing the buttermilk by a tablespoon or two if your regular yogurt seems very runny. Alternatively, buttermilk alone can provide acidity, but it won’t give the same creamy richness as Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Pantry Staples
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our quick bread. Measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness, balancing the tartness of the strawberries and yogurt.
- Baking Powder: Our primary leavening agent, ensuring the bread rises beautifully and has a tender crumb.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors, preventing the bread from tasting flat.
- Buttermilk: Adds tenderness and a slight tang, reacting with the baking powder for a better rise. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then filling the rest with regular milk to 1/2 cup, letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until it slightly curdles.
- Vegetable Oil: Contributes to the bread’s moistness and fine crumb. You can also use other neutral oils like canola oil.
- Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, add structure, and contribute to richness.
- Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavor enhancer that complements the strawberries and ties all the ingredients together with its warm aroma.
Expert Tips for Perfect Strawberry Bread Every Time
Even though this recipe is designed to be easy, a few simple tips can help ensure your strawberry bread turns out perfectly every single time:
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Quick breads thrive on gentle mixing. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine! Overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tough, dry bread.
- Finely Dice Your Strawberries: As mentioned, this is crucial. Small, evenly sized pieces (about 1/4 inch) prevent the bread from becoming soggy or dense in spots, distributing the moisture and flavor uniformly.
- Proper Loaf Pan Preparation: Always grease and flour your loaf pan thoroughly, or use baking spray with flour. This prevents sticking and ensures your beautiful loaf slides out easily.
- Test for Doneness: Baking times can vary depending on your oven. The best way to check if your bread is done is to insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean (without wet batter), your bread is ready. If it’s still wet, bake for a few more minutes and retest.
- Cooling is Key: While it’s tempting to slice into a warm loaf, letting the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack allows it to set properly. Cooling completely on a wire rack prevents the bottom from becoming soggy.
- Customize Your Bread: Feel free to experiment! A sprinkle of lemon zest in the batter can brighten the strawberry flavor. A handful of white chocolate chips or chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) would also make delicious additions.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
This strawberry bread is wonderfully versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. For a simple treat, a slice on its own is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. You can also lightly toast a slice and spread it with butter, cream cheese, or even more jam for an extra fruity kick. As a dessert, consider serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. For an extra touch of sweetness and presentation, drizzle it with a simple lemon glaze (as suggested earlier) or a vanilla bean glaze. This bread also makes a lovely addition to any brunch spread.
Looking for variations? Try adding a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a brighter flavor, or fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips for a delightful chocolate-strawberry combination. A sprinkle of streusel topping (butter, flour, sugar) before baking would add a lovely crunchy texture. The possibilities are endless with this adaptable recipe!
More Easy Quick Bread recipes to try:
- Blackberry Bread
- Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
- Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
- Pina Colada Banana Bread
- Honey Beer Bread
Step by Step Instructions:
Follow these simple steps to create your delicious, moist strawberry bread with yogurt. Precision in dicing and gentle mixing are your keys to success!
- Finely dice the strawberries. This step is essential for even moisture distribution.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients: Greek yogurt, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk them until smooth and well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are fine and will result in a tender bread.
5. Add the finely diced strawberries to the batter. Gently fold them in until they are just evenly distributed. Again, avoid overmixing.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool as directed in the recipe card.
Easy Strawberry Bread with Yogurt
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt*
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups finely diced strawberries
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x5 loaf pan with baking spray.
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Mix 2 cups of flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in one bowl.
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In a separate bowl combine the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
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Gently fold the strawberries into the batter.
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Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
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Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
To Freeze: This bread can be baked ahead of time and frozen. To freeze, make as directed and allow to cool completely. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a large ziploc bag with as much air removed as possible. This bread will keep for 1 month in the freezer.
To use after freezing, place the bread in the fridge until thawed, then slice and eat.
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There you have it – a simple, delicious, and incredibly moist strawberry bread recipe that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for a special brunch, a casual breakfast, or just to satisfy a sweet craving, this quick bread is sure to impress with its tender crumb and vibrant fruity flavor. Don’t be shy about experimenting with glazes or other add-ins to make it truly your own. Happy baking!
