Strawberry Nut Loaf

Name: Strawberry Nut Loaf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3/4 cup chopped pecans; 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries; 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter; 2 large eggs

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 07 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A quick bread with a mix of flour, chopped pecans, fresh strawberries, oil, and eggs baked in loaf pans. Uses baking soda and cinnamon for warmth. Adjustments include swapping some sugar for honey and replacing oil with melted butter. Baking time tweaked slightly. Focus on aroma and visual cues over strict timing. The loaves show slight golden crust, spring back when pressed lightly, and toothpick should come out nearly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 55 min

Total: 1h 15min

Servings: 16 servings

#quick bread #fruit bread #pecans #cinnamon #honey #baking tips

Odd little life this bread has had on my counter. Tried bursting in summer, a mix of juicy autumn berries warning me better watch the sugar. Every batch teaches me patience, watching bubbles rise inside, the telltale scent of cinnamon warming the room. The texture changes from wet batter too thick to pour but too fragile to spread. Visual checks beat clocks here. Butter or oil? Both—different vibes in each loaf. And strawberries, those fragile fruits, folding just enough so they don’t beat the batter into mush. Gritty pecans for a snap contrast the berry softness, like a subtle reminder—bread belongs in the texture dance. Making this bread is like wrangling seasons in a pan, unpredictable but rewarding. The crust sings a crispy song while inside stays tender, the smell enough to pull you from any mid-afternoon slump. Simple tweaks have kept this loaf from growing stale or dense—a delicate balance.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 large eggs

About the ingredients

Exact quantities matter, especially the leavening and salt to control spring and flavor. I used to dump sugar recklessly but cutting some out and adding a dab of honey changed the balance—it caramelizes slower in the heat plus adds moisture. Pecans can stick together if tossed in immediately without flour dusting; also watch for rancid nuts, tastes off quickly and ruins loaf. Butter versus oil: oil keeps bread moist longer but butter gives a deeper flavor, slightly faster browning. Eggs bind but overbeating them in wet mix can add air bubbles that cause holes. Strawberries hold surprise moisture; always chop roughly uniform for even bursts, no huge soggy pockets. Flour quality impacts crumb; fresh, well-stored flour gives better rise. For emergency swaps, apple sauce can replace some oil to cut fat, but expect denser texture.

Method

Crank oven up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two light-colored loaf pans thoroughly with non-stick spray — dark pans risk overbrowning, want even crust. No shortcuts here. Set aside.
In huge bowl whisk together flour, salt, sugar, honey, baking soda, and cinnamon. Dry mix through – important to get baking soda and cinnamon spread evenly. Clumps ruin the rise.
Throw in pecans. Give the bowl a gentle swirl, not too much or they clump.
Add chopped fresh strawberries next. If frozen, plunge in right from freezer but expect extra moisture. If soggy fruit, pat dry with paper towels first.
In separate bowl whisk melted butter and eggs briskly so nothing lumps.
Pour wet ingredients into dry. Fold with spatula just until no dry patches. Overmix grinds gluten too much; get dense bread instead of light. Batter looks thick with berry chunks suspended, like ruby islands.
Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Use offset spatula to smooth tops — helps even baking. Tap pans gently to remove big air bubbles.
Slide into oven on middle rack. No peeking first 40 minutes or temperature drops, collapse risk.
After about 50 minutes start smelling that nutty, fruity aroma? Good sign. Edges pull away slightly from pan sides, crust golden, and toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs—not soaking wet.
Press top lightly; should spring back, hint of softness but not jiggle. If too soft, give 5-10 more minutes. Oven variations common; visual cues more trustable than timer.
Cool in pans 15 minutes to firm up. Then transfer to wire rack or bottoms stay soggy. Patience, hard to wait but worth it.
Slice with serrated knife, clean cuts require slow sawing. Pecan bits add crunch. Strawberries burst with subtle sweetness and moisture; a balancing act—the honey tames acidity.
Store wrapped airtight at room temp max 3 days, or refrigerate up to a week. Bread dries quickly; toast leftover slices, spread butter or cream cheese.
Substitutions: can swap pecans for walnuts or almonds, same amount. For fat, olive oil works but changes flavor profile, butter adds richness but might brown faster. Maple syrup can replace honey if no honey on hand.
Common pitfalls: overmixing leads to tough crumb. Underbaking yields gummy center—trust senses. Lumping dry ingredients messes with rising, so thorough whisking is key.
Efficiency tip: prep dry ingredients day before, store covered. Saves minutes on busy mornings.
If fresh strawberries scarce, use frozen but drain and pat dry thoroughly to avoid soggy batter. Or toss berries in flour before folding to keep them suspended.

Cooking tips

Step order is crucial. Dry ingredient whisking ensures even distribution of rising agents—baking soda must be homogenous to avoid uneven rise or metallic taste. Adding berries early risks bruising, so careful folding protects their shape and juice pockets. Mixing wet ingredients separately improves emulsion; butter clumps if not melted fully or too cool, slowing blend. Folding: just until you see no dry flour, any more and gluten develops which toughens bread. Spoon batter gently into pans and tap to release air pockets, avoids unwanted crevices. Oven temperature must be reliable; dark pans get hotter; light-colored pans let heat distribute evenly. Visual cues override the timer—the golden crust and aroma signal done earlier in hot ovens, longer in cooler ones. Cooling in pan too long traps steam, making crust soggy. Worth cracking open briefly mid-bake if smell faint—fruit sugars caramelizing create sweet perfume and signal near finish.

Chef's notes

💡 Oven temp crucial here; set to 350F sharp. Use light pans only, dark pans brown too fast; uneven crust mess. Spray pans well, no shortcuts. Batter thick, lumps crush rise. Fold wet to dry gently—overmix kills softness. Watch berries, frozen means more moisture, dry them or flour-coat before folding. Timing counts less than smells and crust pullback. Wait for spring-back press, not jiggle but some softness.
💡 Dry mix first—flour, salt, sugar, honey, baking soda, cinnamon. Whisk thorough or rise uneven, metallic taste sneaks in. Pecans toss in gently, no over-swirl. Wet mix separate bowl melted butter and eggs; lumps kill texture, whisk till smooth. Pour wet into dry, fold just no dry flour visible. Berry chunks look suspended like rubies, no mush. Tap pans before oven to pop out big air bubbles, no holes later.
💡 If fresh berries scarce, frozen work but drain extra moisture; pat dry well. Flour dusting on berries slows sinking, keeps even bursts. Replace pecans with walnuts or almonds same amount, toasted nuts better crunch but watch rancidity—nose check nuts always. Olive oil swap for butter gives longer moist crumb, flavor changes. Maple syrup sub for honey, affects sweetness and moisture. Apple sauce replaces some oil but denser crumb.
💡 Cut sugar, add honey tweak originally; slows caramelization, adds moisture, subtle sweet layer. Butter browns faster than oil, richer flavor but can burn edges if not careful. Eggs bind, overbeating introduces holes, balance whisking speed. Visual cues outrank exact bake time; smell nutty, fruity signals near done, edges pulling from pan next sign. Toothpick comes with moist crumbs, not wet batter. If too soft after time, add 5-10 mins in small increments.
💡 Cooling in pans 15 min firm crust, then wire rack only way or bottoms soggy trap steam. Slice slow, serrated knife best, slow sawing avoids crumb crush. Storage tricky—room temp max 3 days wrapped airtight, fridge extends to week but dries. Toast leftover slices; butter or cream cheese spreads well. Prep dry ingredients day ahead, covered bowl saves morning time but mix wet fresh. Overmix and underbake remain top fail points.

Common questions

Why use light-colored pans always?

Dark pans hot spots risk overbrowning crust too fast. Oven temps bounce; light pans distribute heat more evenly. Better crust control. Don’t skimp on pan prep either; grease and spray needed, prevents sticking and uneven rise.

Can I use frozen strawberries instead fresh?

Yes but extra moisture issue. Pat them dry first. Toss with flour before folding so berries don’t sink bottom. They release water slower frozen though, batter can turn soggy if unchecked. Fresh more consistent but frozen works in pinch.

What if bread is gummy inside?

Underbaked mostly. Check toothpick after 50 mins, moist crumbs okay but no wet batter. If too wet press top lightly, if jiggle too much bake longer. Oven variation big here. Visual and scent cue more reliable than timer alone. Also, don't overmix batter traps air, denser crumb.

How to store leftovers best?

Wrapped airtight room temp max 3 days, use foil or plastic wrap well. Refrigerate extends week but crumb dries faster. Best toasted for moisture back, butter or cream cheese help. Avoid plastic bags loose fits, mold risk or soggy crust from steam.