Strawberry Loaf Cake

Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits to use in baking and for eating. This strawberry loaf cake is sweet and tart, perfect for tea time or you can serve it with whipped cream and berries as a dessert. Fresh and freeze dried strawberries are used to flavor this cake. The freeze dried strawberries also add a beautiful hue to this incredibly simple but flavorful cake. It's finished with an elderflower syrup glaze, but a simple lemon or strawberry glaze will also work. Elderflower has a subtle floral note which works really well with strawberries and it adds a touch of tanginess to balance the sweetness from the confectioner's sugar.

Strawberry Loaf Cake

adapted from Ina Garten

• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup freeze dried strawberries, pulverized
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk greek style strawberry yoghurt or plain greek style yoghurt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup strawberry puree

To make the strawberry puree, take a generous 1/2 cup of cut strawberries and place in a blender and blend until smooth. If the puree is short of 1/3 cup, add milk or water to make up 1/3 cup. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together. In a medium sized bowl, combine the eggs, yoghurt, vanilla extract, oil and strawberry puree.

Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and whisk until ingredients are incorporated. Pour into a parchment paper lined 8.5 x 4.25 x 2.5 loaf pan. Bake in 350F oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Place on a baking rack and cool completely.

Elderflower glaze

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 tbsp Elderflower syrup, lemon juice, or strawberry puree

Whisk all the ingredients together and pour over the cooled cake. Happy Spring!