Warm strawberry goodness sounds pretty good right about now! A friend suggested I share this recipe with y’all again – just in case you’d missed it the first time (2 years ago)! I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on this one, it makes Winter a little more “bearable” by giving you a taste of Spring – something we could all use right about now!   😉 Â
This is some of the moistest, most amazing Strawberry Bread you will ever eat. Smothered with a Cream Cheese spread, it is a little slice of Heaven – and you don’t even have to use fresh strawberries to make it! Good eats at any time of day – breakfast, snack, dessert – doesn’t matter! Just be sure to stash it where it’s not in open view when you are not around – otherwise it will be all gone when you come back for seconds!! 😉Â
Very easy to make with only a few ingredients required, and about an hour of your time, makes this a quick and scrumptous treat!
Shady’s Southern Strawberry Bread
*Makes 2 Loaves
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees
2 sticks butter
1Â 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs – lightly beaten
1 cup strawberry jam or preserves
1 cup sour cream
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
Line 2 loaf pans with wax paper and set aside. You can trim the paper down to fit the pans better – just make sure that you leave enough “overhang” to be able to grasp and  lift the loafs out of the pans when they are done!
In a large mixing bowl, cream your butter, sugar and eggs together.
In second mixing bowl, fold sour cream into jam.
In third mixing bowl sift flour, baking soda and cream of tartar together.
Now, add the flour mixture  ( 1/3rd at a time)  to the butter mixture while alternating with the jam mixture while mixing on LOW speed.
Now fold in the lemon extract and the vanilla with a spoon.
Pour into wax paper lined loaf pans – dividing batter evenly between pans, and place in preheated oven at 325 degrees on middle rack of oven. Bake for 1 hour. (Don’t worry – the wax paper WON”T burn, and it IS necessary for the success of this bread)Â Â
While bread is baking make Cream Cheese Spread – if desired:
Cream Cheese Spread
1 pkg (8 oz.) softened cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
 1/2 cup powdered sugar (can up this to 3/4 cup if sweeter, thicker spread desired)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Mix all together on Med-High speed until well blended. Place in fridge until ready to use. (Please forgive my stained bowl – it’s around 17 years old and has been well-used) 🙂Â
Now – when baking time is done, insert a toothpick into the centers of the loaves and check for doneness – it will come out clean when they are done. Remove loaves from oven, set pans on trivets or wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then lift loaves out of pan by wax paper.
Peel off wax paper, slice loaves into hunks about 1/2 to 1 inch thick, spread with Cream Cheese spread (if desired – if not butter or plain is yummy too)!!
However – BEWARE – a hand will “magically” appear and snatch the first plate of strawberry goodness away before you even get done plating it all up!!
Guard the rest of the loaf wisely young grasshopper, guard it wisely!!!!
Enjoy!! 🙂Â
Shady
 
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