Ovenly: Strawberry Basil Loaf

Owners Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin left their college degrees and 9-5 jobs behind to follow their passion for baking. They met at a food-focused book club and the rest is history. Their recipes come from Erin’s grandmother’s rich baking history and Agatha’s upbringing. Combined you’re getting rich, historic recipes that have been passed down and perfected. Two fantastic treats that they are known for are the Salted Peanut Butter and the Salted Chocolate Chip (secretly vegan).

The Strawberry Basil Loaf is great for a summer-time cheat. It goes well with coffee in the morning or as dessert after dinner. This recipe was extremely easy and essentially foolproof … which works great for us. We loved the fruity strawberry flavor that was nestled throughout the moist, doughy bread. You can find this recipe in the book Ovenly by Agatha Kulaga & Erin Patinkin.

Recipe

Note: you’ll need 1 9×5 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

Softened unsalted butter, canola oil or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the loaf pan

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup (the darker the better; we use Grade B)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Zest of 1 lemon

1 1/4 cups chopped fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Liberally grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with softened butter, canola oil or nonstick cooking spray. 

2. In a small saucepan over low heat (or in a small bowl, microwave-safe bowl in a microwave oven), melt the butter and set aside to cool. 

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, all sugars, maple syrup, eggs and melted butter until well blended. 

4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups of the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. 

5. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and the strawberries to coat. 

6. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until almost combined. Gently fold the strawberries and basil until just coated. 

7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 

8. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing.