Soft Strawberry Loaf with Vanilla Icing

• total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour

150 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

120 milliliters (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

240 milliliters (1 cup) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250 grams (about 2 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

100 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar (for icing)

2 tablespoons milk (for icing)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)

Directions

Preheat the oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and flour a loaf pan (approximately 9x5 inches) or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Prepare the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well blended.

Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.

Fold in the strawberries: Gently fold the chopped strawberries into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed without breaking them down too much.

Bake the loaf: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

Cool the loaf: Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the vanilla icing: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if needed; it should be pourable but not too runny.

Ice the loaf: Once the loaf has cooled completely, drizzle the vanilla icing over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides for a beautiful finish.