Strawberry Tea Bread

This is a great summer recipe when fresh strawberries are plentiful. I especially like the almond flavour. It freezes well so I often bake several to have in the fall and winter.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3  cups strawberries, coarsely chopped
• 1  cup  chopped  almonds
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  grated nutmeg
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. In a bowl, gently toss together the strawberries, almonds and 1/4 cup of the flour; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy; beat in the eggs, one at a time.
3. Beat in the almond extract.
4. Stir together the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, making three additions of the flour mixture and two of buttermilk.
5. Gently fold in the strawberry mixture.
6. Spoon into 2 greased and floured 8x4-inch loaf pans.
7. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. Let cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the pans; let cool completely in racks.