Strawberry Blueberry Loaf Cake

Finish your July 4th feast on the lighter side with Strawberry Blueberry Loaf Cake, full of blueberries and strawberry puree, then topped with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. The perfect dessert for a warm summer’s day. Makes 1 cake.

It should be no surprise that I’m adoring all kinds of fresh berries while the summer months are upon us.

I mean, have a look at these Strawberry Honeysuckle Sparkler, Dairy-Free Blueberry Lemon Crumble Muffins, Blueberry Pecan Feta Salad and Chicken, Strawberry and Apple Summer Salad, all of which I’ve made recently.

Berries are my favorite, and I knew I wanted them to play a part in my July 4th dessert this year.

The question was how to make a recipe that was simple, easy to make in advance and refreshing but not as simple as serving fresh berries in a bowl and calling it a day.

Why I love this recipe:

I found the answer in this ultra-moist berry loaf cake, which is dairy free. (High-five for dairy free desserts!)

This homemade loaf cake is incredibly simple to make, which is a massive win, and it’s colorful, which makes it perfect for a patriotic gathering.

Then I went and served with sweetened whipped cream.

If you’re avoiding dairy products, I suggest chilling a can of coconut cream and whipping it up to make whipped coconut cream. Use the same technique and add the powdered sugar, and you’ll be set.

You could also consider this a strawberry blueberry bread, if you’d prefer. Because it is similar to many of the quick bread recipes I’ve got on this site.

Other recipes we adore for July 4 and summertime: Spinach and Feta Burgers / No Mayo Potato Salad / Greek Bruschetta / Blackberry Ginger Lemon Tea / Patriotic Strawberry Bruschetta | Spicy Baked Beans with Bacon

Need some more July 4 inspiration? Head on over to my Patriotic Recipe Index for more ideas.

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Loaf pan
• Blender
• Hand mixer

Here’s what you need:

• Fresh blueberries — we want these to be bursting with flavor, so give ’em a taste before you toss them in!
• Eggs — I like to use large eggs from the grocery store.
• Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this is the sweetener we’re using in our cake. There is no substitute.
• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk — you can also use any other kind of milk, so long as it’s not sweetened.
• Extra virgin olive oil — or another neutral-tasting oil
• Pure vanilla extract — the real deal stuff is where it’s at and really brings the flavors together. It’s worth the splurge!
• All-purpose flour — also known as AP flour. I have not tried this recipe with gluten free flour blends.
• Baking powder — this is our leavener. Make sure yours is fresh! This is not the same thing as baking soda.
• Kosher salt — a medium-grain kosher salt is my go-to salt. You can use a similarly sized sea salt.
• Strawberries — you can use fresh or frozen to make the puree for this loaf cake. Make sure they’re nice and sweet!
• Sweetened Whipped Cream — this is an excellent topping for the cake. If you need a dairy free whipped cream, check out this recipe!
• Additional berries — for garnish! They add extra color, too.

Variations on this treat:

Add nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch.

Swap out the berries. Raspberries and blackberries would add excellent color to this berry bread.

Add some zest. Lemon zest or orange zest would add a nice pop to this baked treat!

How to make a Berry Loaf Cake

Make the strawberry pure. Combine the strawberries with sugar in a blender. Blend until smooth, and set aside.

Toss the blueberries in flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

Preheat the oven. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray. Create a parchment paper sling. Set aside.

Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Whisk, and set aside. These are your dry ingredients.

Combine the egg and sugar in a separate bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or a whisk until smooth.

Pour the rest of the wet ingredients into the egg-sugar mixture. This includes the almond milk, oil and vanilla extract. Mix until well-incorporated.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them together until just combined.

Pour the strawberry puree into the batter. Gently swirl it in.

Add the blueberries, folding into the batter until combined.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean. Mine took closer to 1.5 hours.

Let the pound cake cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving with homemade whipped cream and additional berries. Enjoy!

Quick tips and tricks to the best loaf cake:

• Don’t rush it. This strawberry loaf cake needs ample time to bake. You don’t want yours to be half baked or gooey on the inside.
• Freeze it! This loaf freezes beautifully, so wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Defrost in the fridge.
• Give it time to cool completely before slicing!
• Serve it with your favorite berries. We chose more strawberries and blueberries, since those are featured in the cake, but you could easily add other fruits to the table, too.
• Don’t forget the whipped cream… or vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling extra decadent!

More patriotic desserts to try:

• 40+ 4th of July Desserts
• Strawberry and Blueberry Hand Pies
• Sweet Strawberry Bruschetta with Almond Pudding and Lemon Curd
• All-Butter Tea Cake Cookies (cut them into stars and decorate with red, white and blue sugar cookie icing!)

Here’s how I made this dessert:

Strawberry Blueberry Loaf Cake

Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate

Finish your July 4th feast on the lighter side with Strawberry Blueberry Loaf Cake, full of blueberries and strawberry puree, then topped with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. The perfect dessert for a warm summer's day.

4.29 from 7 votes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 8 slices

Calories 248 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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Strawberry Puree

• 1 cup strawberries blended
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Pound Cake

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or any other kind of milk
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Blueberries and Strawberries sliced

Equipment

• Blender
• Loaf pan (8.5″ x 4.5″ x 3″)
• 100% avocado oil spray
• Glass bowl set
• Wire whisk
• Hand mixer

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Instructions

 

Make the strawberry puree

• In a blender, combine the strawberries and the sugar. Blend smooth. Set aside.

Make the pound cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, and set aside.
• Toss the blueberries in a tablespoon of flour. Set aside.
• Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. These are the dry ingredients. Whisk until incorporated. Set aside.
• Add the egg and sugar into a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend until very smooth and fluffy.
• Pour in the almond milk, olive oil and the vanilla extract into the egg-sugar mixture, beating until well incorporated.
• Sprinkle the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, folding them into the batter until smooth.
• Pour the strawberry puree into the batter, gently stirring it into the batter until combined.
• Fold the blueberries into the batter gently with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for an hour, then insert a knife or a toothpick to check the doneness. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, if necessary. (Mine took closer to 1 hour 30 minutes, so keep an eye on it and watch the cake so that the top does not burn.)
• Let the loaf cake cool completely.
• Slice the cake. Serve with a dollop of homemade or store-bought whipped cream and fresh berries sprinkled on top.

Notes

To make this recipe completely dairy free, whip cold coconut cream with a hand mixer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 150mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22g

Keyword baking recipe, berry cake, blueberries, cake, dairy free, dairy free dessert, dessert, fruit-filled cake, July 4 dessert, July 4 recipe, loaf cake, pound cake, pound cake recipe, strawberries

Course Desserts & Sweet Treats

Cuisine American

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