There are few foods more simply delicious than fresh, sweet summer berries. As we all know, I’ve been known to eat them by the pound. Daily.

I never thought to bake with fresh berries until this morning, when a container of perfectly ripe ones were staring back at me from inside the fridge.  Rather than stuff them into my mouth by the handful, I decided to try something new and came up with this quick summery bread.

Summer Berry Bread
makes two loaves


Ingredients

  • 3 1/8 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups honey
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 cups chopped berries (I used strawberries and blueberries)
Preheat oven to 350*F. Begin by combining flour, cinnamon and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, honey and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry and stir until well combined. Fold in nuts and berries. Pour batter into two 9×15 pans prepared with non-stick spray. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This loaf is moist, slightly nutty and full of a subtle honey flavor. Cooking the berries makes them extra sweet, giving each bite an almost jam-like taste.
The whole-grains make the bread more satisfying than most, so it’s perfect for breakfast, snacks, and, yes, dessert.
I had a big slice as a sweet ending to lunch. Okay, two. Is there anything better than sweet, freshly baked carbs? Enjoy!
What’s your favorite kind of quick bread? Have you ever tried baking with fresh fruit instead of dried?