Strawberry Loaf Cake

Celebrate the spring season with our Strawberry Loaf Cake!

This deliciously healthful treat is perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Packed with fresh, sweet strawberries and delicate textures, this classic loaf cake is made even healthier with oat and almond flour, which boosts fiber and protein. Sweetened with a banana, honey, or maple syrup, this cake is free of refined sugar and packed with antioxidants and prebiotics.

To keep it moist and flavorful, we’ve added yogurt, which is rich in heart-healthy and gut-supporting fats. And, because the cake is made with peak-season berries, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of peak taste and peak antioxidants, including powerful flavonoids that have been shown to fight cancer. With every bite, you’ll savor the essence of springtime!

**IMPORTANT: Always opt for organic berries, especially strawberries, which are among the most pesticide-contaminated foods. Buying them during peak season (spring/summer) not only saves you money but also provides richer flavor and nutrient content. To clean your berries, fill a bowl with cold water and ¼ tsp vinegar, place them in a colander in the bowl, gently move them around, lift the colander to remove the berries from the water, and dry them on a kitchen towel.

Strawberry Loaf Cake

Ingredients

• ½ banana, ripe, mashed
• 2 eggs or 2 chia eggs (2 tablespoons of chia seeds mixed with 6 tablespoons water, whisk, and let sit for 10 minutes until chia has fully gelled)
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (dairy or plant-based)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp oil (avocado, olive oil, or sunflower)
• 1 ½ cups oat flour or 2 cups old-fashioned oats ground up in a blender or food processor to make oat flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, diced (**always buy organic. And while fresh berries are preferred, you can also use frozen berries that have been thawed and drained.)
• 4-5 strawberries sliced
• Garnish with fresh mint or basil, yogurt, and sliced strawberries.

(Variation: Substitute 1.5 cups blueberries for the strawberries, and use 2 TBS freshly grated ginger instead of cinnamon.)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan.
2. Add the mashed banana, eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, vanilla, and oil to a bowl and whisk together until well combined.
3. Add the oat flour, almond flour, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, and cinnamon to the wet mixture and fold it into the wet ingredients.
4. Fold in the diced strawberries.
5. Pour batter into a loaf pan and smooth top with a spatula, and top with sliced strawberries.
6. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and the tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
7. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then carefully flip out of the pan onto a wire rack to completely cool.
8. When completely cooled, garnish with fresh herbs, yogurt, and sliced strawberries, and enjoy.

Nutrition 

Strawberries: Extremely nutrient dense. Contain high amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  They are packed full of antioxidants for immune-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidant anthocyanin can repair DNA damage to protect against aging and cancer, and increase overall circulation. Berries are excellent brain food–improving our overall brain function, boosting our mood, and strengthening our memory.

Maple Syrup: A sweetener that is an unexpected source of essential minerals for bone health. with more nutrient value than regular table sugar. This means that it will raise blood sugar slower than regular sugar. It also contains polyphenols to reduce inflammation and support a healthy immune system. The darker the maple syrup, the higher the level of antioxidants. Note: Be sure to read the food label when shopping for maple syrup carefully. Many stores sell “maple-flavored syrups,” which are higher in refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup.

Bananas: The riper the banana, the more nutrients, so make sure to eat them when they are yellow, not green. Bananas are high in magnesium and potassium to help with muscle recovery, increase blood circulation and build lean muscle.  They have been shown to increase serotonin–“the happy hormone”–production. Bananas reduce bloat and support a robust digestive system by being food (pre-biotic) for our good bacteria.

Eggs: It is essential to buy pasture-raised or cage-free eggs–they have a different nutrient profile than eggs from caged hens. These eggs are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids to lower inflammation, and maintain brain functioning and vision, along with being a natural source of vitamin D for strong bones and immune support.

Yogurt:  The live bacteria in yogurt make this food a probiotic. Diversifying and increasing the good bacteria in our gut can strengthen your immune system, improve your mood, heal digestive disorders, and boost overall health. The fermentation of bacteria breaks down the lactose in the milk into lactic acid, making it easier to digest, especially for people who are lactose intolerant.

Almond Flour:  Packed full of heart-healthy fats that help raise the level of our good cholesterol. Also packed full of plant-based protein, fiber, and antioxidants.  They are rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps support the integrity of our nerves, muscles and bones, while balancing our blood sugar and blood pressure.

Oats/Oat Flour:  Full of soluble fiber (beta-glucan), which has been shown to slow digestion, increase satiety, and bind to cholesterol to excrete it from the body. Oats also have plant chemicals that act as antioxidants to reduce the damaging effects of chronic inflammation.