Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread

I've loved strawberries ever since I was a kid. Strawberries with a sprinkle of sugar or strawberries with cream and sugar, there was just nothing like it. But, strangely enough, I had never heard of chocolate covered strawberries. Then, one day, we went to a bakery and there they were, these bright red strawberries dressed in little dark and white chocolate tuxedos. We picked up a few to try and brought them home. I stared at them eagerly before finally taking a bite. And . . . I didn't like it. The combo just seemed a little odd to me.

Fast forward to the present and my tastes in food have clearly changed because I now love the combination of chocolate and strawberry. How two contrasting flavors can meld together so well is beyond me. That's why I knew I'd love this Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread as soon as I saw it on Sweet Pea's Kitchen.


The bread was exactly as I imagined it would be. It was popping with flavor and every bite tasted just like sweet chocolate covered strawberries. It's definitely best when eaten straight from the oven and the chocolate chips are still gooey and melty and the pieces of strawberry are warm and juicy. Oohhh, it's a bread that will leave you begging for more.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread (from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

2 c. fresh strawberries
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. vegetable oiil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or three mini loaf pans.

Puree 1 cup of strawberries in a blender. Transfer to a medium bowl. Dice remaining 1 cup of strawberries and place in the bowl with the puree. Sprinkle with 3/4 c. sugar and set aside.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla to the strawberry mixture and stir to combine. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into loaf pan(s) and smooth surface with a rubber spatula.

Bake until top is golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45-50 min. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 min. Turn out onto the wire rack and cool complete.

Notes:
1. I made half a batch and got 1 mini loaf and 8 mini muffins.
2. I tossed the chocolate chips with a little flour before adding them so they wouldn't sink.

This recipe is linked to:
Tuesday Night Supper Club
My Meatless Monday
Just Another Meatless Monday
Tasty Tuesday
A Little Birdie Told Me
These Chicks Cooked
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
Made it on Monday
Full Plate Thursday
Whisking Wednesday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Friday's Potluck
Fit and Fabulous Fridays
Sweet Indulgences Sunday
Themed Bakers' Sunday