*The lemon juice provides the acidity needed for the baking soda to leaven and create the desired rise. In a pinch, you could substitute ¾ teaspoon white vinegar. It has a slightly higher pH, so the higher amount should yield similar results.
**The mild flavor of coconut oil complements the strawberries nicely, but another oil of choice may be used. When using coconut oil, bring the cold ingredients to room temperature before mixing so the melted oil doesn’t harden upon contact.
Storage: Store the bread on the counter for up to three days. If you prefer to refrigerate the bread, I recommend toasting, especially if using butter or coconut oil. (These fats re-solidify when chilled, which can make the bread seem dry.) The bread freezes well, too.
For gluten-free loaf: an equivalent amount of cup-for-cup all-purpose blend may be used. For slightly better flavor and texture, however, I prefer a combination of 1½ cups (192g) GF flour and ½ cup (60g) blanched almond flour. (In side-by-side taste tests, some people though this variation was the “regular” loaf.)
For an airier crumb that is less dense than the typical quick bread (like banana or zucchini), you may use 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon baking soda for the leavening. I prefer the denser, moister bread (which still has a good rise), but the option may be preferable to those who enjoy spreading butter or a soft cheese, like mascarpone or cream cheese, on the bread.
More options:
•I have added both blueberries and a diced banana to this loaf when running low on strawberries. I love the addition of the diced banana and this may even be done when using the full amount of berries. Blueberries create more moisture in the loaf, so if you would like to make an all-blueberry loaf, I recommend reducing the amount to 1½ cups.
•You could inject a hint of complementary flavor by adding the zest of one lime or lemon.
•Similarly, you could use almond, hazelnut, or coconut extract. When using an extract other than vanilla, I start low as the flavor tends to be quite concentrated. For this loaf, I’d start with an amount between ½ and 1 teaspoon.