Gluten Free Strawberry Loaf Cake with Vanilla Glaze

More of a dessert or breakfast sweet treat than my gluten free strawberry rhubarb bread or gluten free banana strawberry bread, this pretty strawberry loaf cake is naturally gluten-free. A simple blend of oat and almond flours creates a soft, tender crumb that's swirled with chopped fresh strawberries and finished with a thick vanilla glaze.

This is the kind of quick bread that celebrates its season - in this case, fresh strawberry season! I love nibbling on slices of cake on a warm summer morning and listening to the birds while I sip my coffee. Try an easy lemon glaze or maple glaze instead of the vanilla topping for a different take.

Why I Love This Pretty Loaf Cake

• Super strawberry-y. Rely on fresh, chopped strawberries to infuse this quick bread with so much fruit flavor! There are enough strawberries so you will really be able to taste them.
• Just sweet enough. Yes, this qualifies as dessert, especially thanks to that luscious glaze on top. But it's not overly sweet, and is balanced by the slight tanginess of buttermilk. Yum!
• Perfect for summer. The summer season is the time to lean into seasonal produce like berries, and it's also the time to make rustic, unfussy bakes. This strawberry loaf cake provides the best of both - lots of summer fruit and an easy method.

Ingredients Needed

Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour or pick up a package (certified gluten-free if necessary) at the store. Substitute brown rice flour if you can't eat oats.
• Almond - Use finely ground almond flour. Swap another gluten-free flour if you don't eat nuts.
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
• Strawberries
• Butter - Use unsalted butter.
• Eggs - Use large or medium-sized eggs.
• Buttermilk - Make a DIY buttermilk if needed by mixing 1 cup of buttermilk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and letting it sit for 10 minutes.
• Glaze - Powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Can I use frozen strawberries? I often say that fresh or frozen berries can be used interchangeably in my recipes (for example, my gluten free berry cake works great with either). But in this loaf cake, I don't recommend frozen strawberries. As they bake and thaw, they will release too much moisture into the batter. Use fresh strawberries here!
• Brown the butter. For extra depth of flavor, brown the butter first: Melt the butter in a pot set over medium-low heat and cook, swirling the pan, until it is slightly browned and smells nutty, about 5-7 minutes.
• Dairy-free. Easily make this recipe dairy-free by swapping dairy-free butter or coconut oil for the butter. Make a dairy-free buttermilk by mixing 1 cup dairy-free milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar, letting it sit for 10 minutes, then measuring out the amount called for in the recipe.
• Add rhubarb. Make a delectable strawberry-rhubarb loaf cake by substituting 1 cup of chopped strawberries for chopped rhubarb.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Cover the strawberry loaf with foil, or place it in a sealable bag, and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge - Place the wrapped bread in the fridge or transfer it to an airtight container or sealable bag and store it for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can eat it straight from the fridge or let it sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften slightly.
• Freezer - Wrap individual slices of cake in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe, sealable bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Or, wrap the whole loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.