This recipe for Morning Berry Bread is a great way to use leftover fruit, and it is refined sugar free! Maple syrup sweetens the bread, and sour cream and the juices from the fruit keep the bread moist and tender.
Morning Berry Bread
I was watching the Food Network one fine Saturday morning and The Pioneer Woman was making bread using leftover bananas and peaches. How is it that I never thought of taking leftover, about to be thrown away fruit and put it into a morning bread? Genius!
I call it Morning Bread only because it is light enough to eat for breakfast, and it pairs well with a good cup of coffee. But I did eat this bread for breakfast, an afternoon snack, and dessert.
I opted to lighten up the original recipe a bit by using maple syrup instead of sugar and a couple tablespoons less butter. It is still a rich, moist bread full of flavor. The blend of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries was quite an explosion of tartness and sweetness, cushioned in a soft, almost cake-like bread. I’m going to make some more tomorrow morning … but I digress …
Making this bread is really pretty simple – no mixer needed. Plus it is pretty versatile. Add whatever fruits you may have on hand – I love the idea of peaches with a teaspoon of cinnamon for the next round. Or strawberry and banana. How about cherries and blueberries. So many options.
I would, however, not recommend any type of melon or citrus because of the consistency and texture when they are cooked – they tend to turn to mush.
The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to bake.
Tips For Making Morning Breakfast Bread
- Let the egg sit at room temperature for about 10 – 20 minutes.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly. Don’t wait too long or it will start to solidify again.
- Toss the fruit with 2 tablespoons of flour before adding to the batter. The flour coating helps to keep the fruit ‘floating’ in the bread and not settle to the bottom.
- I use a serrated knife to slice the bread so the bread doesn’t break up or fall apart when you are cutting it into individual pieces.
- Want a warm slice of bread? Go for it – and why not add a pat of butter on top too. Reheat slices for about 20 seconds in the microwave.
I hope you enjoy this recipe – now I’m off to see what may be sitting in my refrigerator crisper to use for tomorrow …
Morning Berry Bread
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or 2/3 cup granulated sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus 2 tablespoons to coat the fruit)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups fresh or frozen berries (or any fruit of your choice)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper long enough to overhang on the sides of the pan.
- In a small bowl, toss the fruit with 2 tablespoons of fruit to coat it. This keeps the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the bread. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the maple syrup and egg. Whisk until the egg is well beaten and incorporated. Add the sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 1/2 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sift or sprinkle the flour, salt, and baking soda over the top of the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Add the fruit and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 cups fresh or frozen berries
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Cool the bread in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then carefully lift the bread out of the pan with the parchment overhang, and cool on the rack completely.
- The bread can be covered and stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
RECIPE NOTES
- Fruit – Any fruit, including frozen, will work in this recipe.
- Sweetener – I like maple syrup because it adds a buttery, caramel flavor. However, you can swap the maple syrup with 2/3 cup of granulated sugar.
- Storing and Freezing – The bread can be stored covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. To freeze, wrap baked and cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature to serve.
- Adapted Recipe – I adapted and modified this recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
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