Summer Fresh Strawberry Bread

This is one of those treasured recipes I only make a few times a year when I have fresh strawberries. It has a meringue folded in so it has a few steps to it, but it's worth it! It's a scrumptious bread-perfect for tea or a light summer dessert. For some extra berry flavor, try it with a little strawberry butter.



1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
2 egg yolks (save whites)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh diced strawberries

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar and almond flavoring; mix well. Beat in the 2 egg yolks and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients alternatley with the strawberries to the butter mixture. Stir gently just until combined. Now, in a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff, not dry, peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter. Spread into a greased and wax paper lined 8x4 baking pan. Bake at 350 for about an hour.