Strawberry Swirl Loaf Recipe: Soft, Fruity Quick Bread

Strawberry Swirl Bread is a playful take on classic sweet rolls. Sweet strawberry preserves and fresh chopped strawberries are layered into soft yeast dough, twisted into a swirl, then baked until golden. A simple creamy icing finishes it—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert.

This loaf is essentially the same concept as sweet rolls but shaped and sliced like a round loaf. It’s baked in a cast iron skillet and served in wedge-shaped slices, making it look a bit like a fruit-filled coffee cake. The end result is a soft, tender bread with pockets of jammy strawberry and bright fresh fruit.

Note: the process is simple but can get a bit messy as the preserves and chopped strawberries are tucked into the dough. Embrace the goo—this bread is worth the sticky fingers.

The recipe uses thawed Rhodes frozen dough for convenience; it delivers a homemade texture without all the effort. You can use one loaf of Rhodes White Bread dough or swap in 12 Rhodes White Dinner Rolls stretched and joined together to form a rectangle.

All you need beyond the dough are natural strawberry preserves and fresh strawberries, plus a little powdered sugar and cream for the icing.

How to Make Strawberry Swirl Bread

Follow these step-by-step directions for shaping and baking the swirl loaf. The steps are arranged to match the photos for easy reference.

1. Thaw one loaf of Rhodes dough according to package directions. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle about 16×20 inches. Spread ¾ cup natural strawberry preserves evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Sprinkle 1½ cups chopped fresh strawberries over the preserves.
2. Starting at one long edge, roll the dough up a little over halfway to form a long roll.
3. Lift the opposite long edge and fold it over the rolled section so the fruit stays inside, then pinch the seam to seal.
4. Place the roll seam-side down and cut it in half lengthwise, leaving 2–3 inches intact on one end so the two strips remain joined at that point.
5. With the cut sides facing up, carefully twist the two strands around each other to form a braided-looking swirl. This step can be messy—work gently and don’t worry about stray berries.
6. Bring the ends together to form a circle and place the ring in a 10-inch cast iron skillet coated with cooking spray. Pinch the ends to seal and tuck any loose strawberries back into the loaf.

Cover the skillet with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Bake the loaf for 35–45 minutes, loosely tenting with foil after 25–30 minutes if the top is browning too quickly. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the dough springs back when gently pressed.

Allow the bread to cool for 10–15 minutes. Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons heavy cream until smooth to make a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle the icing over the warm loaf, slice into wedges, and serve. Leftovers store covered at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or two.

My family devoured this whole loaf in one sitting—bright, fruity, and irresistibly soft. If you enjoy quick, semi-homemade breads, this one’s a winner.

If you like this sweet bread, try these other fruit-forward breakfast treats:

• Lemon Strawberry Sweet Rolls
• Vanilla Strawberry Monkey Bread
• Raspberry Breakfast Braid
• Raspberry Lemon Rolls
• Valentine’s Day Raspberry Rolls

Strawberry Swirl Bread

Created by Amber Brady

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Rise Time 1 hr

Total: 2 hrs

Sweet strawberry preserves and chunks of fresh strawberries are twisted inside soft yeast bread, baked until golden, and finished with a simple icing.

Yields8 servings

Ingredients

Bread:

• 1 loaf Rhodes White Bread, thawed*
• ¾ cup natural strawberry preserves
• 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, chopped

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream

Equipment

• 10-inch cast iron skillet
• Rolling pin or hands to shape the dough

Instructions

 

• Place frozen dough on a greased baking sheet. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and thaw and rise about 4–5 hours or thaw overnight in the refrigerator following package instructions.
• Spray a 10-inch cast iron pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• Roll the thawed dough into a 16×20-inch rectangle. Spread preserves leaving a ½-inch border, then sprinkle with chopped strawberries.
• Roll the dough from one long side just over halfway, then fold the opposite long side over the rolled section and pinch the seam. Place seam-side down and cut lengthwise, leaving 2–3 inches intact on one end.
• Twist the two pieces together with the cut sides up. Bring the ends together to form a circle and place in the prepared skillet. Pinch ends to seal and tuck in any loose strawberries.
• Cover the dough with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake 35–45 minutes, tenting with foil after 25–30 minutes if the top browns too fast. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the dough springs back when touched.
• Cool for 10–15 minutes. Whisk together powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth, then drizzle over the warm loaf. Slice and serve.

Notes

Store leftovers covered or in an airtight container at room temperature.

You may substitute 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls in place of the loaf.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 183 kcal | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 2 g

Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.

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