Strawberry Cucumber Loaf

I’m not sure it counts as a serious choice, but my favourite vegetable is the cucumber.

It has the perfect amount of crunch.  Works great in just about any salad in existance.  Works as a stand alone salad (every German mama worth her weight in salt makes a mean Cucumber Salad) We want it on every crudités platter.  Cold soup, even grilled.  And these days it is completely portable, wrapped in its own skin.  There was a time when the only cucumbers available, were the garden variety with such a tough outer skin, and often the inside could be just a shade bitter.  But then again, these were great for pickles!  When English cucumbers hit the grocery scene here in North America, it was like the clouds parted, and a new day dawned!  And these days with all the little Persian cucumbers available, you will often find me snacking on whole ones while I’m working around the house.

While I’ve always sensed a slight sweetness to cucumbers, I will admit that I never thought of baking with them.  So when I first came across a recipe in a 2017 issue of Bake From Scratch, that used cucumber in a sweet quick bread, I was floored.  But of course, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  Cucumbers and zucchini have so many of the same properties.  We’ve been baking with zucchini forever.  So why should cucumbers miss out on all the fun?!  I’ve made it regularly since then, and fall in love with it more with each passing year.  Cucumbers are always available, and so are strawberries, thanks to Ontario greenhouse strawberries that can be purchased all throughout the year.  Having said that, this recipe definitely sings summer!!  So light and fresh.  It’s just a happy little loaf!

In the recipe, grated and drained cucumber is added to a lovely light batter, which also has fresh sliced strawberries strewn throughout.  The flavour of the cake/loaf is the perfect sweetness.  Of course, the sweetness is helped along with a layer of preserves.  The original recipe uses strawberry preserves.  But before I decided to pop out and pick some up, or make a batch, I checked the fridge.  And yes, there was a jar of Spicy Rhubarb Compote waiting to be used up.  This would be perfect in this recipe- come on, strawberries are already accounted for, just go all out and finish the flavour pairing with the rhubarb.  But of course, you can use strawberry preserves, even a combo of jams that may be sitting at the bottom of a few jars in the fridge.

The key to the success of this recipe is the draining of the cucumber.  I find that I always seem to use between 1 1/2 and 2 English cucumbers to get the final 2 cups of drained, grated cucumber. I cut them in half crosswise, and then lengthwise.  Then I take a grapefruit spoon and scrape out the seeds.  Using the smallest holes on my box grater, I grate them into a clean green tea towel (yes, I’m geeky enough to choose a colour the same shade as the veggie!) After a couple of sections of cucumber have been grated, I fold up the towel around the mound of grated flesh and twist and twist and twist.  Don’t be gentle here, get all those juices out. Do this over a bowl to capture all the juice.  That juice is pure emerald gold!  Into smoothies, or cocktails, or even soups!  I freeze it as ice cubes to put into gin and tonics!

And also, I may take one or two sections of the cucumber and grate them on the larger holes.  Just for some texture and visual interest when you slice into the finished loaf.  Bits of the skin make it into the grated mass, and it is so lovely to see that bright green flecking the finished slices.  The other hint of green that I add is in the form of pistachios!  Yep.  Crunch and texture upped ever so perfectly with those bright green nuts.

Half the batter is poured into the prepared loaf pan.  This gets topped with the preserves.  Then the rest of the batter.  And to top it all off, a layer of sliced berries on top.

I didn’t adjust the baking temperature from the one found in that Spring issue of Bake.  This loaf gets baked at 325F.  This isn’t typical for most baking.  But who was I to question this recipe?  I have found that the baking time is longer than they state though.  They say it should take between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes.  I have never gone less than 1 hour and 30 minutes.  But every oven is different.  So I will include all the timing in the recipe below.  In the end, the loaf always bakes up perfectly.  Tender, moist, not over-baked in spots while waiting for the middle to finish firming up.  I’m sure that the lower temperature helps in not drying out the rest of the loaf while the centre finishes baking.

I’ve given this loaf to friends to test out.  Everyone gives it a hearty two thumbs up.  One friend says that the next day it is even better, and has slices with peanut butter for breakfast.  She figures, since the jam is already there, why not just finish it off and add the peanut butter?!   So yes, this is a great treat for breakfast, or as a lovely slice with some ice tea in the afternoon.

I hope you try this recipe.  It may be the first time you are seeing cucumber being used this way.  But once you try it, it will become a staple in your kitchen, I promise!  Happy Summer 😀

Love Jen

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Strawberry Cucumber Loaf

A tender, light, perfectly sweet quickbread, with fresh strawberries and grated cucumber in the batter.  Some pistachios for crunch, a thick and spicy rhubarb compote layer inside and sliced berries on top make this a perfect loaf to celebrate Summer!

Course Baking

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 12

Ingredients

Spicy Rhubarb Compote

• 1 pound (450 grams) rhubarb stalks, leaves removed
• 2 inch (5cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
• 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup (250 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 whole star anise
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 lemon juiced about 3 tbsp

Strawberry Cucumber Loaf

• 1/2 cup rhubarb compote , can use strawberry preserves
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup clarified butter or ghee, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups (250 grams) AP flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups (250 grams) grated and very well drained cucumber , using a tea towel. Use the finer holes of a box grater. I find that you will need up to 2 full english cucumbers to achieve this amount.
• 1/2 cup (57 grams) chopped pistachios
• 1/2 cup (85 grams) sliced strawberries, divided

Instructions

Rhubarb Compote

1. Chop the rhubarb into 1/2 pieces and place them in a non-reactive pot (stainless steel)
2. Use the tip of a knife to spit open the vanilla bean, and the back of the knife to scrape out the seeds.
3. Add the the ginger, vanilla seeds and the seed pod, the sugar, star anise and cloves into the pot as well.
4. Finally add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it sit for about 2 hours at room temperature. After this rest, the rhubarb should be quite juicy.
5. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
6. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking and scorching on the bottom. Use a rubber spatula.
7. Keep cooking till thickened and jammy (or thickened to the consistency you would like), 10-15 minutes.
8. Remove the star anise and the vanilla pod (if you didn't use extract)
9. Let the rhubarb cool before storing in containers.
10. This recipe makes about 3 cups, depending on how much you cook it down. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month, or if placed into correct containers, frozen for a few months. You can use this on ice cream, yogurt, in smoothies, on toast etc.

Strawberry Cucumber Loaf

1. Combine 1/2 cup of the Rhubarb Compote with the cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat till slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 325F and prepare a loaf a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and parchment paper draped over the longest sides and bottom, with an overhang you can use to pull the cooled loaf out afterwards.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the clarified butter and sugar till pale and and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides each time.
5. Beat in the extracts.
6. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
7. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture, beating till just combined.
8. Stir in the well drained cucumbers and pistachios. Gently fold in 1/4 cup of the sliced strawberries.
9. Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
10. Top with the rhubarb compote mixture. Pour the final amount of batter on top.
11. Scatter the final 1/4 cup of sliced berries over the top of the loaf.
12. Place the pan onto a baking sheet and place on the centre rack of the oven.

13. Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes or so. Depending on your oven, and how well drained the cucumbers were, this can take anywhere between 1 hour and 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Start checking after the first hour.

14. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes
15. Remove from the pan and continue cooling on a wire rack.
16. Wrap and store at room temperature for up to one week.

Recipe Notes

You can replace the rhubarb compote with 1/2 cup strawberry preserves.

The original recipe states that the baking time should take between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes. I find that it does take longer. But in the end, the outer sections do not over-bake while waiting for the centre to firm up, so this is good.

Save the juices from squeezing the cucumber for smoothies, soups or even ice cubes.

The finished loaf also freezes very well.