1. Prep the oven and pan

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line your loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

2. Mix the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, egg, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. It should look smooth and slightly glossy.

3. Combine the dry ingredients

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

4. Bring it all together

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently. Stop mixing when there are just a few streaks of flour left.

5. Fold in the strawberries

Add the chopped strawberries and fold them in with a spatula. Be gentle—you don’t want to mash them. Overmixing at this stage can make the bread dense.

6. Bake to golden perfection

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly. If you want a pretty finish, sprinkle a few extra chopped strawberries on top. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool completely

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Wait until it’s fully cool before adding the glaze (trust me, it’s worth the patience!).