• Pre-heat oven to 350°F
• Butter and flour a baking dish- either a 9x5 loaf pan or a 9x9 square baking pan (see notes above)
• combine fresh strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan or microwavable bowl, heat just slightly and then remove from heat. allow to macerate until sugar has completely dissolved (about 15 minutes total)
• in a large bowl combine dry ingredients including remaining sugar and stil or whisk to throughly combine
• whisk together wet ingredients (cider, egg, and oil) and then slowly add to dry mixture folding to combine until no large dry bits remain
• fold in stawberry balsamic mixture (streaks of the balsamic can remain, just try and get it equally distributed) and pour into prepared baking dish, sprinkle top with a bit of raw sugar
• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or, more reliably, when internal temperature reaches at least 195-200 F
• allow to cool for 5-10 minutes or so, remove from pan 
• serve just warm on its own or see variation below

strawberry balsamic sauce variation

• combine fresh strawberries, sugar, cider, and balsamic in a medium saucepan and simmer until slightly thickened and saucy, about fifteen minutes. 
• remove from heat and reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce to swirl into the batter instead of the strawberry balsamic
• use the remaining sauce to top the slices of strawberry bread with, add whipped cream and nom nom nom