Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. (you can also place a piece of parchment paper down the center of the pan to more easily lift the loaf out after baking).
Add the butter and one cup of sugar to a large bowl and blend with an electric mixer (or a stand mixer)
Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.
Add in one egg at a time and blend each one completely in before adding another one.
Then add vanilla extract and blend in thoroughly.
Gradually add in the flour and mix on low speed. After adding in all the flour, stop mixing to be careful not to overmix. It is okay to have some flour not completely mixed in.
Add the diced fresh strawberries and rhubarb and gently fold into the batter.
Continue turning the dough until flour is fully mixed in.
Add the batter to the greased loaf pan
Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Bake 55-60 minutes on the middle rack or until a toothpick inserted into the center is clean.
Allow it to cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes. Then remove from the pan and place it on a wire rack to completely cool. You can use a knife to run around the sides of the pan to loosen the sides of the pan
Notes
Preheat oven at least 15 minutes prior to bakingAdd chopped pecans or walnuts if desired.For lower calories, substitute 1 stick of butter for ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce.Fresh strawberries work best but use thawed frozen strawberries if needed.Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.