Description
This Strawberry Banana Bread recipe is a delightful twist on classic banana bread, combining the sweetness of ripe bananas with fresh strawberries baked into a moist, tender loaf. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, this quick bread is easy to make with simple ingredients and yields a flavorful treat with a hint of vanilla and a soft crumb that will please any fruit bread lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the strawberries
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup (61 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit
- 1 cup (166 g) strawberries, diced
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray to ensure the bread will release easily once baked.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. This step helps to aerate the mixture and ensures a lighter bread texture.
- Mash Bananas: In a separate bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.
- Add Egg: With the mixer on low speed, add the large egg and blend until fully incorporated.
- Add Buttermilk and Vanilla: Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix to keep the batter light.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until the batter is just combined. Overmixing can result in a dense loaf.
- Fold in Bananas: Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold the mashed bananas into the batter using a spatula to maintain a tender crumb.
- Prepare Strawberries: Toss the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking. Gently fold the floured strawberries into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Fill Loaf Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
- Bake the Bread: Bake for 55-60 minutes. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil to prevent burning. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs attached but no wet batter.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Room temperature ingredients mix better and help create a uniform batter.
- Tossing strawberries in flour prevents them from sinking and keeps them evenly distributed.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with milk plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar, allowed to sit for 5 minutes.
- Store leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a nutty variation, add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter before baking.
Keywords: Strawberry banana bread, banana bread recipe, quick bread, fruit bread, baked banana bread with strawberries