Strawberry Banana Bread is the go-to comfort food that works as a breakfast, dessert, or snack. With the fresh summer taste of strawberries, you’ve got an over-the-top good-for-everything quick bread. This variation of banana bread will surely be on repeat!
We all have our favorite banana bread recipe that warms a chilly morning or goes with that comforting cup of coffee. Strawberries and bananas were made for each other.
Why not throw some in the banana bread? I mean, Panera Bread sells strawberry banana smoothies, and strawberry banana is a popular ice cream flavor. So it makes sense to pair them up in this spectacular bread.
Easy-Peasy Strawberry Banana Bread
Bananas are soft and sweet; strawberries are bright and acidic. Opposites attract, and that is extremely obvious and successful in this tasty bread. This super easy recipe involves mixing the dry ingredients, mixing the wet ingredients, putting them all together, and baking the wonderful concoction. Put the coffee on while the rich and tantalizing aroma fills the house.
What You Need to Make Strawberry Banana Bread
- Mashed Bananas are the base for this beautiful bread. It gives it flavor and a moist melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Eggs bind it all together, so you don’t end up with crumbly bread. It also adds protein if you’re interested in making this your next favorite breakfast food.
- Sour Cream or Yogurt – adds a richness that would usually be provided by oil. The zing adds an amazing flavor and mouthfeel.
- Sugar (brown or white) – adds palate-pleasing sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract – gives the bread flavor that is irreplaceable. I can’t believe how expensive real vanilla extract has gotten. It makes me very happy to know how easy it is to make Homemade Vanilla Extract.
- All-purpose Flour is the base ingredient that makes bread what it is, bread. I don’t think I could live without it.
- Baking Powder and Soda both interact with the sour cream and result in a better rise while baking.
- Salt is a flavor enhancer that really brings out the sweetness of the fruit.
- Butter adds moisture without wetness. It also adds that wonderfully buttery flavor that goes so well in cakes and quick bread.
Alternative Ingredients
- Frozen Bananas will work as long as you at least partially thaw them before making the bread. No bananas? Applesauce is another fruit that makes an incredible bread (replace it with the same amount), especially if you add a tablespoon of apple pie spice to the dry ingredients.
- Frozen Strawberries work fine. I would partially thaw them before putting them in the batter. Fresh mango or pineapple cut into small chunks is a great replacement for the sweet acidity of strawberries.
- All-purpose Flour can easily be replaced with your favorite gluten-free version. If you want healthier bread, you can replace the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and add another tablespoon of yogurt or sour cream. If you’d like to use self-rising flour, omit the salt and baking powder.
- Sugar – If you only have white or brown sugar, no problem. You can use either one to replace the other. If you prefer your banana bread a little less sweet, you can reduce the sugar by half. Another ideal replacement is coconut or date sugar.
- Sour Cream or Yogurt – Need a dairy-free version? Feel free to replace the yogurt with coconut or soy yogurt. If you don’t have sour cream or yogurt, but you do have buttermilk, you can replace the ⅓ cup of sour cream with ¼ cup of buttermilk.
- Eggs – You can replace each egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds and 3 tablespoons of warm water stirred until it becomes gelatinous.
- Yummy Additions: Some of my favorites to toss into the batter are a ½ cup of chocolate chips, walnuts, and/or pecans.
Easy Kitchen Hacks
Want muffins? Divide the batter into the wells of a muffin tin and bake in a preheated 350℉/175℃ oven for 30-35 minutes.
Flavor enhancing. Tossing in a teaspoon of grated lemon zest adds a nice zing.
Want cake instead? Use a bundt or tube pan, bake for about the same amount of time, but keep an eye on it just in case. Double the recipe and pour the batter into a greased 9″x11″ baking dish for an impressive sheet cake. Bake at 350℉/175℃ for about 30 minutes.
Help the strawberries. Try tossing the strawberries in just a little flour before mixing them into the batter to keep them in their place and not sink to the bottom.
Be patient. Baking bread with fruit and high moisture content is more of an art than a science. The higher the moisture in the bread, the longer it needs to bake. If in doubt, leave it in the oven a little longer.
Storage and Shelf life
I’m not sure you need to worry too much about the shelf life on this one. I’ve never had it stick around the 3 or 4 days it will last at room temperature.
It freezes well for up to 3 months. Wait for it to cool completely, store in a sealable freezer bag, and freeze. Whenever you’re ready for a delicious snack, pull it out of the freezer, and let it thaw at room temperature overnight.
Serving Suggestions
The first thing on my list is a no-brainer, coffee. After that, Homemade Whipped Cream to put in the coffee and a dollop on top of my bread.
When I make Carrot Cake, I love to make extra cream cheese frosting to slather on toast and, of course, banana bread.
Rum Raisin Ice Cream is always a welcomed summer addition to cakes, pies, and banana bread.
More Easy Recipes to Bake
- Apple Dumplings – So much easier than apple strudel or pie. And while it’s still pretty sweet, it’s so much better and better for my family than McDonald’s apple pie.
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake – This festive and melt-in-your-mouth cake screams a tropical vacation. Where’s my piña colada?
- Banana Pineapple Bread – Want a pineapple spinoff for this bread? You’d be glad that you’ve tried this version.
- Devils Food Cake – A chocolate fix on steroids. I do believe that this cake takes the cake for having the most intense chocolate flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Banana Bread
Prep & Mix the Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃ degrees. Grease a 9”×5” loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, sour cream, sugar (brown and white), and vanilla extract. (Photo 1 & 2)
- Dry ingredients: In another bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (Photo 3)
- Mix it all together: Gradually mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients, whisking them with a spatula until thoroughly mixed. (Photo 4)
Ready for the Oven
- Add the butter: Pour in the butter and thoroughly mix, scraping down the sides as you go. (Photo 5)
- Add the strawberries: Stir in the strawberries just until they are incorporated throughout the mixture. (Photos 6 & 7)
- Prepare the bread: Pour batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Photo 8)
- Let it cool: Leave the strawberry banana bread in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing it. After that, turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Banana Bread
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Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large bananas , mashed (about a cup)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (75.9 g) sour cream or yogurt
- ½ cup (99 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
The Rest
- ½ cup (4 ounce or 120 ml) melted butter
- 1 - 1 ½ cup chopped strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃ degrees. Grease a 9”×5” loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Wet & Dry Ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, sour cream, sugar (brown and white), and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix It All Together
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk with a spatula until thoroughly mixed.
- Pour in the melted butter and thoroughly mix, scraping down the sides as you go.
- Stir in the strawberries just until they are incorporated throughout the mixture.
Bake It
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Leave the strawberry banana bread in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing it, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Notes:
- Want muffins? Divide the batter into the wells of a muffin tin and bake in a preheated 350℉/175℃ oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Flavor enhancing. Tossing in a teaspoon of grated lemon zest adds a nice zing.
- Want cake instead? Use a bundt or tube pan, bake for about the same amount of time, but keep an eye on it just in case. Double the recipe and pour the batter into a greased 9"x11" baking dish for an impressive sheet cake. Bake at 350℉/175℃ for about 30 minutes.
- Try tossing the strawberries in just a little flour before mixing them into the batter to keep them in their place and not sink to the bottom.
- Be patient. Baking bread with fruit and high moisture content is more of an art than a science. The higher the moisture in the bread, the longer it needs to bake. If in doubt, leave it in the oven a little longer.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Jane A Foster says
Good recipe, but is it 1/2 cup or 4 oz of melted butter?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Jane!
It is 1/2 cup melted butter.