Looking for a new twist on your favorite banana bread? This Strawberry Banana Bread is the perfect combination of sweet bananas and fresh strawberries, creating a moist, flavorful quick bread that is easy to make and hard to resist. Adapted from my Buttermilk banana bread that everyone already loves, this version adds a burst of fruity flavor with juicy strawberries for an extra-special treat. If you go bananas (I couldn’t resist 😜) for banana recipes, check out my Ultimate Banana Recipe Collection!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: I use unsalted butter; if using salted butter, you may want to lessen the amount of salt in the banana bread recipe. Let the butter come to room temperature before using.
- Bananas: Don’t let those ripe bananas go to waste! Mash up 3 bananas (or enough for about 1 1/4 cups mashed) to use in this recipe for the perfect flavor and texture.
- Sugar: The granulated sugar adds sweetness, helps retain moisture, contributes to browning, and supports the structure for a soft, tender texture of the bread.
- Buttermilk: The buttermilk in this bread is key for its (dare I say it?) perfect texture and flavor! Seriously, it is like a melt-in-your-mouth texture! If you don’t have any on hand, make homemade buttermilk.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries in the banana bread add a burst of sweet, fruity flavor and make the bread extra moist. They also give the bread a fun pop of color! Before folding in the diced strawberries, I toss them with about 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps keep the berries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries In Strawberry Banana Bread?
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries in this strawberry-banana bread recipe. Just make sure to thaw and drain them first to avoid adding extra moisture to the batter. Frozen strawberries tend to release more liquid as they bake, so gently pat them dry with a paper towel before mixing them in. For best results, chop the berries while they are still slightly frozen to help keep their shape. To keep the strawberries from sinking in the bread, toss the diced berries in about 1 tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter. Frozen strawberries are a great option when fresh ones aren’t available, and they still give your banana bread amazing flavor and color.
Can I Add Nuts Or Chocolate Chips To Strawberry Banana Bread?
Yes, you can add nuts or chocolate chips (I think chocolate would be delicious!) to your strawberry-banana bread for extra flavor and texture. Try adding chopped walnuts, pecans, or even some chocolate chips to the batter along with the strawberries. Just fold them in gently so they don’t overpower the other ingredients. This is a fun way to customize your banana bread and make it even more delicious!
Strawberry Banana Bread Troubleshooting Tips
- Why Is My Banana Bread Dense? Avoid overmixing the batter to keep it light and airy.
- How Do I Keep Strawberries From Sinking? Toss strawberries in flour before folding them into the batter to help them stay evenly distributed.
- Bananas Too Firm for Bread? Let bananas ripen faster by placing them in a paper bag or microwaving them.
- Bread Browning Too Quickly? Cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Batter Too Thick for Easy Mixing? Add a tablespoon of buttermilk at a time to adjust the consistency.
How To Make Strawberry Banana Muffins
You can easily turn this recipe into strawberry-banana bread muffins! Simply pour the batter into lined muffin cups instead of a loaf pan. (You should get about 14 muffins from this recipe.) Bake them for about 22-24 minutes, but be sure to watch them closely. They’re ready when a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs but no wet batter.
How To Store Strawberry Banana Bread
To keep your strawberry-banana bread fresh, store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can refrigerate the bread for a little longer storage, but that tends to dry out bread faster (so I do not recommend that). But, if you do want to refrigerate the bread, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in an airtight container to keep it from drying out.
Can I Freeze Strawberry Banana Bread?
Yes, you can freeze strawberry banana bread to keep it fresh for longer. Once the bread has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. This will keep your banana bread fresh for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy it, simply thaw the frozen banana bread at room temperature or warm it up in the oven for a few minutes.
Strawberry Banana Bread
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
- 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
- 1 cup (166 g) strawberries, diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (Don’t skip this step—it helps keep the loaf light!)
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add the egg and mix until well combined.
- Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until just combined (about 1 minute).
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold in the mashed bananas.
- Before adding the strawberries, toss the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf. Gently fold the floured strawberries into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake for 80-90 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
I love the combination of strawberries and bananas, so I was excited for this bread. I loved it, and it is so easy to make!
Elizabeth
Bring on any form of banana bread, and I am all in! I loved the strawberries!
Stephanie
I love how moist and fruity this strawberry banana bread is. It is a delicious snack!
Annabelle
This is a cozy, flavorful treat that is good any time of the day!
Bella
I never thought strawberries and bananas would taste so good together in a bread! It’s light and delicious.
Oh can’t wait to try this!!!