I love banana bread and adding strawberries to an already good thing makes it that much better.
When I saw a recipe for Strawberry Bread at Evan’s Eat Laugh Love for my Secret Recipe Club of the month assignment, I knew I wanted to play around with that recipe and see what I could come up with, and this was the lucky loaf.
If there’s one thing I despise, it’s dry baked goods. Muffins and bread can be among the worst offenders in the dry baked goods category, so I was especially careful to make sure this bread stayed moist.
I did that by adding some brown sugar because brown sugar tends to keep baked goodies moist. There’s a handy chart here about what to add and incorporate for chewy, soft, and moist cookies.
And bananas make anything moist and dense and such was the case with this loaf.
Don’t you just want to bite off the very top layer?
It’s the muffin top principle. Eat the muffin tops because they’re so moist, packed with flavor, and best part of the muffin, and then pawn off the remainder of the muffin onto less-clued in others, like my husband, who isn’t quite the moisture-content-connoisseur that I am.
I promise the entire loaf of bread tastes like a muffin top, so you don’t have to go cherry-picking off the best parts.
Or strawberry-picking, or banana-picking, in this case.
When the strawberries baked, not only did they make my house smell amazing, but they released a bit of moisture, also helping to create a really moist, luscious loaf.
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Strawberry Banana Bread (with Gluten-Free & Vegan suggestions)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium banana, divided (mash half – about 1/4 cup mashed banana; slice the other half – about 10 thin slices)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg white, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, diced (I used TJ’s frozen strawberries, thawed and diced; or try mixed berries)
Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by either lining it with foil, allowing for overhang to easily lift out the bread or by spraying well with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon and stir to combine. Slice a banana in half and mash one half with a fork and slice the other half into thin discs. Add the mashed banana to the dry ingredients and stir. Add the oil, beaten egg white, vanilla and stir until just combined. Gently fold in 3/4 cup strawberries. Pour batter into prepared pan and top with 1/4 cup strawberries and banana slices, pressing them very gently into the surface of the batter. Bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean (Depending on moisture content bananas and berries, cooking times may vary from 40 to 50 minutes). Allow bread to cool before removing it from the pan. Slice and serve as is, or add butter, cream cheese, jelly, or frosting, if desired. Store extra bread in an airtight container on the countertop or store in the freezer for up to three months.
Notes: I suspect you could use this batter as muffin batter. I’d bake for 18-20 minutes at 350F and start watching them closely from there. To keep gluten free, use GF flour. To keep vegan, replace the egg white with a chia/flax egg, egg replacer, or add extra banana or applesauce.
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This bread was very quick to make. A true quick bread.
And it’s almost vegan, shy of one little beaten egg white, which I’m sure could be omitted and replaced with a bit of extra banana, applesauce, or a flax egg.
I hate flimsy, thin little slices of bread that break, crumble, and don’t hold their shape from plate to mouth, so I sliced this bread nice and thick.
There’s that muffin top principle again.
Even though there are bananas and strawberries woven into the bread, it’s the slices of bananas and strawberry pieces layered on top of the loaf that are so tempting.
I love butter on bread. Who doesn’t?
But this bread was so moist that it didn’t even need to be buttered. Not that I would have complained with a pat of butter placed on warm bread or anything, but it was good enough that Skylar and I inhaled half the loaf the minute the pictures were done, sans butter.
Related banana recipes:
Peanut Butter Banana Bread (Vegan, GF)
Banana Crepes Roll-Ups (Raw, Vegan, GF)
Cinnamon Raisin Banana Oatmeal Muffins (Vegan, GF)
Banana Nut Muffins (Vegan, GF)
I also have a banana recipes post highlighting some of my favorite recipes using bananas.
And if you like fruit in baked goods, try these Mango and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Love your website. Have the same tastes in foods….Yes to spice, lemon, Vanilla, etc. Made this recipe for a neighbor, (Birthday treat), in lieu of a cake.Smells and looks great, hope it tastes great also! We shall see. I’m sure it will, have confidence in my baking, and these recipes.
While it was cooling, I threw the leftover egg yolk, about a tsps of sugar, a few dashes of cinnamon, a tbsp butter, and tiny drizzle of vanilla extract into a heat proof glass bowl over a simmering pot of water and whisked it until it became rather thick, then poured and smoothed it over the top of the bread. My kids and their friends LOST THEIR MINDS over how delicious it turned out. I just didn’t know what to do with the leftover egg yolk lol, this was a good choice!
So resourceful and glad it turned out to be a huge hit!!
I just made this recipe this morning….Absolutely delicious, moist and will definitely make again! Thanks for posting!
Thanks for trying this (older) recipe and glad it came out great for you and you’ll make again!
Thanks for a very tasty recipe! I have to say that I had to add the whole banana mashed and 1-2 tbsp extra oil in order to get it moist enough to call it a batter. Before that it was dry and crumbly. Not sure if anyone else has experienced this (perhaps what I think is a medium-sized banana is in fact miniscule!).
perhaps what I think is a medium-sized banana is in fact miniscule! <-- I am guessing that's the case. Sometimes when I buy bananas from say Trader Joe's they are HUGE like...ridiculous. That would be a "large" I guess. What I call medium maybe is what most other call large? You basically need 1 to 1 1/4 cups mashed banana. Some bananas are also just juicier than others. Glad you liked the bread!
My 6yr old son and I made this the other day, It was gone in 2 days :)
I used gf flour, coconut oil, 2 mashed bananas and added the whole cup of strawberries to the batter , this was a very moist cake and so easy to work with. I pretty much let my son do all the work. I can see this being a “staple” in our house.
Thanks for sharing
this should be great to try…
When I saw this bread I HAD to make it- plus my husbands 4 year old nephew helped me too! soooo good and not dry and crumbly- nothing worse then a dry cupcake!! thanks!
100% agreed nothing worse then a dry cupcake or cake or bread of any kind! Glad the bread was a hit!
I made this today and it’s not only delicious, it’s also beautiful. Thanks! For my taste I could reduce the sugar a little next time but I can day that I’ll definitely be making this more than a few times! Can’t wait for strawberry season :)
YAY! Yes the berries I had were not very sweet, but it’s all based on taste preferences, berries, how ripe your bananas are. Play around with it a bit and LMK if you make more or use other fruits, i.e. blueberries, peaches, etc.
Do you think I could substitute olive oil for canola oil? This looks SO great, by the way, I can’t wait to make it!
You probably could do it and the bread will “work out” just fine….the taste though. I am not big on olive oil in desserts but if you like it, go for it. Keep me posted!
It tasted fine, but the.. batter, it had the consistency of actual dough. I had to mold it into the pan. I wonder if I just did something wrong or if it was the olive oil?
I have no idea what it was…either the olive oil or you doing something wrong regardless of the type of oil used. Glad it tasted fine though!
I shared on FB and Pintrest!
Such incredible recipes…happy to bump into your blog…gotta try few of your recipes!
thanks & please keep me posted if you do!
I made this with the help of my 21 month old. You were right that it is really moist and tastes like the muffin top all the way through. I usually slather banana bread with butter, but you were also right that it didn’t need it, and I was amazed that I would forego it by choice! LOL. My husband doesn’t like anything too sweet and he thought it was perfect. He put it in the fridge, which I never do….but it tasted good cold too….lots of pleasant surprises with this recipe. I am going to make some more today with mixed frozen berries, though I may think about using more brown sugar or butter. Also, I went ahead and used a whole banana in the recipe plus the half on top, and I used the whole egg not just the white. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much for the feedback! Yes, I was going to increase the sugar (brown by maybe 1/4 cup or so) to give it more of a caramely taste and possibly add/use butter rather than oil, and also use the whole egg, too. I was adapting and adapted recipe and didn’t want to stray tooooo far off the beaten path for the recipe club I was in because we’re not supposed to alter things to a ridiculous level, but yes, so many changes and room for experimentation on this one. Please keep me posted what you try with it!
And the GF/vegan banana bread I linked in this recipe, it’s crazy good. It’s so rich. The loaf weighs about 5 lbs in the pan…lol
Hi Averie! I made this today but turned them into MUFFINS! They turned out wonderfully. The strawberries make them so moist. I ate 3 out of the oven lol. Posting them on SBA this week!!
Awesome! I knew they would work as muffins and so glad you made them!
Can’t wait to see the linkup this week.
This has to be one of the most gorgeous banana breads I’ve ever seen – love the addition of strawberries and the shape of the loaf is so unique (or is it just a trick of the photo?)… Anyway, I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure following your creations…
Glad you like it so much and thanks for the compliments and feature!
Who would have thought that bananas and strawberries could be so beautiful!!!
Thanks, Jill!
Ugh – your photos are killing me – they’re so good!! Love this SRC recipe you picked.
I hope you’ll stop by and visit my SRC post for Chewy Oatmeal Raisin and Almond Cookies
:)
ButterYum
your cookies look great!
Look fantastic. I really like that you give the options to make it Gluten-free and/or Vegan. I want to try to make it using replacing some of the flour with protein powder…will let you know the outcome!
Peace
Mike
Please do! I am always curious what success people have at home based on their tweaks and trials!
This looks fabulous. So funny that we both had strawberry and bananas in mind when choosing our recipes for SRC this month! Love the combo!
Whenever the hubby and I share a muffin I steal the top half and give him the bottom, hehe!
I must say this, although I know you hate the word … but your breads/muffins always look so “moist” … which makes them look yummmmmmmmmy!
I’ve gotten over my issues with that word b/c honestly, sometimes it’s the only word that truly is applicable :)
I love banana bread. I never thought to add strawberries and I can’t wait to try it. My blog probably has 100 banana bread recipes on it…to pick a favorite is so hard, but this one bowl banana bread is great!
http://luvwhatyoudo.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/one-bowl-banana-walnut-bread/
Averie, I’ve been MIA lately, but I’m loving your new blog header! Really cute! I seriously hate bananas but your pics are so delicious looking that I might change my mind :) So glad you’re still in my SRC group. I hope you’ll stop by Seasonalpotluck.com this month. Its artichoke month, and I’d love if you’d link up any artichoke recipes you may have! http://bit.ly/zRfNjo
I have a strawberry bread recipe that I adore. I love the idea of adding bananas to it. Great choice!
great looking bread. Thanks for sharing with SRC!
I love the look of those strawberries baked on top! Such a perfect spring food :)
That looks so good! I think I may be entering a banana bread phase…
Your bread is gorgeous with the strawberries and it does look amazingly moist, delicious.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my Group ‘A’ SRC entry: Broiled Sushi.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
I made a strawberry bread last year that I fell in love with. Now I need to try your recipe!!
The bread, oh your bread, looks amazing! I love this recipe! I may have to steal it from you! he he!!
Steal away :)
Hi Averie,
Your presentation and the photo’s of this Strawberry Banana Bread are just beautiful. This is an awesome recipe that we will really enjoy. It is fun cooking with you on the SRC and have a great week!
Miz Helen
Thanks for the compliments!
Wow! That looks delicious! Your photos are beautiful too. They look like I could take a bite right off the page! Great SRC post
Strawberries and bananas – of course! Such a great combination. I love that you added strawberries to banana bread and wish I’d thought of it first. ;) I’ll have to try this recipe soon.
this looks amazing! fabulous pictures!!
Tripping out a little bit. I JUST took some banana chocolate chip muffins out of the oven for the boys after school snack. Must be banana bread day! I love the idea of strawberry banana bread. Never tried it…definitely need to!
We could swap kitchens some days I think. We are always on the same wavelength!
yum!! i love the strawberry + banana combo. it’s one of my favorite yogurt flavors too.
I used to eat strawberry + banana yogurt as a kid all the time!
Your so right, dry baked goods is the worst! This banana bread looks incredible! So moist and delicious!
Oh I love the idea of slicing bananas on the top! I think I’ll need to do that the next time I make banana bread. Great SRC choice!
Totally in love with these Strawberry Banana! :)
That. Bread. Looks. Perfect.
Oh what a good pick Averie!!! LOVE how moist this bread looks. You really can’t go wrong with banana and strawberry.
Thanks, Heather! And been loving your instagram progress pics with your bun :)
I totally eat the top off my quick breads. And I also pawn the rest off on my husband. Or I’ll cut us both a slice but by the time his is put in front of him, the top was already eaten off. Hey, I slaved away making the bread, I should get to eat the part I want :). And honestly, I don’t even think he knows what hes missing since I do it every time, he may have never even tasted how good the top is! Or he is just a really good husband and pretends he doesnt care.
That’s what husbands are for, and I’m convinced mine also has no idea what he’s missing. lol
Wow, wow, and wow! Oh, yes, I do love me some butter on bread! The real deal, no margarine. Yum!
Never had bread with strawberries… it sounds amazing, especially with banana!
try it! so good!
Lovely banana bread ~ it’s the best way to use ripe bananas and I really like how you’ve added strawberries to it :) Yum! Thanks for sharing!
looks delicious, and for some reason, I’ve never thought about adding strawberries to banana bread! However, I just added strawberries to my banana ice cream I made :) So I guess we are on the same wave length there! Stop by and check out my SRC post http://itsyummytomytummy.blogspot.com/2012/03/one-ingredient-banana-ice-cream.html
These look so most! I love a banana and strawberry combination!
I LOVE banana bread and I used to make a really awesome one before I went gluten-free. I haven’t been able to find the right combination of flours to make anything decent. Although your peanut butter banana bread cake is just plain awesome. I don’t know if anything can top that. But these pictures are sure tempting!
The banana bread I linked in this post is pretty much the same recipe as the cake you speak so highly of :)
And you should try this strawberry bread and maybe underbake it by a touch, or keep a close eye on it, b/c GF flours are prone to getting to dry!~
I always put sliced bananas on top of the bread like that too – so delicious. They get all caramleixzed and gooey and really help the bread retain the moistness that is necessary for a good bread.
I only bake with strawberries every so often, because they seem to turn everything an unfortunate shade of brownish green. Maybe I’m doing something wrong though, because yours look great!
all caramleixzed and gooey and really help the bread retain the moistness <--- YES And I never have had the brown/green issue. I know that sunflower seed butter can turn things green but I've never had that issue come up so I think you're safe!
Awesome job on this recipe, it sounds amazing! I adore just about anything banana, but have not had banana bread in a long time!
I love banana bread! Haha I have banana protein pancakes up on my blog today – I think we’re all going through a banana craze! I’m heading home for two weeks on Wednesday so I think that’s why I have bananas on my brain ;).
I gotta admit I have never tried strawberries with bananas, so I think that’s a must!
Your pancakes look STELLAR!
I have been craving banana bread lately for some reason, and yours looks fantastic! I love the addition of strawberries, and I, too, am a firm believer in extremely moist bread cut into thick slabs :)
extremely moist bread cut into thick slabs = we think alike!
Wow, this recipe looks fabulous! I’ve gotten so I just love to have fresh berries in the house, and this looks like a fun way to use them. I’m certain my kids will love it! Thanks!
I used frozen for this b/c I’m too cheap to “waste” fresh berries by baking them…lol
“The muffin top principle” – there’s got to be a metaphor-for-all-of-life in there, I just can’t quite grasp it ;)
I got your email and will write back as soon as I have a chance! I know EXACTLY what you’re saying!
metaphor…indeed.
no rush either, I’ve been buried today and am trying to come up for air….lol
The strawberries make this bread so pretty!! Yum!
I’ve never heard of such a thing (Strawberrry Banana Bread)! I will have to make it soon! I love the beautiful color of it as well…
This is stinking gorgeous and yes, I want to eat off the top layer, right away. YUM!
all your food is so pretty!
I have a friend whose birthday is coming up and he LOVES strawberry baked goods. I am totally making this or a cupcake version for him- thanks!
well give me a field report if you end up making it!
or make these..they rock!
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/01/strawberry-cake-mix-cookies-with-vanilla-cream-cheese-frosting.html
I love banana bread…and definitely with strawberries added! Yum! Sounds and looks delicious. Great pick for Secret Recipe Club! I have mine next week and have a delicious treat in mind…
SRC posts are so fun, arent they!
well that’s a great idea/addition to banana bread.
i’m always looking for new ways to kick up banana bread.
Trust me, I almost didnt make this b/c I was like…well…how many ways can I really make banana bread ‘unique’ but it had been almost 2 yrs so figured I was due for a nana bread post :)
I am so excited I won the giveaway. Very fitting because I am such a huge peanut butter fan!!! My two favorite banana bread recipes are your pb banana bread because it is so moist, delicious and healthy! Katie Lee has an really great recipe for a very cakey dessert like banana bread. Love the pink on your site!
I didn’t even remember that you had tried my pb banana bread. Fun that Katie Lee has a good recipe, too. There are so many good ones (thanks to you!) on her site :)
Congrats on the win. I know you’ll enjoy!
LOVE banana bread – it always reminds me of my grandma, and that’s never a bad thing ;) By the way, I really did spend about an hour going through your back post yesterday — I just can’t get over your photos! So beautiful, Averie!
Well you just made my day knowing that because your photos are gorgeous! Hope the move to CA has been treating you right! :)
Dyinggggg. I have all these ingredients.
This looks dreamy. Toasted with a bit of almond or peanut butter, this would be incredible.
Thanks and I agree!
Strawberry and banana seems like such a natural combination- I can’t believe I’ve never seen a recipe for a bread or muffin combining the two! This looks SO delicious! (I’d probably eat it warm… with some vanilla ice cream….)
I know and can’t believe I don’t have this smoothie combo either. That’s gonna change soon too!
This looks delicious Averie! Love that you left some of the banana in slices.
Those little slices have the best taste and texture, too!
This sounds like such comfort food. I’d slather it with almond butter and be a happy camper.
I know or some sort of cinnamon-sugar butter mixture, too!
WOW!! I love banana bread so adding strawberries sounds like a dream I so gotta try this x x
Please LMK if you do!
What a fabulous idea! Pinned & saved! I love the blogosphere! It makes life so much more yummy! :)
Thanks for the pin!
Love banana bread and love the combo of bananas and strawberries. This looks to beautiful – what a perfect spring brunch idea.
If only I was organized enough to plan a brunch and get up and actually do it …hah!
Averie, this looks perfect! The prettiest banana bread I’ve seen in a while. Awesome!
Awww, you’re too sweet!
Ohhh look at you! I love the new blog style, and the name. Very nice! Are you thinking of updating your URL too? Also – of course… the bread looks divine!
Yes, blogged about that but one thing (heart attack, i.e. tech change, at a time…lol)
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/03/thursday-things-linkup-4.html
mmmmmm this looks divine. i LOVE how moist strawberry bread is, but i’ve never thought of adding bananas to it. so creative averie! oh, and thank you for the link to that handy chart that shows how different ingredients give moisture to cookies! that is SO helpful (i pinned it!). i LOATHE dry baked goods. blehhh!!
I had pinned that one awhile back too and it made the rounds for a bit and then died off. Thanks for the re-pin b/c I thought it was super handy, but I love food sciencey stuff like that.
I just made these over the weekend: http://ericwongmma.com/no-flour-cashew-butter-muffin-recipe/#more-2058
I still have over-ripe bananas, so I’ll be making another batch today.
wow I bet those are amazing with 1 c of cashew butter in them! Definitely moist and rich I’m sure!
I think you had mentioned you would be posting a new quick bread recipe so I’ve been waiting anxiously !!!! This looks deliciously dense and I love the flavor combo,
Voila…enjoy~!
Banana bread instantly makes me think of my mom . . .in my world, she’s the Queen of the stuff (but I’m sure everyone’s mom’s banana bread is the best ever – haha). Strawberries sound like such a yummy twist . . .and I hear when they’re baked/roasted, they change inflavor composition. I’m very excited to try this. Thanks!
Please LMK if you do try it and yes, baked berries are just wonderful!
Dry baked goods are definitely a pet peeve of mine… if you could call it a pet peeve? I *hate* when I’m at a bakery and I buy a dry cupcake or something! Anywho… love the look of this bread — looks anything BUT dry! I wish it were strawberry season here, I need to move to FL or Cali so I can have great fresh strawberries!
Dry is just inedible to me. I want it falling-apart-moist-and-gooey!
And I used frozen berries!
This looks delicious girl! I’m thinking of making this into muffins for an upcoming brunch party. Thanks for the recipe love!
LMK how they turn out if you do it!
I love the strawberries in there, they look so pretty and the flavours sound great!
Thanks, Kathryn!
ha, while reading this post, I am eating banana bread in a bowl! I guess I like it ;)
I have never even thought of combining banana bread with strawberries- I have only ever used raspberries.
Banana bread in a bowl sounds pretty fabulous!
it IS! http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2007/10/15/abc-another-breakfast-creation/
(love the pink details of your blog :))
mmmmmmmmm
Hi hon! Great to hear from you!