This strawberry banana bread came about from buying pounds upon pounds of extra strawberries, because well, summer. After eating them in endless variations of overnight oats, fruit bowls, and with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, it occurred to me to add them to my gluten-free vegan banana bread to add some fresh fruit flavour. Best decision ever. Not only does this add lots of strawberry flavour, it really transforms the recipe into the ideal summer quick bread.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Banana Bread Recipe
Easy. True to their name, quick breads are quick! Just mix together the batter and bake. (My vegan chocolate chip pumpkin bread, easy vegan chocolate banana bread, and easy vegan zucchini bread are equally simple.) Versatile. This is an all-day kind of quick bread! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to dress it up for dessert, or cut a thick slice to pair with an iced matcha latte for breakfast. Delicious. It has the moist, banana flavour of a good banana bread, with the addition of bright, sweet strawberries. This strawberry banana bread is absolutely divine!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Gluten-free baking flour mix – I use Bob’s Red Mill in my baking. If you’re not avoiding gluten, you can use all-purpose flour instead. Baking powder Baking soda Sea salt Flax eggs or egg replacer – I used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer. Coconut sugar Coconut oil – Coconut oil is a fantastic swap for butter in baking recipes. It yields a moist, tender crumb, which is exactly what you want in a quick bread! Vanilla bean or vanilla extract Vegan coconut or plain yogurt – Here’s how to make your own vegan yogurt. Mashed bananas – As with a traditional banana bread recipe, you want very ripe bananas, with black skin if possible. Chopped strawberries – Fresh is best here.
What Should I Look for When Buying Strawberries?
When it comes to buying strawberries, you want to make sure they’re ripe. Ripe strawberries are red all the way through, with no green or white at the stem. They should be plump and fragrant. You can use frozen strawberries in this recipe, but I would recommend thawing them first and draining off any excess liquid before adding them to the batter.
How to Make Strawberry Banana Bread
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF, then grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk to combine. Mix the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flax eggs (or egg replacer), sugar, and coconut oil. Mix on medium-low for about 2 minutes, then add the vanilla, yogurt, and mashed bananas and mix for another 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. Mix for 30 seconds, then add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix for another 30 seconds.
Fold in the strawberries. Stir in the berries just until combined. Bake. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle oats or pecans on top, if desired, and bake on the top rack in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the bread out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for Success
Don’t overmix the batter. When you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix just until combined. Overmixing quick bread batters can result in a tough final product. Use ripe bananas and strawberries. Ripe fruit isn’t just sweeter, it also has more flavor. Unripe bananas and strawberries will result in a bland bread. Let the bread cool completely before slicing. Patience, friends! This bread is delicious warm from the oven, but it’s even better when it’s cooled completely. Slice it while it’s still warm and the bread will fall apart.
Variations
Swap the strawberries for raspberries. Or use half strawberries, half raspberries. Sprinkle the top with Demerara sugar. It adds a nice crunch! Add a glaze. Use the glaze from my Classic Vegan Donuts recipe. Top with chocolate chips. Before baking, add mini chocolate chips to the top of the strawberry banana bread.
How to Store
This strawberry banana bread is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but it will keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature if stored in an airtight container.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes, this strawberry banana bread freezes well. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw the bread overnight in the fridge, then let it come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free) Gluten Free Brownies (Vegan) Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe Low Carb Vegan Waffles (Gluten Free)
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan strawberry banana bread recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
