Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread
This lightened-up Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread is made without butter or oil, but it’s so soft and tender that you’d never be able to tell! Naturally sweetened and loaded with strawberry and banana flavor in each bite, it makes for the perfect summer quick bread recipe!
This post was originally published on June 4, 2015 and was updated June 24, 2019 with new content.
I love making this healthy strawberry bread because it is so easy to whip up and it makes our house smell amazing, you can’t beat the smell of freshly baked bread.
This strawberry quick bread is made with Greek yogurt, ripe bananas, and two eggs so it is super moist and has the perfect tender crumb. The juicy strawberries inside the loaf add the perfect amount of sweetness and a nice pop of color too!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY STRAWBERRY BREAD
- First things first, mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine and to remove any lumps. Whole wheat pastry flour works best, but if you don’t happen to have that on-hand, try using a combination of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I recommend 1 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour.
- In a separate smaller bowl, whisk eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, mashed banana and honey.
- Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine without overmixing. Overmixing the batter can lead to a tough bread that doesn’t have that wonderful tender crumble. Gently fold in strawberries.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the bread batter to the pan.
- Bake uncovered at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Check bread and possibly cover with tin foil, if you feel that it is browning too quickly. Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until completely cooked on the inside. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan. Then, let it cool completely before slicing or freezing.
TIPS FOR PERFECT STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD
- Use bright red ripe strawberries for maximum flavor. Cut them into small pieces so they won’t sink to the bottom of the bread. I also like to toss the strawberry pieces into a little flour to prevent sinkage as well. I don’t suggest using frozen strawberries – I find they turn the bread purple if you aren’t careful when mixing. Add a few chunks to the top, before baking, for an extra pop of color.
- I recommend very ripe bananas for this recipe. In fact, the riper the better! I will often take overripe bananas, peel them and store them in my freezer, then thaw them out later to use for banana bread. Why do overripe bananas make the best banana bread? There are 3 basic reasons: they’re moist, they’re sweet, and they’re easy to mash. So even if you need to wait a few days to let your bananas ripen, it will be worth the wait!
- Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup, then leveling off the top. Do NOT scoop it using your measuring cup or you will end up with too much flour in the batter.
- Bake until the top is a rich golden brown and the center is completely set. Because all bread pans are different sizes and shapes, the baking time will vary. So rely less on the time listed and more on whether the bread looks and feels done. I use an 8×4″ loaf pan for best results.
- This bread freezes very well for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, place bread in refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then place the bread on your kitchen counter top for about 30-60 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature before slicing and enjoying.
LOOKING FOR OTHER HEALTHY QUICK BREAD RECIPES? TRY THESE OTHER FAVORITES:
Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
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Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) whole wheat pastry flour*, (spoon in and level with knife for best measurements)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (118g) plain Greek yogurt**
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (200g) mashed ripe banana, about 2 medium bananas
- ⅓ cup (106g) honey
- 1 cup (158g) diced strawberries + a couple more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. and prepare an 8x4" loaf pan* with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk all dry ingredients, flour through cinnamon, in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate smaller bowl, beat and whisk eggs. Add Greek yogurt, vanilla, banana and honey in with the egg and stir well to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently. Do not overmix. Gently fold in strawberries. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until loaf is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. If the top starts to get too brown, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil at around 35 mins.
- Cool bread in pan for at least 10 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife and remove from pan. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refridgerator for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
** If you want a slightly sweeter banana bread, you can sub out the plain yogurt for a flavored variety like vanilla or strawberry. LOAF PAN: An 8x4" loaf pan is slightly smaller than the typical 9x5" loaf pan. Either will work, but using an 8x4" loaf pan will yield a prettier bread with more rise.
MUFFINS: Alternatively, this recipe could be used to make muffins. I'm not sure how many it would make and cook time should be shortened to about 20-25 minutes. A reader commented on FB to share that this recipe made delicious muffins and their cook time was 28 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
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I’m returning to this loaf after a few months haitus. After I found this recipe, I made it once a fortnight for months! I love how easy it is to make, how delicious it is and how healthy it is compared to other recipes. I have a slice of this toasted with butter and a cup of tea in the morning – it’s the best start to my day.
I made this slightly differently, I used a 9 x 5 loaf pan which wasn’t too big for the batter, but the right size for my loaf. I cooked the loaf at 180 degrees celsius. I also changed some of the ingredients.
Ingredients:
1½ cups whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon vinegar ( I had no baking powder)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed (ripe) banana
I misread the 1/3 of a cup for 1/2 of cup of honey. I substituted the honey for 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup dark muscovado sugar.
1/4 cup of yogurt (low fat) and a splash of milk – to ensure the bread did not come out dry as I used whole wheat flour
1 cup diced strawberries and scattered a little more on top.
Result: The rise of the bread came out great, it was moist, light and the right level of sweet.
Thanks!
I love your version! I’m so glad it came out great and thanks so much for commenting!
What a yummy recipe! I swapped a quarter cup of flour for ground flax seed, and used regular whole wheat flour. I also baked muffins instead of a loaf, for 22 minutes. It yielded a dozen soft, delicious muffins. I will definitely make this one again. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment! I love the idea of making this into muffins… glad it worked well for you!
I had some bananas and strawberries on their way out, so I made this yesterday! It’s the first bread I’ve ever made. It was quite the success! I even managed to salvage the bottom that stuck in the pan and stick it back on the loaf. lol (Lesson learned. The bread I made afterward did not stick. Just needed more spray on the bottom of the pan.) I love how mild the sweetness is, something I was concerned about with how much honey went in. Big hit in the apartment. A tasty means of getting whole grains and fruit! Thanks so much for the recipe!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites on the blog!
This sounds delicious, I might give it try, my doughter loves banana bread.