Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bread Recipe

quick bread with white frosting
quick bread with white frosting - Kate Shungu/Mashed

While a strawberry-banana smoothie makes for a nutritious and filling breakfast, it doesn't go all that well with a cup of coffee. If you prefer to eat your morning meal rather than drink it, you might enjoy this delicious spin on a smoothie in quick bread form. As developer Kate Shungu says of her recipe, "This sweet and tangy quick bread really does taste like a smoothie. It's loaded with banana flavor, plus pieces of juicy strawberries, and a tangy Greek yogurt glaze on top." This moist smoothie-inspired bread's bright, subtly sweet flavors make it the perfect treat to enjoy any time of day. As Shungu tells us, "I love serving this for breakfast or brunch. It's also a nice afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea."

The Greek yogurt lends its moistness and distinctive flavor to the batter, and Shungu mixes more yogurt with powdered sugar to make the creamy tart-sweet glaze for the top. Because of the glaze, Shungu suggests that you refrigerate the bread rather than keep it at room temperature. If you cover the bread with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container, it should last up to 5 days in the fridge. Should you wish to freeze it for longer storage, however, you might want to hold off on glazing it until after it has thawed.

Read more: 12 Popular Ice Cream Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Gather The Ingredients For The Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bread

baking ingredients with fruit
baking ingredients with fruit - Kate Shungu/Mashed

The base of the quick bread batter is made from flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, butter, eggs, plain yogurt, and vanilla. For flavoring, you'll be using bananas and strawberries, while chia seeds add some crunch. To finish things off, you'll need powdered sugar for the glaze. Once you have all these ingredients assembled, you'll be all set to get started.

Step 1: Preheat The Oven

oven temperature gauge
oven temperature gauge - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Step 2: Prepare A Pan

pan lined with paper
pan lined with paper - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

Step 3: Combine The Dry Ingredients

flour in clear bowl
flour in clear bowl - Kate Shungu/Mashed

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds, and salt.

Step 4: Cream The Sugar And Butter

sugar and butter with mixer
sugar and butter with mixer - Kate Shungu/Mashed

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Stir In The Eggs, Bananas, Yogurt, And Vanilla

yellow batter in bowl
yellow batter in bowl - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Add the eggs, bananas, ¼ cup of Greek yogurt, and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Step 6: Fold The Dry Ingredients Into The Wet Ones

yellow batter in bowl
yellow batter in bowl - Kate Shungu/Mashed

With a spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter.

Step 7: Add The Strawberries

yellow batter with strawberries
yellow batter with strawberries - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Fold in the chopped strawberries until combined.

Step 8: Add The Batter To The Pan

loaf pan filled with batter
loaf pan filled with batter - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan.

Step 9: Bake The Bread

quick bread in loaf pan
quick bread in loaf pan - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Step 10: Make The Glaze

white frosting in bowl
white frosting in bowl - Kate Shungu/Mashed

After the bread has cooled, whisk together the remaining ½ cup Greek yogurt and powdered sugar.

Step 11: Glaze And Chill The Bread

quick bread with white frosting
quick bread with white frosting - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Pour the glaze evenly over the bread. Refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

What Do Chia Seeds Do For Baked Goods?

quick bread with white frosting
quick bread with white frosting - Kate Shungu/Mashed

People like to throw Chia seeds into their smoothies for a nutritional boost, and they have several uses in baking as well. One popular application is as a plant-based egg substitute since when you mix the seeds with water, they form a gel that can work as an emulsifier. Even in a recipe like this, which also includes eggs, the chia seeds can improve the moist texture of the bread. Chia seeds may also help bread stay fresher longer.

One important reason people add chia seeds to baked goods is the same as why they add them to smoothies: because chia seeds are an excellent addition to a healthy diet. Chia seeds are not only loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, but they are also high in fiber and are a great source of plant-based protein. Shungu, however, has yet another reason for including chia seeds in her smoothie bread, apart from any nutrients they might add. While she admits that the seeds really don't have much flavor, she tells us, "They almost act like poppy seeds, with just a little texture and crunch."

Why Is It Important To Avoid Overmixing The Batter?

yellow batter in bowl
yellow batter in bowl - Kate Shungu/Mashed

To ensure that this smoothie quick bread comes out with just the right texture, Shungu cautions, "Take care not to over-mix the batter." If you stir the batter too long after you've combined the wet and dry ingredients, you might end up with a dense and unwieldy bread. Once wet and dry ingredients come together you should only stir the mixture to the point where the ingredients combine into a homogeneous batter and you can no longer see streaks of flour or egg. If you stir more than that, this will cause excessive gluten to develop. As Shungu explains, batter with too much gluten "can result in a tough loaf of quick bread." Gluten is good when you want your yeasted bread to be chewy, but quick breads are meant to be soft and crumbly.

Quick breads tend to be among the recipes most susceptible to over-mixing because they often require you to add a variety of different ingredients to add flavor and texture -- as this one calls for bananas, strawberries, yogurt, and chia seeds. If you were to add each element separately after the wet and dry ingredients are combined, you would end up with an overmixed batter. To avoid that, Shungu mixes the strawberries, yogurt, and bananas right into the wet ingredients, and adds the chia seeds to the dry, meaning that the whole thing can come together with a few quick stirs.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bread Recipe

quick bread with white frosting
quick bread with white frosting - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Prep Time: 15mCook Time: 60mYield: 8 ServingsIngredients

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2–3 medium)

  • ¾ cup full-fat greek yogurt, divided

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

  • ½ cup powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

  2. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

  3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds, and salt.

  4. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

  5. Add the eggs, bananas, ¼ cup of Greek yogurt, and vanilla, and beat until combined.

  6. With a spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter.

  7. Fold in the chopped strawberries until combined.

  8. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan.

  9. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

  10. After the bread has cooled, whisk together the remaining ½ cup Greek yogurt and powdered sugar.

  11. Pour the glaze evenly over the bread. Refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Read the original article on Mashed