This strawberry rhubarb banana bread turns banana bread into a seasonal favorite. It takes everything you love about buttery and moist banana bread and adds sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb to the mix.
Seasonal Strawberry Rhubarb Banana Bread
Banana bread is a classic recipe that welcomes many variations. With that in mind, it only made sense to make it into a springtime seasonal treat and add strawberries and rhubarb to the classic cake.
This banana bread is overloaded with flavors in the best way possible. It's subtly sweet from the bananas, tart from the rhubarb, and juicy and refreshing from adding the strawberries. It may seem like too many ingredients; however, they all find a way to balance each other out to make the perfect bite.
Like any banana bread, you want to use overripe bananas. The browner, the better! The overripe flavor contributes to the base of the cake to provide sweetness and help out with the structure of the cake to make it nice and fluffy. The problem is you never have overripe bananas when you need them. Do yourself a favor next time you have bananas going quickly on the shelf and stick them in the freezer. They will come in handy when you are craving a slice of this cake!
Looking for a more classic banana bread recipe? Try my buckwheat banana bread or chocolate chip banana bread muffins.
Why I Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Banana Bread Recipe
- Seasonal Flavors - The strawberries and rhubarb are in peak form, providing the best flavors possible.
- One Bowl Recipe - Everything can be mixed together in one bowl, making for a simple and quick recipe.
- Breakfast Treat - Is banana bread a dessert or simply a sweet breakfast? There are no rules, so this banana bread can be eaten at any time of the day.
Ingredients Needed To Strawberry Rhubarb Banana Bread
See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.
- Bananas - The browner the bananas, the better.
- Strawberries - Look for sweet, red berries for the best flavor.
- Rhubarb - Chop the rhubarb into fine pieces to spread the tartness.
- Sour Cream - Adds to the richness of the cake.
- Oil - Keeps the cake very moist.
Directions For How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Banana Bread
- Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a loaf pan with grease and parchment. Set to the side.
- Mix wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they are goopy. Add in the eggs, oil, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Use a whisk to make sure everything is smooth and incorporated together.
- Add dry ingredients.
Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to combine fully.
- Add in the fruit.
Add in the chopped strawberries and rhubarb, mixing with a whisk to distribute evenly.
- Prepare and bake the loaf cake.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the oven for 55-60 minutes. A toothpick will run clean from the cake when it is done.
- Cool.
Let the cake fully cool in the pan on a cooling rack. When cool, remove from the pan and slice to enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
This strawberry banana bread doesn't need much to be the star of the show. The loaf cake is great on its own, but a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream will take the richness up a level.
Make Ahead and Storage
It is best to make this strawberry rhubarb banana bread the day you plan on serving it. Because of the amount of fruit in the cake, it is rather wet, and the cooked cake quickly spoils.
If you have any extra strawberry rhubarb banana bread, it is best to store it in an airtight container for 1-2 days. If you want to keep it longer, storing it in the freezer is best. The cake can be stored in slices or whole for 2-3 months in a plastic bag or airtight container.
Tips and Variations
- Chop The Fruit - Chop the fruit into uniform (or as a close to) pieces. This will allow the flavors to be distributed evenly.
- Smooth Middle - If you want a smooth middle line down the cake, take a bench scraper and line the tip with oil or butter. Press it down lightly in the batter in the middle of the cake before placing it in the oven. When baking, the line will fall in the middle and create an even bake of the loaf cake.
- Bananas - To make this cake, you'll need 1 ½ cups of mashed bananas, which is about 3 full bananas.
FAQs
Strawberries hit their peak season in the spring. Look for the best berries starting in May and June.
Brown bananas are best for banana bread because they have a moist, intense banana flavor. They are also sweeter and provide a strong flavor and texture to the finished product.
You may have added too much flour if your banana bread is not moist. Using unripe bananas could also impact the texture of the cake.
Strawberry Rhubarb Banana Bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a loaf pan with parchment and grease. Set to the side.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they are smooth and mushy. Then, add in the eggs, oil, sugars, sour cream, and vanilla. Use a whisk to mix everything together.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix with the whisk until everything is combined.
- Add in the chopped strawberries and rhubarb. Use a whisk or rubber spatula to mix the fruit into the batter thoroughly.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake in the oven for 55-60 minutes. It is a dense cake, so it might take longer in the oven. When the cake is done, a toothpick should run clean from the batter.
- Let the cake cool fully in the pan on a cooling rack before slicing. When the cake is cool, slice the cake and serve.
Happy Baker says
Very excited to find this recipe.. can you please tell me the size of the loaf tin you used to make this loaf. Thanking you in advance.
Margo says
I used a glass loaf pan (like this one here) but any loaf pan should work. Look for 9.5 x 5 Inch or something in similar size!
Kathy Diveley says
Added 2 tsp cinnamon. Made into muffins for easier handling for my smaller grandkids.
Margo says
Yes, LOVE this idea! I have to give it a try myself!