Strawberry Banana Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

This Gluten-Free Strawberry Banana Bread is a moist, tender, and delicious combination of fresh strawberries and ripe bananas. Vegan and allergy-free, this healthy fruity quick bread recipe is made by swirling naturally sweet homemade strawberry jam into a classic banana bread batter. A comforting flavor combo that's perfect for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack!

Classic banana bread with the addition of fresh juicy strawberries? Everyone loves a slice of soft, warm, homemade banana bread, so when it's strawberry season, why not add the ruby-red sweetness to the classic loaf? This gluten-free strawberry banana bread is moist, naturally sweet, and perfectly vegan! Made with a 2-ingredient strawberry chia jam and overripe bananas, you won't find any unblended hunks of fruit here! Just like a basic strawberry banana smoothie, it's the flavor combo you love in a comforting quick bread!

Why You'll Love This Banana Bread Recipe

Banana bread is always better when you add a little extra pizazz! This gluten-free loaf doesn't simply add chopped-up strawberries to the batter, it takes this homemade strawberry jam and swirls it in layers in this moist loaf! Personally, I'm not a fan of whole goopy chunks of fruit in my baked goods, so by using fresh strawberries in blended form, just like the mashed banana, you get all the flavor without the off textures! This easy strawberry banana bread recipe is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Low in Sugar & Naturally Sweet
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick & Easy, 10 Ingredients
• Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
• Perfect Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, or Snack

Ingredients For Strawberry Banana Bread

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: A hearty all-purpose gluten-free flour gives this extra fruity banana bread structure and a tender crumb.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda + Salt: The combination of leavening agents and a pinch of salt help this quick bread rise without the need for yeast.
• Granulated Sweetener: To keep this quick bread naturally sweet, you can use a sugar-free sweetener like Swerve or your preferred granulated white sugar. You only need ⅓ cup since both the banana and strawberries act as the star sweeteners.
• Brown Sugar Sweetener: I love to add the molasses-like richness of brown sugar to banana bread. Again, you can use sugar-free brown sugar-style sweetener or your preferred light brown sugar in this recipe.
• Ripe Mashed Banana: Use super ripe, naturally sweet bananas! The mashed ripe bananas add sweetness, moisture, and act as an eggless binder for this vegan strawberry banana bread!
• Neutral Oil: A flavorless neutral oil keeps this gluten-free and vegan bread loaf rich, buttery, and moist while helping retain the crumb's structure without gluten, dairy, or eggs.
• Vanilla Extract: When is vanilla not essential to a baked good?
• Strawberry Jam: My homemade strawberry chia jam is just fresh strawberries and chia seeds! You can use store-bought, but just buy a package of fresh or frozen berries and whip this 10-minute jam up yourself!

Variations & Substitutions

• Sweetener: If your bananas aren't very ripe or your strawberry jam is less than sweet, you can adjust the amount of added sugar that you use in this recipe by adding ½ cup of granulated sugar instead of ⅓ cup. You can also take away sweetener by leaving out the brown sugar or cutting the granulated sugar down to ¼ cup!
• Oil vs. Butter: Great allergy-free natural flavored oils like safflower, canola, or sunflower work great, but you can also use melted vegan butter or coconut oil. If you use coconut oil, make sure to use refined coconut oil unless you want the added flavor of coconut to your loaf!
• Strawberry Jam: Aim to make the strawberry jam the day before so it has time to thicken and cool. If you would rather have strawberry pieces in your loaf, chop up about 1 cup of fresh strawberries and gently fold them into the batter before pouring it into the loaf pan. Top the unbaked loaf with a few extra slices for photogenic bread and reduce the baking time to 40-50 minutes.
• Other Add-Ins: Toss in a handful of vegan chocolate chips, nuts or seeds, coconut flakes, or dried fruits like raisins or blueberries!

How To Make Strawberry Banana Bread

1. Preheat your oven while you add the gluten-free flour to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the baking powder, soda, salt, and sweeteners to the flour and whisk together.

3. In a small bowl, mash the banana, if you haven't done so, add mix in the vanilla and oil.
4. Add the wet banana mixture to the dry ingredients.

5. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together for a smooth batter.
6. Line an 8x4 loaf pan with parchment batter and pour in half of the banana bread batter.

7. Add half of the strawberry jam to the center of the bread batter.
8. Pour the rest of the bread batter over the top of the strawberry layer.

9. Add the last of the strawberry jam to the center of the banana bread batter.
10. Use a knife to swirl the top layer of jam into the bread batter.

11. Bake the gluten-free loaf in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes.
12. Remove the strawberry banana bread and allow it to cool slightly at room temperature before using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Baking Tips & Tricks

• Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients. Your strawberry jam should be cool to room temperature before adding it to the loaf.
• If you don't have an 8x4-inch loaf pan, you can use a 9x5-inch loaf pan by reducing the baking time to 40-50 minutes.
• If you don't have ripe bananas, you can quickly ripen them by wrapping them in foil and baking them in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Allow them to cool enough to handle them before peeling and mashing.
• Sunken loaf: Your bread will sink in the middle as it cools due to the extra moisture and heaviness of the strawberry jam. The moisture level in strawberries varies (fresh vs. frozen, in-season vs. out-of-season). You don't want to use too much jam, just ½ cup for each layer.
• Can you make it oil-free? The reason you shouldn't use applesauce in this recipe to make it oil free is due to the fact that there is so much moisture already from the fruit. The loaf will be way too gummy.
• No parchment paper? If you won't have parchment paper, make sure you grease the loaf pan extremely well to the bread doesn't get stuck in the pan.
• You'll know the banana bread is done when the top edges are golden brown and a toothpick comes out easily when inserted into the side of the loaf (if won't be clean when tested in the middle due to the jam).

How Long To Let Banana Bread Cool Before Eating?

We all have dreams of warm-from-the-oven banana bread, however, you need to let the quick bread cool on a wire rack for a few hours before trying to slice it. Allow the loaf to sit in the pan until it's just warm to the touch, then lift it out using the parchment paper edges and place it on a wire rack, carefully removing the parchment paper. Allow it to cool to room temperature for a few hours before slicing it or storing it in an airtight container. (Allowing it to sit overnight in the fridge makes it 100% easier to slice the next day!)

How Long Does Vegan Strawberry Banana Bread Last?

Store the loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or store it for up to 7 days in the fridge. Place a paper towel sheet under the loaf to keep extra moisture out. Pop slices in the microwave to warm the bread slightly or enjoyed chilled!

Can You Freeze This Strawberry Jam Banana Bread?

You can freeze the strawberry banana bread by slicing the loaf, but keeping the slices pressed together in one form for easy defrosting (you can also freeze an entire uncut loaf). Wrap the entire loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil, before storing it in a freezer-safe storage bag for 6-8 months. Remove the loaf or slices from the freezer and allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before bringing it to room temperature on the counter or warming slices in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Serving Suggestions

You can eat a slice of this bread warm or chilled. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, snack, or as a healthy dessert! I personally love it chilled from the fridge! But don't forget about topping your fruity slice with something a little extra like...

• Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream (or Strawberry Ice Cream!)
• Coconut Whipped Cream
• Vegan Marshmallow Fluff
• Fresh Strawberry and Banana Slices
• More Strawberry Chia Jam

More Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipes:

• Classic Gluten-Free Banana Bread
• Blueberry Yogurt Banana Bread
• Gingerbread Banana Bread
• Funfetti Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Espresso Banana Bread

Print

Take a strawberry loaf and a banana loaf, and what do you get? This delicious gluten-free strawberry banana bread!

So tell me:

+ What's your favorite way to spice up banana bread? This loaf gave me PBJ vibes...

———————————————-

Stay connected:

Facebook: Strength and Sunshine

Twitter: @RebeccaGF666

Instagram: rebeccagf666

Pinterest: RebeccaGF666

Bloglovin’: Strength and Sunshine