If you’re finding typical banana bread to be a little too predictable, our blueberry banana bread is here to shake things up. It’s tender, moist and just as beautifully banana-y as all the best banana bread recipes, but upgraded with bursts of sweet-tart blueberry brightness. You’ll be surprised how one simple ingredient can take a loaf of traditional banana bread to a whole new level.
Ingredients for Blueberry Banana Bread
- Eggs: Make sure to bake with room-temperature eggs in this recipe. They mix into the batter much more easily, creating luscious loaves of moist banana bread.
- All-purpose flour: We’ve found that all-purpose flour provides the best structure for quick breads. It helps the bread stand tall but still provides a delicate crumb for an overall tender loaf.
- Bananas: Make sure to use the ripest bananas possible. They’re super sweet, so they’ll taste extra banana-y, plus they’re softer, which is great for mashing.
- Blueberries: Feel free to use either fresh or frozen blueberries. If you’re using frozen blueberries, avoid thawing them before using, so they won’t discolor the batter.
Directions
Step 1: Beat the wet ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, three to five minutes.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture, beating just until combined.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t overmix when combining the wet and dry ingredients. You risk overdeveloping the gluten in the flour, which can lead to dense, tough loaves. Instead, mix just until everything is combined—there should still be a few lumps.
Step 3: Fold in the fruit
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the bananas just until combined.
Fold in the blueberries until evenly dispersed, being careful to not overmix the batter.
Step 4: Bake
Pour the batter into three greased 5-3/4×3-inch loaf pans. Bake the loaves until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the loaves at room temperature in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans, and allow them to cool completely to room temperature.
Recipe Variations
- Grate in citrus zest: A small but mighty ingredient, freshly grated citrus zest can do wonders for a recipe. Go for lemon or orange zest in this blueberry banana bread. You’ll love the subtle brightness it adds.
- Sprinkle in chocolate chips: Blueberries, bananas and chocolate chips are a combination made in heaven. Add a handful of semisweet chocolate chips into the batter for a rich indulgence.
- Add nuts: Fold almonds into the batter for a crunchy texture and nutty taste, or splash in some almond extract for a nutty richness. Toasted or candied pecans would work well in this recipe, too.
- Decorate like a pro: To dress up your bread loaf, split an extra banana in half lengthwise. Position the halves, seed side-up, on top of the unbaked banana bread in its pan. Optionally, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top for an added crunch of sparkly sugar crystals. Absolutely gorgeous!
How to Store Blueberry Banana Bread
To store, allow the blueberry banana bread loaves to cool completely to room temperature. Place the loaves in airtight containers, or wrap them tightly in storage wrap and aluminum foil. Store the blueberry banana bread in the fridge for up to four days.
How to Freeze Blueberry Banana Bread
Allow the loaves to cool completely to room temperature. Place the loaves in freezer-safe airtight containers, or wrap them tightly in two layers of storage wrap followed by a final layer of aluminum foil. Store the loaves in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, place the blueberry banana bread in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for up to two hours.
Blueberry Banana Bread Tips
How can I ripen bananas quickly for blueberry banana bread?
Bananas still too yellow? There are a few different methods for how to quickly ripen bananas. For ripe bananas in just a day or two, unhook the bananas from each other, place them in a brown paper bag, and fold the bag shut. Speed this up even more by tossing in an apple, pear, orange or peach. These fruits emit ethylene gas, which ramps up the ripening process.
For ripe bananas in just about 15 minutes, preheat your oven to 250º, and place your unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet. Pop them in the oven until the banana skins are brown and the flesh is soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
What other pan can I bake this blueberry banana bread in?
According to our baking pan conversions chart, this blueberry banana bread recipe can be baked in a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Keep in mind, you may need to add a significant amount of baking time, but it will be well worth it!