Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bread Recipe

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.

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.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

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

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

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

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

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

Fold in the chopped strawberries until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan.

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

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

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

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."

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.