Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread
Can I tell you something about me? This has exactly nothing to do with bananas or butter or bread. Feel free to roll your eyes and skip ahead, if necessary.
I used to be a worrier. Like… a professional worrier. I would worry like it was my job to worry, like I was getting paid mad/crazy/rich person dollars to worry. I wasn’t. I was broke. That fact, in itself, made me worry.
I thought that worry would save me from every possible pain in the world. I thought worry would prepare me for bad things, disappointing things, and crazy unforeseeable things. If I worried about it… it either wouldn’t happen or I’d be prepared for it.
Well… let me tell you: worry is no preparation. It took me years.. YEARS, people…. years, to figure out that worry is just wasted energy.
Let’s be real. I still worry about things. It’s human nature. We have big brains… I’m pretty sure a small portion of them are built to worry.
I worry about earthquakes in the middle of the night when I’m wearing no bra, my ugliest possible t-shirt, and the most embarrassing pair of panties a girl has ever owned. What if there’s an earthquake, and my house falls down, and I have to retreat to my neighbors house in this hideous outfit? Those thoughts usually lead me to find a reasonable pair of pajama pants and I slip on a sports bra. See? Worrier.
But I’m changed my expectations. Instead of worry about the worst, I try to expect the best.
Seriously… what would my day look like if I expected great things instead of disastrous things? I’ll tell you… it’s looks a heck of a lot better. It feels better too. I can drink more coffee without completely spazzing out. Less worry frees me up to jump around in the world, and be silly, and thankful, and wear mint green nail polish, and write pen pal letters, and tell people I love them.
I still worry about earthquakes. Those are scary. But I also expect and welcome not just the good… but the great.
(What? Wait… I’m not talking about trashy reality television? No. I know. It’s weird.)
Do you remember when the strawberry/banana combo really hit its stride? I think it was some time in the mid 90′s… in the Snapple era, that the strawberry/banana craze really got going. I blame smoothies.
But… well, there’s something undeniably good going on here.
Let’s not fight it.
Wait. Remember the Snapple lady? That whole thing was always weird, right?
Let’s get down to the real deal. Bread.
This is banana bread. This is banana bread made exactly 17.845 times more delicious with the addition of browned butter and finely diced strawberries.
Brown butter adds depth, nuttiness, and downright deliciousness. The strawberries help this banana bread feel pretty and celebrate the season. The bread is much more banana flavored than strawberry flavored, but the bits of strawberry add sweet little surprise strawberry flavor bits. I especially love how the strawberries on top get roasted during baking. Slice them super thin so they don’t weigh down the rise of the bread or get too watery.
Sweet bread. It’s comforting, simple, and delicious. If you wanted to slather a warm slice with butter or cream cheese… we’ll, I’d consider you a friend.
I can’t cook without these shoes. It’s just a thing I have.
And in completely unrelated news… these sunglasses look uh-mazing on Alison. Major.
Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread
makes 1 9×5-inch loaf
inspired by The Amateur Gourmet
6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk
1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)
1/2 cup diced strawberries plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced, for topping
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts. When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the pan as the butter cooks. When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl. Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and yogurt or buttermilk. Whisk in the mashed bananas. When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.
Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients. Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour. Fold in the diced strawberries. Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with thinly sliced strawberries. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature. This loaf also freezes well.
316 Comments Add A Comment
I only discovered your blog a few days ago and I absolutely adore you! I am a pro worrier, I have this constant flow of worries and anxieties that only fade away when I am in the kitchen. But to here someone else, someone amazing tell me they do it too makes me so relieved. Baking has literally gotten me through high school, and it strips me of my worry. Now I can tell that your blog is going to get me through college next year when I will be away from a real kitchen. so I hope you don’t plan on going anywhere soon, we need you. :)
ps: this bread looks amazing, I am going to the store for strawberries first thing tomorrow morning.
i’ll be here! go to college and be smart!
Joy, I discovered your blog a few weeks ago, and have been completely charmed! You make me want to try this too! I have several friends urging me to do a food blog because I’m so obessed, but until I found yours and how delightful it could be, I couldnt make it a reality in my head. Props!
I was rather upset yesterday because I didnt get the coolest job I’ve ever applied to. Bummer. I went straight home and tried my very first recipe of yours, the Soft Vegan Ginger Cookies. I didnt even open that new bottle of white wine. I just baked, zoned out, and I felt better. True story. PS, the cookies were amazing. So was the New Belgium beer later that evening :) Try it. Thanks so much for becoming a regular part of my week, and being an inspiration!
So the almond flour and agave nectar subs worked out beautifully. So. Tasty.
So a few things:
Bread – awesome, fills my tab for “what yummy thing do I whip up for Sat AM breakfast?”. Probably throw in some chocolate because it revs hubby’s engine.
Clogs – yes! Dansko? Yes. Do I have them? Yes. Why did I never think to wear them to cook?!
Worry – well, I’ve been married 16 years to a passionately and humbly heroic firefighter who was gravely ill for two years, given birth to four kids (one giant), been in several serious car accidents, lived in the Bay Area through the 89 quake, and watched my mom almost die of alcoholism and come back from the “dead” to be part of our family again. What have I learned through it? That many more things will happen in my life that I can neither control nor want to foresee. I have also learned that if I worry, it doesn’t change the outcome, it only makes myself and others crazy and miserable. Great, awesome, beautiful, unexpected and challenging things happen to all of us everyday, it’s our job to find the blessing in each one.
Viva brown butter!
This banana bread is AMAZING. I’ve never made anything like it! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
http://unhipsquirrel.blogspot.com/2011/06/brown-butter-strawberry-banana-bread.html
Will this bread be okay to send in the mail as long as it’s wrapped and covered well?
i think it should be fine!
Well, you win! I just threw my banana bread recipe out that I have used for 40 years for this absolutely wonderful, Brown Butter Banana Strawberry recipe, it was delicious. I made it this evening and besides the house smelling incredible, I have a feeling that minus the two generous slices I’ve already had, this won’t make it into tomorrow!!! It is outstanding, thank you!
I loved how you penned your thoughts….it was like our brains are wired the same. I don’t worry as much as I did when my children were at home. Whew… I lived in fear since the time they were in the womb. No ultrasound available in the 80′s. Now, I try to take things a day at a time. My husband helps me realize that worrying will not make the inevitable from happening. Also, regret is a wasted emotion. I think worrying is a wasted emotion as well.
Made this yesterday. Luckily, my bread pan is smaller than average so I am always forced to make one giant muffin for myself since I take the loaf to the office. I bet this would work well with gluten free flours… I’m going to try that next time since I’m supposed to be trying gluten free. I
I made this last night, and had to go to bed so I didn’t devour half of it in one sitting. Amazing!!! It even passed the test of my picky 13 year old eater. Thanks Joy!!!
Yes!!
Scrumptious!!! I ate half the loave all by myslef!…wait is that something I should be proud of? Oh whatever I’ll run an extra mile tomorrow and call it even :) Thanks Joy the Baker!
Well, I think I was meant to stumble upon your blog today seeing that I have seen it linked in 3 other places!! :) I love it: your baking, realness, and just overall coolness! I will definitely be back.
This looks so good and I happen to have everything I need for it… but I’m wondering if this can be made into muffins??? Or does it have to be in a loaf pan?
muffins would be lovely. just cut the baking time down.
Joy- I found your website awhile back and I keep going back to it. You have a way with recipes and with words. I just had to tell you how much I enjoy you. I get your emails regularly now and today I am going to try the strawberry/banana bread today. Keep doing what you do. You always make my day!( ps- for what its worth, I am 66 years young and learn something new from young folks like you every day!) Sincerely, Vicky Walker
Just made this for Father’s day and it was a hit! Barely had time for it to cool by the time we ate half the loaf. Delicious and will definately be making this again! :)
Who knew browner butter smelled so wonderful – just made the bread and am patiently……..waiting for it to come out of the oven – it smells divine !!
This is in the oven as I type this, I just so happened to have just the right amount of strawberries in my fridge, the kind that are a little old and not great for eating solo any more. And I had some bananas in my freezer. I love when I come upon a recipe that I love and I have everything for it already!! So excited for this bread!!
made this last week with my dad! ah-mazing! thank you for the fabulous recipe :) will definitely e making again ~
This is the 3rd recipe of yours I’ve used in 3 weeks. All have been a ridiculous success!! Thanks for always making the recipes so user friendly for us beginner bakers!
yay!!!
when i read this recipe and decided to make it, i was thinking: what’s the big deal with brown butter? do i REALLY need to brown the butter? so i browned the butter… and i tasted it… and i kept tasting it. it’s pretty frickin’ good! i get it now. and the whole bread is pretty frickin’ delicious.
also, since i didn’t have a loaf pan, i made this in a pie pan. it took more than hour to bake. is that right or does my oven suck?
“Bread will last 4 days…”
HA!
:) yum.
I made this bread for the second time today because I was not about to give up. The first time I made it, it came out too moist and was more like bread pudding than bread. This time I used half the amount of bananas because the bananas I use are really moist, rich and soft from Jayuya, Puerto Rico. That worked its magic! …and the house smells amazing! I think my dogs might break in… I love you, Joy the Baker <3
I made this tonight and LOVE it! Luckily, strawberries are just ripening here locally so I just have to stock up on banana’s! This is going in my recipe collection – thanks for sharing it!
smiling…. : ) ….. still smiling … : )
I made this bread recently and it was very tasty, not to mention so pretty! I added a light crumb crust to the top, which made those strawberries even tastier, and posted a photo and simple recipe for the crumb crust.
I made the Brown butter Strawberry banana loaf today; and it was AMAZING!! Every time I make one of your recipes it turns out perfect! I have fresh cherries to pick at the end of the month; any suggestions?
so i was in a desperate needto bake something and ive been eyeing this recipe waiting for my bananas to rippen up when in a moment of diress i realized i simply needed to bake something in order to keep breathing. i didnt have the strawberries yet and it turns out it didnt matter. this is the best banana bread recipe i have ever come across, and the first time ive ever made it myself. somethingabout mashing bananas made me slightly uneasy. but it is no 2:00 in the morning where i am and the 2011 bakefesthas begun. ill be making your cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread, the meringue shells and my mothers recipe for chocolae chip cookies and sour cream drop cookies. thank you joy for inspiring this yeard bakefest. oh by the way – i love you :)
Holey moley this is the best banana bread that i have ever made! Like, seriously so light, fulffy, nutty. Wow. It’s the brown butter and strawberries. They make a huuuuge difference. Amazing! Oh and I added flax seed to my recipe. A little fiber never hurt anyone. Thank you Joy! <3 <3 <3 <3 you and your blog :)
Can’t wait to try. looks delish……. We are trying to get followers on our blog. We are beginners… Having a giveaway contest Please check us out and pass along to your friends… Thank you
desirable-junk.blogspot.com
Love this recipe! Didn’t have plain yogurt or buttermilk, so I used sour cream instead and it still turned out great! I also used 1 cup regular flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour to make it healthier.
Just made this after lusting after it for quite a while.
Delish.
A few notes:
All I had on hand was vanilla nonfat greek yogurt – it totally worked in place of plain.
I think my bananas were huge, because even though I only used three, it seemed overly moist. Next time I’ll have to measure it with measuring cups.
I think I need practice at browning butter. I always seem to be able to do it accidentally when I don’t want to, but can’t quite get there when I’m doing it intentionally!
Next time I think I will add more strawberries. Mainly because I love strawberries.
I also added a sprinkle of cloves and nutmeg.
All in all, my rating is: awesome
I live in my dansko’s while in the kitchen! Anyways… I make a strawberry banana muffin for my kids and why I’ve never sliced a strawberry on top before baking is beyond me… wow does it look pretty! I’m making this bread for our Sunday Breakfast. This will be my 2nd recipe I’ve tested this weekend. I’m on a Joy The Baker kick!
Just adapted this recipe into brown butter, banana, chocolate chip muffins. So amazing, and I absolutely love your site. It keeps me inspired.
http://www.twohotpotatoes.com/brown-butter-banana-and-chocolate-chip-muffins/
I am going to make this. Now. Who cares if it’s almost 10pm? Not me.
Just one question. When you say brown sugar – is it light, dark, sugar in the raw? Does it matter? Do I think too much about brown sugar? Maybe.
light or dark brown sugar… not raw.
I just tried this with blueberries, since I didn’t have strawberries. And I changed the grains up a little. Great recipe, Joy! Yum :) (And I’m not normally a banana bread person).
http://dessertisinadifferentpocket.com/2011/08/25/brown-butter-blueberry-banana-bread/
Oh… My… Goodness….. So good. So so good.
I just wanted to ask you how I would need to tweak this recipe for higher altitude baking. I’m not really sure what the chemistry is behind it, but I know that it would probably come out differently since i’m nearly 6000 ft above sea level.
>>If I worried about it… it either wouldn’t happen or I’d be prepared for it.>>
Holy crap, me too! In fact, if I’m not worried about something then I start worrying about not being worried, because then whatever I’m not worried about, but should be, is exponentially more likely to happen.
So glad I’m not the only one! I’ve lightened up quite a bit in the worrying department as well. :)
Joy, I just discovered your blog a few days ago from googling images of banana bread (it’s a long-standing obsession) and when I saw THIS image, I couldn’t resist! I managed to get off work early today and have just pulled this bread out of the oven. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, our house smells like how houses should smell like all the time (homemade goodness and love) and I’m about to snap a few hasty photographs before digging into it.
I love your blog, I love this recipe (browned butter! I would never have thought of it) and I think I may even be falling a teensy bit in love with you.
Thank you!
If you lived in Tennessee and wouldnt be freaked out because I would totally stalk you…..you would so be my bestest friend! I just found your blog and have spent the last hour and half of my work day printing recipes and writing my grocery list out. I have 55 more minutes of work and needless to say I must refill my paper for my printer. You rock, girl! And I will be adding your cookbook to my collection which will make the official total 121…….yes I have a problem!
Angie
So, I had these almost-too-ripe bananas screaming at me from my counter. I also have 3 pounds of beautifully ripe strawberries in my fridge. Straw-nana (I think I should trademark this) is such an awesome combo! Solution: web search for bread. And I ended up here, which is totally cool! I made muffins (I do have to sleep at some point), and they just cooled enough to slather on another layer of butter. Seriously amazing; thank you!!
I just made this bread (as muffins) and it was A-MAZING!! My 2 year old is eating one right now, and is singing because he loves it so much. I can’t wait until my bananas get ripe again!!!
so im a newbie in the baking department…and i was going to make this into mini loaves for the family for easter….any idea how long i would bake it for mini loaves? i bought a silicone 4 loaf mold, and i really dont want to burn it. anyone have ideas???
so, i made a modified version of this banana bread this past weekend (added mangos instead of strawberries because … well, that’s what we have in season here in hawaii right now — and, ummm … WOWZERS! delicious!!). so, our 6-year-old little boy has had a crush on you and your recipes for quite a while … now, i think that my wife might be crushing a bit too … yes, that’s what this recipe has done! it has the power to cause crushes!!
i tried to take the credit, but that didn’t fly … oh well! the bread was AHH-MAY-ZINGGGG!!