Banana and blueberry bread
Banana and blueberry bread takes the classic loaf to the next level with the addition of oodles of blueberries. It’s the perfect way of using up overripe bananas.
Banana and blueberry bread is a delicious twist on the classic loaf. Adding blueberries is a simple twist, but they add a lovely pop of flavour through the loaf.
We love banana bread and make it regularly: it’s the perfect recipe for using up overripe bananas. As we make it quite often, it’s nice to mix it up sometimes and add some twists. Our banana and Nutella bread and caramel banana loaf are always firm favourites on our website, but this blueberry and banana bread is just as good.
The banana bread is lovely and moist, and the blueberries add a delicious pop of flavour. If you love banana bread, this recipe won’t disappoint.
How can kids help to make the banana and blueberry bread?
Banana bread is a classic, easy bake for kids to make and this version with a small amendment (the addition of blueberries) is no exception.
As with most bakes, kids will be able to measure and mix everything together as well as mashing up the bananas (which is a great job for little kids). Once they’ve done that they can mix them in along with the blueberries.
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
The riper the banana the better. If it’s turning brown, or already brown then it’s perfect. When bananas turn brown, they become much sweeter and softer which is exactly what you want for banana bread.
Can I freeze bananas for banana bread?
Yes, absolutely. If you have overripe bananas but don’t plan on making anything with them right now, simply wrap them (peeled) in cling film or pop them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for a few months. When you’re ready to use them thaw them out before adding them to your recipe. You can chop the bananas up before you freeze them if you want to be able to use small portions – once you’ve chopped them freeze them on a baking tray for a few hours before putting them in a freezer bag.
Thawed bananas are a bit soft and watery, but that’s fine. It’ll make them easier for your kids to mash to add your your banana loaf.
What can I use if I don’t have any self raising flour?
If you don’t have any self raising flour you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add an extra 1 ½ tea spoons of baking powder.
What is baking spread/baking margarine?
Baking spread, (things like Stork), is just a non dairy margarine that’s perfect for baking. It makes cupcakes and cakes lighter and fluffier than butter, which means it’s a great, cheaper alternative.
How do you store the banana and blueberry bread?
Banana and blueberry bread will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. There’s no need to refrigerate it unless you live in a very hot climate.
If you want to keep your banana and blueberry loaf for longer, wrap it in cling film and put it in the freezer. It will freeze for up to a few months. Defrost it at room temperature overnight.
What else can you use overripe bananas in?
We use bananas in our baking all the time, so we’ve got lots of other recipes you can use overripe bananas with:
Banoffee cupcakes
Easy banana bread
Banana oat cookies
Banana and chocolate chip slice
Chocolate and banana loaf
Banana muffins
Nutella and banana muffins
No-bake banoffee pie
Chocolate chip banana bread
Banana traybake
Cinnamon banana bread
Chocolate chip banana muffins
Chocolate banana bread
Or use up some blueberries in these fantastic bakes:
Blueberry muffins
Blueberry cupcakes
Blueberry and apple muffins
Blueberry pancakes
Lemon & blueberry loaf
Blueberry scones
Blueberry cookies
Lemon blueberry muffins
Blueberry crumble
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this banana and blueberry bread
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
2 lb loaf tin
Wire rack
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Difficulty: Easy
Time: 35 mintes + 1 hour baking
Serves: 8 – 10 slices
Ingredients
125g (1/2 cup) butter or baking margarine
100g (1/2 cup) soft brown sugar
75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
225g (1 + 1/2 + 1/8 cup) self raising flour
3 bananas
150g (1 1/2 cups) blueberries
how to make a banana and blueberry bread
Preheat your oven to 180C and prepare your baking tin
Get your toddler to grease a loaf tin, then line it with baking or greaseproof paper. We find the easiest way to do this is to lay a long strip in the tin in one direction, then do another the other way. Leave some overhanging the sides to make the loaf easier to remove from the tin later.
Cream the butter and sugar together
Get your kids to measure out the butter or margarine if you’re using it and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. If you’re using butter, it needs to be soft so that it mixes in nicely. If yours isn’t soft, you can soften it by cutting it into a few pieces then pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds or so until it softens (not long enough to melt it).
Measure both the sugars out and add them to your bowl.
Cream the butter and sugars together with the k-paddle of your mixer, a hand held mixer or just wooden spoons until it is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs
Get your kids to crack the eggs into a small bowl, then add them one at a time to your mixing bowl. Mix everything together a little before adding the second egg.
Add the flour and baking powder
Measure the flour and baking powder out and add them to your mixing bowl. Make sure your kids use their finger to level the teaspoon when they’re adding the baking powder so that you add just the right amount.
Mix the flour in until you have a nice smooth batter.
Add the fruit
Get your kids to peel and mash the bananas – this is a great job for even very young children to help with who should be able to mash the bananas with a fork until they are soft.
Meausure the blueberries into a small bowl then add a tablespoon of flour. Coat the blueberries before adding them to your mixing bowl (this should help stop them all sinking to the bottom of your loaf).
Using a spatula or wooden spoons stir the mashed bananas and blueberries in untill they are well distributed through your mixture.
Bake your banana and blueberry bread
Pour the batter into your prepared baking tin and level the top with a spatula.
Bake the loaf for approximately 50-60 minutes. To test if it’s ready, stick a metal skewer, knife or cocktail stick in the middle of your loaf. If it’s fully baked it should come out clean. If you find the top browning too much before the middle is cooked, you can cover it in tin foil.
Let your bread and blueberry cool in the tin for ten minutes or so then remove the bread from the tin and pop it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy.
Banana and blueberry bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Grease a loaf tin, then line it with baking or greaseproof paper. Leave some overhanging the sides to make the loaf easier to remove from the tin later.
- Measure out the butter or margarine if you're using it and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. If you're using butter, it needs to be soft so that it mixes in nicely. Measure both the sugars out and add them to your bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugars together with the k-paddle of your mixer, a hand held mixer or just wooden spoons until it is light and fluffy.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then add them one at a time to your mixing bowl. Mix everything together a little before adding the second egg.
- Measure the flour and baking powder out and add them to your mixing bowl. Make sure you use your finger to level the teaspoon when you're adding the baking powder so that you add just the right amount.
- Mix the flour in until you have a nice smooth batter.
- Peel and mash the bananas, then add them to your mixing bowl.
- Meausure the blueberries into a small bowl then add a tablespoon of flour. Coat the blueberries before adding them to your mixing bowl.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoons stir the mashed bananas and blueberries in untill they are well distributed through your mixture.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking tin and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes. To test if it’s ready, stick a metal skewer, knife or cocktail stick in the middle of your loaf. If it's fully baked it should come out clean. If you find the top browning too much before the middle is cooked, you can cover it in tin foil.
- Let your bread and blueberry cool in the tin for ten minutes or so then remove the bread from the tin and pop it on a wire rack to cool completely.
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If you liked this banana and blueberry bread, you might also like Mary Berry’s banana bread or our favourite easy bakes for kids.
This recipe was first published in March 2016 and updated with new pictures in May 2022.
[…] If you like bananas you might also like this banana bread or this banana and blueberry loaf. […]