Blueberry Banana Bread

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This Blueberry Banana Bread is incredibly moist, packed with sweet banana flavor, and dotted with juicy blueberries in every slice. Finished with a fluffy blueberry cream cheese frosting, it's the perfect loaf for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 5

Cool Time1

Total Time2 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Author: Adrianna Adarme

Equipment

(8x4-inch) loaf pan

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter melted
3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
1⅓ cups (300g) mashed banana
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (143g) fresh blueberries

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

¼ teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup (75g) fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1½ cups (150g) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease and line an 8-inch x 4-inch or a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan, and put a piece of parchment that spans just the center length with the ends of the parchment hanging over the edge of the pan for an easy way to release the loaf to cool.
To a medium bowl, add the melted butter (make sure the butter isn’t hot), oil, mashed banana, sugar, vanilla paste, and eggs, whisk to combine. Then, whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Finally, add the flour and use a large silicone spatula to mix everything just until the batter has come together, trying not to over-mix. Lastly, fold in the blueberries and mix until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 65-75 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Let the loaf cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the loaf out of the pan and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.

To Make the Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

Start by making a blueberry compote. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and ½ teaspoon of water. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the blueberries, sugar, and a teaspoon of water. Bring to a simmer and allow the berries to cook down for about 7 minutes. Then add the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. Strain the compote into a small bowl and refrigerate to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, add the cream cheese and beat it until smooth. Next, add the butter and beat it until smooth, about 15 seconds.
Add the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of blueberry compote, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat for a full 2 minutes for fluffy and smooth frosting. If the frosting is a bit loose, just pop it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up.
Once the loaf is cooled, dollop the frosting over the top of the loaf and use the back of a spoon to swirl it all over. Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt and slice up the loaf.
Store any leftover banana bread tightly wrapped with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Quick Tips

Use ripe bananas. Speckled bananas give the bread the best flavor, sweetness, and moisture.

Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears to keep the loaf soft and tender.

Cool before frosting. Even slightly warm bread will melt the frosting, so let the loaf cool completely first.

Save the extra blueberry compote. Swirl it over the frosting or spoon it onto toast, pancakes, yogurt, or oatmeal throughout the week.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: The loaf can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature. The blueberry compote can also be made a few days in advance and refrigerated until you're ready to prepare the frosting.

Storage: Store the frosted loaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If unfrosted, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition