Buttermilk Banana Blueberry Bread
by Chungah
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
Mini banana bread! The most perfect way to use up those spotty, overripe bananas. Incredibly moist and loaded with all the banana flavor!
Featured Comment
why i love these mini banana bread loaves
- Faster baking time. A full-sized banana bread loaf will typically bake in 1 hour, whereas these mini banana bread loaves bake in about 30-35 minutes.
- Evenly baked. No more burning-sides-overcooked-insides! Because these mini loaves are so much smaller, the banana bread bakes through evenly (no more doughy insides!) without drying out the edges.
- Freezer-friendly. Banana bread freezes very well, keeping in the freezer for at least 3 months, perfect for a rainy (or snowy, sunny, lazy) day.
- So customizable. This banana bread recipe can easily be customized with various mix-ins like nuts, shredded coconut, chocolate chips and so much more.
- Versatile. Little banana loaves work so well for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert or even an after school snack for the kids (and grown ups, of course).
- Makes for great gifts. Who doesn’t love homemade banana bread? These cute little loaves make for the most adorable, charming gifts for neighbors, teachers, friends and family. The best part? This recipe yields 5 mini loaves!
Why add buttermilk to banana bread?
The buttermilk serves many purposes here, adding increased moisture and tenderness to the banana bread, reacting with the baking soda for a superior rise (think lighter, fluffier bread!), and also adding a subtle tang to balance out the sweetness of the bananas.
freezer hack
Overripe bananas can be frozen.
Have some brown bananas but not ready to make banana bread? These overripe bananas can be frozen for up to 3 months! Peel the brown bananas first and store in a freezer-safe bag, thawing at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Banana Bread variations and Mix-Ins
One of the best things about banana bread is how highly adaptable it is, dressing it up or down as needed with any of these mix-ins.
Chocolate
Semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips or mini chocolate chips
Nuts
Pecans or walnuts (nuts can be toasted beforehand for extra flavor)
Coconut
Shredded coconut
Fruit
Raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries or dried pineapple
Swirl
Cream cheese, peanut butter or Nutella
Tips and tricks for success
- Use ripe bananas. Bananas for banana bread should be ripe to overripe (heavily spotted to mostly black). The browner the banana, the sweeter, more fragrant it will be, yielding moist banana bread. Bright yellow bananas are not ideal as they will be too starchy.
- Frozen blueberries can be used. Both fresh or frozen blueberries can be used in this recipe, while many prefer frozen blueberries for convenience. When using frozen blueberries, skip the thaw and add them directly from the freezer to the batter or else they will bleed. Frozen blueberries can also be coated in a little bit of all-purpose flour to suspend them in the batter and to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
- Fill 2/3 full. For the best results, fill the mini loaf pans 2/3 full, allowing the batter to rise without overflowing. Overfilling the loaf pans can yield an uncooked center with crusty edges.
- Serve at room temperature or warm. Banana bread is so versatile, and can be served with a morning cup of coffee or as an after school snack. Serve at room temperature or warm (lightly toasted) with a slather of butter, if desired.
- Cool on a wire rack. Cooling the warm banana bread on a wire rack prevents over baking and ensures even cooling – allowing air to circulate throughout and preventing the steam from trapping at the very bottom of the loaf pan (which can yield soggy, wet banana bread loaves).
- Freeze as needed. Let the banana bread cool completely on a wire rack prior to freezing to prevent sogginess and freezer burn.
freezing and storage
Make ahead
Banana bread tastes even better the very next day, fully distributing the moisture from the bananas and allowing all the banana flavors to really meld and deepen overnight. If time permits, bake the banana bread 1 day prior, covering tightly with plastic wrap and storing overnight at room temperature.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Avoid storing the banana bread in the fridge as the cold air can cause the bread to dry out much faster (think stale, hard banana bread).
Freeze
These mini banana bread loaves can keep in the freezer for a few months. Cool completely and cover the banana bread tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil (this will help prevent freezer burn). Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw at room temperature on a wire rack for 2-3 hours (or in the fridge overnight for a slow, consistent thaw). Optional: once thawed, reheat in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil, until warmed through.
More favorited bread recipes
Buttermilk Banana Blueberry Bread: Frequently Asked Questions
A quick and easy buttermilk substitute is creating your own buttermilk with whole milk and something acidic such as lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.
You can add 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup milk, letting it stand for 5-10 minutes.
Yes! When using frozen blueberries, skip the thaw and toss them in with some flour before adding to the batter at the very end, mixing gently and as little as possible.
Leftover banana bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
For the best results, banana bread should be stored at room temperature for a few days or the freezer for long term storage. Unfortunately, the fridge can cause the banana bread to stale much faster (unless the banana bread contains a cream cheese filling or swirl).
Absolutely! Banana bread freezes beautifully for about 3 months, and can be frozen in individual slices or whole loaves.
Buttermilk Banana Blueberry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat 4 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until well combined.
- Beat in bananas until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture to the sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
- Stir in blueberries and lemon zest.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the loaf pans. Place into oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting the loaves onto a wire rack.
Equipment
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Can you tell me the nutritional stats so I can find out the smart points. Calories, saturated fat grams (not total fat), sugar grams and protein grams.,,Thank you! This recipe sounds so good and would work with weight watchers because of two fruits in it.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Absolutely damndelicious! Yes Sir! I baked it in an 8×8 glass baking dish. Loving it! Thank you for posting this recipe. Definitely going to be in my family recipe box!
Carol
Could I use a bundt pan with this recipe?
Yes, absolutely.
This is in the oven RIGHT NOW! I am so excited…Mmmm.
How much calories are in this banana bread ?
this sounds good. Something new to try as well. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
I literally made this right now and as we speak some more loafs are in the oven, this is “damn delicious.” Thank you for making our tummies smile!!
Just made this with cinnamon chips and chopped pecans instead of blueberries. Turned out amazing! I also omitted the buttermilk because my bananas were SUPER old.
Made this last night after realizing I had everything I needed in the house. I used one loaf pan and it took about an hour (to everyone asking about cooking time.) I was worried because the top and sides were getting pretty brown and the middle was NOT cooking through, but I’m glad I was patience. I got an extremely moist cake with a really nice, crispy outside. Will make again (and hopefully double to freeze a loaf, this one will NOT last long.)
I can’t wait to make this! It sounds delicious! At least I’m not the only one whose quick breads always are mushy in the inside but overly done on the outside. I have tried so many different methods to avoid this and I have found not filling the pan as much and using the small pans are the trick. Thanks for sharing!
I added a dash of cinnamon, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon- super tasty!
This recipe is AMAZING! I cut the sugar in half and instead of the butter, used 1/3 cup of coconut oil (in a solid room temp state), swapped blueberries for 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips. Turned out great! This is the first banana bread recipe I’ve tried that has been consistent in baking and taste. Thanks for sharing!!
I never write comments on these things, but I just wanted to let people passing by know that I have been making this recipe for over a year now and is a family favorite. Everyone I’ve shared it with is in love with it. They don’t want to make it themselves, just eat it! I haven’t changed a thing, cooking times vary per pan size, but common sense got me through every batch. Planning on a massive batch soon, I have like, 20 old bananas in my freezer and my husband has been asking for his portion for a while. Thanks for sharing! I’ll be making this forever!
I just made this cake and it is the best cake I have ever made. I did few changes:
1. I used 3/4 of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all purpose flour.
2. I replaced the white sugar by brown sugar
3. I used 1/2 tsp of baking soda instead 1/8 tsp.
4. When I added the eggs I beat them for about 5 min to get rid of the their smell.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s really good.
I don’t have 4 small mini loaf pans, just the standard size pan for baking banana bread in. Could I follow the same recipe and baking time if I pour all the batter into one standard sized pan?
Michelle, baking time will vary if a standard size pan is used.
Great recipe. I have used it several times. But I am more so commenting to say I love your head banner.
Hi, I was wondering if I could make the batter tonight and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight so it’s ready to pop in the oven in the morning? TIA!
Unfortunately, without trying this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. Please use your best judgment.
Delicious!! I made this in a regular loaf pan; baking definitely took longer, no clue how long though because I’m not detail oriented (sorry guys!) but the final result is pure deliciousness! Making again tonight to serve to family coming over for dessert. Love your website!
How would I go about doubling and etc if I wanted to make a bunch of loaves? I’d like to make 4+ loaves at once in a standard size loaf pan.
If a standard-size loaf pan is used, cooking time will have to be extended as needed.
I have made this two times (doubling the batch each time) and my entire family LOVES this recipe. Even just the banana bread without the blueberries is amazing. Really moist, cooks evenly, sweet… Ah! Thank you! This is a staple in our home! I also freeze mine after muffins or loaves and they thaw and taste beautifully!