Olive Oil Banana Blueberry Quick Bread

Jump to Recipe

This incredibly moist olive oil banana blueberry bread is a delicious twist on the traditional banana bread recipe. Bananas and blueberries give it a natural sweetness. The olive oil and poppy seeds add delicious rich flavor to make it irresistible. This quick bread is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert. This will be you new favorite banana bread.

sliced olive oil banana bread with blueberries and butter.

I'm a sucker for homemade baked goods. My Mom always had a pound cake or apple pie slices for snacking on the kitchen counter. I think it's in my DNA to have a cookie, muffin or brownie always on hand. This olive oil banana bread is my latest baking obsession.

in the article/jump to

what's to love about this recipe
ingredients & substitutions
recipe details
suggestions & recipe tips
variations
frequently asked questions
more recipes like this one
recipe

what's to love about this recipe

This is one of those easy quick bread recipes that is a welcome sight whenever it's served. It's delicious anytime of the day. You'll love this for so many reasons.

Easy to make ~ The recipe uses only a couple bowls and a spatula to mix the batter. It's so easy to mix up the batter by hand. No special equipment is needed for this quick bread recipe.
Exploding with flavor ~ The easy recipe has intense flavor. Bananas always add lots of flavor to quick breads. Blueberries sprinkled throughout the bread to add a burst of fresh flavor. The poppy seeds add a nutty crunch while the olive oil imparts a savory richness.
Serve in many ways ~ This fresh banana bread is delicious toasted and smeared with butter, nut butter or cream cheese. Crumble a slice of the bread over yogurt for a tasty breakfast or snack. Try it in your favorite French toast recipe too.

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you!

ingredients & substitutions

Pantry ingredients along with a handful of fresh ingredients are included in this olive oil banana bread recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

black bananas, flour, brown sugar, eggs, blueberries, olive oil, poppy seeds.

Salted butter ~ Unsalted butter is also an option.
All purpose flour ~ Try white whole wheat flour too.
Baking soda
Baking powder
Kosher salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Poppy seeds
Blueberries ~ Fresh berries are my first choice for this quick bread recipe. Frozen ones work too. Substitute raspberries too.
Light brown sugar ~ Dark brown sugar is an alternative.
Olive oil ~ A mild olive is my recommendation for for this recipe.
Large eggs
Bananas ~ The riper the bananas are the better! They have more banana flavor and add extra moisture.
Vanilla extract
Turbinado or sanding sugar

recipe details

Quick breads like this olive oil banana bread are some of my favorites to bake. They use only a couple bowls and utensils and most times they can be mixed by hand. Scroll to the recipe card for the full directions.

adding poppy seeds to dry ingredients for olive oil banana bread.

Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl and combine all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and poppy seeds. Toss in the blueberries. A little coating of flour keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the batter.

Combine the wet ingredients: This is the recipe to use those overripe, black bananas in your fridge or freezer. They have loads of intense banana flavor. In another bowl, combine the light brown sugar, olive oil, large eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla extract. Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture.

olive oil banana bread batter in a bowl with a spatula.

olive oil banana bread batter in a metal loaf pan.

Transfer the batter to a pan: Butter a metal loaf pan and line it lengthwise with parchment paper. The bread will be so easy to unmold. Pour the banana bread batter in the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle with sanding sugar, some poppy seeds and a few more blueberries.

Bake the bread: Bake for about an hour. For the best results, let the bread cool in the pan about 15 minutes before unmolding it.

It's that easy!

suggestions & recipe tips

Use a metal loaf pan for baking this banana bread. It conducts the heat quickly and more evenly than a glass baking pan.

Use an instant read digital thermometer to check the doneness of the banana bread. It should have an internal temperature of about 200 to 205 degrees F when baked to perfection.

To ensure that the moist banana bread holds it shape, let the bread cool about 15 minutes in the pan after baking before unmolding.

variations

There so many fun add-ins to make this banana bread one of your favorites. Here are some new variations to try.

Add nuts ~ Stir in 1/2 cup of your nut of choice. Try chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. For even for flavor, toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium low heat for 4-6 minutes.
Add chocolate ~ Skip the blueberries and add 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips.
Add fruit ~ Instead of blueberries mix in 1 cup of fresh raspberries, dried cranberries or raisins.

frequently asked questions

Can you use frozen bananas in banana bread?

Most definitely! Frozen bananas are my first choice for a delicious banana bread as they have the most intense banana flavor. I always toss overripe bananas into a resealable bag and store it in the freezer. Thaw the bananas either in the refrigerator, at room temperature, or in the microwave before mashing and adding to the recipe.

How does olive affect banana bread?

When olive oil is used in a baking banana bread, it makes the bread incredibly moist. Also, the oil also helps the bread stay moist for 4-5 days.

What is the best pan for baking banana bread?

I recommend a light colored metal bread pan or loaf pan for quick breads. The bread will bake and brown more evenly in a metal pan as compared to a glass or ceramic one.

more recipes like this one

If you make this olive oil banana bread recipe, be sure to give it a star rating and/or comment below. Take a photo and tag @amycaseycooks on Instagram. Thank you!

recipe

Olive Oil Banana Blueberry Bread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 9 reviews

Author: amycaseycooks
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

This incredibly moist olive oil banana blueberry bread is a delicious twist on the traditional banana bread recipe. Bananas and blueberries give it a natural sweetness. The olive oil and poppy seeds add delicious rich flavor to make it irresistible. This quick bread is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 tablespoon salted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for the top
1 cup blueberries, plus more for the top
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed bananas, about 3 bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons turbinado or sanding sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so it hangs about 2 inches over the length of the pan. Set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and poppy seeds. Add the blueberries and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Set aside.
Combine the wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine the light brown sugar, olive oil, eggs, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined.
Transfer the batter: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar, poppy seeds and some blueberries.
Bake the bread: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The center will be set and the internal temperature will be about 200 to 205 degrees F when the bread is completely baked.
Cool the bread: Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the ends of the loaf and unmold.

Notes