Sourdough Banana Bread
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Sourdough banana bread is tender and moist. This easy-to-make banana quick bread can be made with both fed sourdough starter and sourdough discard.
Sourdough banana bread is a delicious way to make use of your excess sourdough starter discard while also enjoying a delicious treat!
This simple recipe creates a flavorful moist banana bread loaf that is sure to become a huge hit in your home. Adding discard to your recipe results in a treat with a subtle tanginess and just the right amount of sweetness giving the ideal balance of flavors.
With just a few basic ingredients you’ll likely have on hand and simple instructions, you can whip up this delectable quick bread recipe in no time!
This sourdough banana bread recipe is dedicated to nearly instant gratification.
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Tips + Tricks
No. 1 –> Don’t have a sourdough starter? Well, I’ve got you covered! Check out my 24-hour sourdough starter recipe and you’ll be baking sourdough bread and discard goodies in a jiffy!
No. 2 –> Got a bad hankering for chocolate chip banana bread and only green bananas? Lay 3 bananas on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven at 250f for 30 -35 minutes or until browned to maximize that banana flavor. Cool completely before using.
No. 3 –> Use a light-colored loaf pan. While recipe testing with this recipe I used my beautiful, but dark purple baking pans and found that they cook the crust too quickly! Make sure to use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan because a smaller loaf pan won’t be able to handle the volume and it will spill over.
No. 4 –> If you find that the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, lay a piece of greased tinfoil, shiny side up, on top of the loaf. This will slow the browning and allow you to continue cooking.
Key Ingredients
Bananas: I like to use bananas that are deep yellow, spotted brown, and somewhat soft. Personally, I dislike completely black, totally overripe bananas, I find the scent overpowering and the flavor is not my favorite. That said, both options work.
Sourdough starter/ discard: This recipe works with both freshly fed starter and unfed discard. You’ll get more tang with an aged discard and more rise with an active starter. Learn more about starters and discard.
Apple cider vinegar: Sourdough starter and bananas are both acidic, but if you really wanna have a beautifully risen banana bread, you’ve gotta add a bit more acid to activate the baking soda!
How To Make Sourdough Banana Bread
Mix The Wet Ingredients:
- Preheat the oven to 375f, and prepare a 9×5 loaf pan by greasing well with butter or margarine. I like to make a parchment paper sling for my banana bread, especially when topping it with chocolate chips, it keeps them from getting smushed when removing the loaf from the pan.
- Add 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until completely combined, light, and fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes. A large bowl and hand mixer works well too.
- Beat 3 ripe bananas and the sugar mixture for a bit until mostly smooth, about 1 minute. If some lumps remain, that’s ok! I’m not big on pre-mashing my bananas, so I just break them up with my hands before putting them into the mixing bowl, letting the mixer do the work.
- Add 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and mix at low speed until completely combined.
- Add 1/2 cup of sourdough starter or discard and 1/4 cup sour cream to the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until completely incorporated, then mix in 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and beat well to combine completely.
Add Dry Ingredients:
- Combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt in a small bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. If adding chocolate chips, nuts, or other mix-ins, this is the time to add them. I like to add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter and sprinkle about 1/4 cup on top. Mix the flour into the batter on low speed until barely combined. Avoid overmixing as that can result in a tough loaf.
- Carefully transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan, avoid overworking the dough and popping all the air bubbles.
- Bake the banana bread at 375f for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Add more baking time in 2 minute increments if required.
- Allow the banana bread to cool for 5 or so minutes in the loaf pan before removing it to a wire mesh cooling rack to cool.
Batch + Storage Information
Batch:
This banana bread recipe bakes 1 perfect loaf! It can be doubled easily but don’t recommend tripling or more, sometimes in baking scaling up any more than double gives unexpected or undesirable results.
Storage:
- ROOM TEMPERATURE:
- Your sourdough banana bread can be kept at room temperature in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 days – if it lasts that long
- FREEZER STORAGE:
- Whole loaf: allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack until completely cooled, then carefully wrap it in plastic wrap or tin foil. Place the wrapped loaf into a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for later enjoyment. To thaw, simply remove the loaf from the freezer and unwrap it before thawing at room temperature.
- Sliced: allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack until completely cooled, then slice into desired width slices, we like 1/2″. Wrap 1-2 slices in plastic wrap before placing the slices into a ziplock bag and storing them in the freezer for later. To thaw, remove the slices from the freezer and thaw, wrapped at room temperature.
More Sourdough + Discard Recipes To Love
Variations + Substitutions
- Nutty Banana Bread: add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or chopped walnuts for banana nut bread.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: add 1 cup chocolate chips for a chocolate chip sourdough banana bread.
- Banana Bread Muffins: bake them as muffins! Scoop the batter into lined muffin trays and bake at 350f for 15-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Seasoned Banana Bread: add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or cinnamon extract to the batter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the loaf before baking for a hint of warming spice.
Recommended Equipment
Stand mixer: I used to use my KitchenAid mixer for so many things, and it’s still working great but I recently updated to an Ankarsrum Assistent, and I’m very happy with the Ank.
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📖 Printable Recipe
Sourdough Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 ripe bananas about 6″ long
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter or discard see notes
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375f, and prepare a 9×5 loaf pan by greasing well with butter or margarine. If desired make a parchment paper sling for the banana bread.
- Add 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until completely combined, light, and fluffy – about 2-3 minutes.
- Mash or break up 3 ripe bananas, then add to the sugar mixture and mix until mostly smooth, this should take about a minute.
- Add 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and mix at low speed until completely combined. Add 1/2 cup of sourdough starter or discard and 1/4 cup sour cream to the mixing bowl and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated.
- Add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and beat well to combine completely.
- Meanwhile, combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt in a small bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once, if adding chocolate chips, nuts, or other mix-ins, this is the time to add them. Mix the flour into the batter on low speed until barely combined. Avoid over-mixing as that can result in a tough loaf.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, taking care to not deflate the batter.
- Bake the banana bread at 375f for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow the banana bread to cool for 5 or so minutes in the loaf pan before removing it to a wire mesh cooling rack to cool.
Notes
Sourdough:
You'll get more tang with an aged discard and more rise with an active starter. Learn more about starters and discard.Batch:
This banana bread recipe bakes 1 epic loaf! It can be doubled easily but don't recommend tripling or more, sometimes baking any more than double-sized batches results in unexpected results.Storage:
ROOM TEMPERATURE:- Your sourdough banana bread can be kept at room temperature in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 days – if it lasts that long
- Whole loaf: allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack until completely cooled, then carefully wrap in plastic wrap or tin foil. Place the wrapped loaf into a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for later enjoyment. To thaw, simply remove the loaf from the freezer and unwrap before thawing at room temperature.
- Sliced: allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack until completely cooled, then slice into desired width slices, we like 1/2". Wrap 1-2 slices in plastic wrap before placing the slices into a ziplock bag and storing in the freezer for later. To thaw, remove the slices from the freezer and thaw, wrapped at room temperature.
variations + substitutions
- add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for banana nut bread
- add 1 cup chocolate chips for a chocolate chip sourdough banana bread
- bake them as muffins! Scoop the batter into lined muffin trays and bake at 350f for 15-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
- add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or CINNAMON EXTRACT for a hint of warming spice
Recommended Equipment + Ingredients
Nutrition
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I’d love to try this recipe however, even though adding eggs and vanilla is included in the instructions, there are no eggs listed in the ingredients. How many eggs does this recipe use?
Oh my goodness! I am so sorry for missing that. I will correct right now, but it’s 2 large eggs and one teaspoon vanilla extract!
This was my first experience with using sourdough discard in a recipe and I have to say, this bread is incredibly delicious! It is moist, bursting with banana flavor and filled with a richness and depth of flavor that I assume comes from the addition of the sourdough. My husband says this is the best banana bread he’s ever had. Love this!
mercibeaucoujp pour vos recette je suis ravie de celle-ci.
The recipe has a typo. 1 teaspoon baking soda is repeated. Per the instructions, one should say 1 teaspoon baking powder. Great recipe with this correction.
Thanks for letting me know, I’ve corrected the ingredients list. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!