Name: Sourdough Banana Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour; 2 tsp baking soda; 1/3 cup sourdough starter; 3 overripe bananas; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup whole milk; 1/4 extra virgin olive oil; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp sea salt

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A moist, perfectly sweetened sourdough banana bread that you can make using active starter or discard.

I must say, as a sourdough baker, sometimes I just want something I know that is going to be delicious and I want it to be ready the same day. No stretch and folds, (although it is so satisfying to touch the soft dough), and no waiting. Just plain old same-day baking. It might have something to do with the fact that today I awoke to the most incredible rainy day. What made it special was the fact that we hadn’t had rain in quite some time.

The house was dark, so I was up a little later than usual and I could hear the water spattering on the windows in the kitchen. Delighted by this, and the fact that I keep bananas in my freezer for just such an occasion. I thought to myself, why not throw some sourdough starter into the mix? Literally. And just like that, I had the best sourdough banana bread recipe worth sharing.

Sourdough Banana Bread is…

Moist, perfectly sweetened and richly enhanced with brown sugar instead of white sugar
A classic banana bread recipe but with a little starter added
A great recipe to use excess sourdough discard is
One of my favorite ways to use up both discard and leftover bananas
A simple recipe that is even more delicious the next day

Ingredients

Bananas- You don’t have to use completely brown bananas, it’s fine to use overripe bananas that are still yellow as long as they are sweet. Using overripe bananas creates the best banana flavor for this traditional banana bread-style recipe.

Brown Sugar- As far as sugar goes, brown or dark brown sugar is the only way to go for banana bread in my book. It helps give it a nice rich flavor that pairs incredibly well with bananas and pure vanilla extract.

Pure Vanilla Extract- Use good vanilla extract if you can! Making your own vanilla is easy and a great way to get lots of vanilla for much cheaper.

Flour- I like to use organic unbleached all-purpose flour for banana bread. It creates a nice velvety texture.

Baking soda- A must when baking banana bread. The baking soda also helps cut the sour flavor in the sourdough so don’t skip it!

Oil- You can use any mild-tasting oil, I use extra virgin olive oil but avocado oil works nicely too.

Salt- I like to use sea salt in my kitchen, kosher salt is a nice alternative but standard table salt will do fine.

Eggs- I use large eggs for this. I using small eggs, be sure to add an extra egg.

Tools

Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer (you can also mix by hand but the batter is best when smooth)

Loaf Pan

Sifter

Directions

Normally, when making banana bread, we would just dump everything into one bowl, mix, and be on our way. However, taking the time to sift, and mix the batter in order will result in a perfectly textured, golden-brown loaf.

For the dry ingredients, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

sliced bananas, eggs, vanilla and sugar in a bowl

In a separate bowl and either using a hand mixer or stand mixer, blend the eggs, oil vanilla extract, sugar, and bananas in a medium bowl. Stir in the starter until fully incorporated. You can mix by hand but it is best to get a very smooth consistency for this and I find the hand mixer works perfectly.

Pour the wet batter into the flour mixture along with the milk. Mix well. Pour the batter into an awaiting prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350F for approximately 50-55 minutes.

Note:Baking time may vary a little. I like to take mine out when it is just slightly underdone, so more on the 50 minute side.

Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and allow it to cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Baking Notes

Grease your loaf pan with butter or use cooking spray.
Mixing as listed and sifting the flour creates a soft delectable texture to the bread. I have tested this a few times and have found that this does affect the texture more than you might think.
You can use active starter or sourdough discard and even sourdough starter straight from the fridge.
Baking time may vary a little. I like to take mine out when it is just slightly underdone, so more on the 50-minute side.

Active Sourdough Starter Vs Sourdough Starter Discard

I like to use a fed sourdough starter whenever baking as the yeast is active and the starter is nice and fresh. However, it is not necessary. This is a great recipe to use up sourdough discard or sourdough starter pulled right from the fridge.

How To Store

Allow the banana bread to cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or an airtight container. This will keep the bread nice and moist. Store at room temperature. But be careful not to place it under a vent to store it as the moisture buildup might be too much and can cause the banana bread to mold quickly.

How To Freeze

Homemade Banana bread is probably the easiest bread to freeze. Make sure the bread is completely cool before packing it up. I use a large plastic freezer bag. Sometimes I wrap it first in plastic wrap and then place it into the large zip-top freezer bag. This helps give an extra layer of protection from freezer burn. Push all the air out of the freezer bag. Banana bread keeps well for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Other Quick Bread Recipes To Try…

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Loaf Pan

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Yield: 1 loaf