Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Intensity: Easy (Mixer or By Hand)
There are two types of people in this world: those who have a half-empty jar of sourdough discard sitting in their fridge, and those who have three overripe bananas on their counter. This recipe is for both of you.
This Sourdough Banana Bread is the ultimate solution to your kitchen dilemmas. By combining tangy sourdough discard with sweet, mushy bananas, we create a loaf that is unbelievably moist, tender, and flavorful. The sourdough doesn’t make this bread sour; instead, it adds a subtle, complex depth that balances the sweetness perfectly, creating the absolute best banana bread you will ever eat.
Whether you are an avid sourdough baker or just looking for a fantastic way to use up those spotty bananas, this recipe is foolproof, intensely flavorful, and requires no complicated techniques. Let’s get baking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfectly Moist: The combination of oil, bananas, and sourdough discard guarantees a loaf that stays moist for days.
Uses Up Leftovers: The ideal way to use your sourdough discard and those sad, spotty bananas on your counter.
Complex Flavor: The sourdough adds a wonderful tanginess that keeps this bread from being overly sweet or one-note.
Easy to Make: No stand mixer required! You can easily mix this together in one bowl with a spatula.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups (340g) mashed bananas (about 3-4 large, very ripe, spotty bananas)
1 cup (225g) sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge)
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional Add-Ins:
¾ cup (120g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
¾ cup (100g) chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter or non-stick spray. For best results, line the pan with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides to easily lift the bread out after baking.
Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, mash your very ripe bananas thoroughly with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining for texture. To the mashed bananas, add the sourdough discard, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Whisk vigorously until everything is well combined and the mixture is smooth. The sugars should be mostly dissolved.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisking ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed so your bread rises uniformly.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, gently fold the mixture together. Be careful not to overmix! Stir only until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing will develop the gluten and result in a tough, dense loaf rather than a tender one.
If you are using any add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, gently fold them in at this final stage with just a few strokes.
Step 4: Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles trapped in the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes.
How to tell when it’s done:
Visual: The top will be a deep golden brown and cracked down the middle.
Toothpick Test: Insert a wooden toothpick or skewer into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
Step 5: Cool
Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes. This allows it to set and makes it easier to remove. After 20 minutes, use the parchment paper sling to lift the loaf out of the pan and transfer it directly to the wire rack to cool completely.
Resist the urge to slice it while it’s warm! It needs time to finish setting up. If you slice too early, it will be gummy and may fall apart.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Wrap the completely cooled banana bread tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay moist and delicious for up to 4 days.
Freezing: This bread freezes beautifully! Wrap the cooled loaf (or individual slices) tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Chef’s Tips for the Perfect Loaf
The Blacker, the Better: The key to intense banana flavor is using bananas that are heavily spotted, or even completely black. The starch in the bananas has converted to sugar, making them incredibly sweet and easy to mash.
Don’t Overmix: This is the cardinal rule of quick breads. Mixing develops gluten, which gives bread its structure, but too much makes banana bread tough. Fold just until combined.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best emulsion and a smooth batter, make sure your eggs are at room temperature. If you forget, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Check for Doneness: Ovens vary. Start checking your loaf at the 50-minute mark. If the top is browning too quickly but the center isn’t done, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top for the remaining bake time.
Nutrition Information
Note: The following nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. It does not include any optional add-ins. Actual values will vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used.
Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 10 slices per loaf)
Calories: 320
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 37mg
Sodium: 290mg
Total Carbohydrate: 48g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Total Sugars: 27g
Protein: 5g