Sourdough Banana Bread
This sourdough banana bread combines overripe bananas, brown sugar, and discard into a moist loaf with a tender crumb, caramelized edges, and a balanced hint of tang.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan or three 7x3x2 mini loaf pans
- Hand held mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
- Mixing Bowls
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- Butter for coating the pan
- 375 g overripe bananas appx. 1 1/2 cups lightly smashed
- 225 g light or dark brown sugar 1 1/4 cups lightly packed
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g active sourdough starter or or sourdough discard appx. 1/2 cup
- 250 g all-purpose flour 2 cups
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 60 ml milk 1/4 cup
- 125 ml neutral flavored oil ½ cup
- Powdered sugar, butter, and mascarpone cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 360 °F. Give the oven time to fully preheat so the batter begins rising as soon as it goes into the pan.
- Butter three 7x3x2 mini loaf pans or one 9×5-inch loaf pan. Coat the corners and sides well so the baked loaf releases without tearing.
- Beat the bananas, brown sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl with a hand held mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The mixture should look glossy and aerated, with a few small banana lumps still visible.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to disappear before adding the next, then blend in the sourdough starter. The batter should look cohesive and thick, without separate streaks of egg or starter.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a separate bowl, then fold the dry mixture into the banana batter in batches. Stop each fold when the flour begins to disappear, leaving the batter soft with gentle resistance.
- Add the milk and neutral flavored oil, then mix only until the batter comes together. Avoid continued mixing after the last dry pockets vanish, because extra mixing can make the crumb tough.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan or pans, setting mini loaf pans on a baking sheet before placing them in the oven. The batter should sit evenly in the pan, ready to rise into a rounded top.
- Bake mini loaves for 45 minutes or the 9×5-inch loaf for 60 to 65 minutes. The crust should be rich golden brown and a tester should come out without wet batter; loosely cover with foil if the top darkens too quickly.
- Leave the bread in its pan for 20 minutes before moving it to a wire rack. This pause lets the fragile interior set so the loaf is less likely to crack or collapse during transfer.
- Cool the loaf completely, then finish with powdered sugar if desired. Wait until the crumb is no longer steaming before slicing for the cleanest, least gummy pieces.
Notes
Ingredient handling: Let refrigerated discard warm toward room temperature before mixing so it blends easily with the eggs and mashed bananas without forming stubborn lumps.
Browning tip: Check the loaf around the 40-minute mark and tent loosely with foil if the crust browns deeply before the center has finished baking.
Texture tip: Allow the baked bread to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Slicing warm bread can compress the crumb and leave the slices feeling damp or gummy.
Storage: Store cooled banana bread tightly wrapped at room temperature. Avoid the refrigerator, which can dry out the crumb and make the texture overly firm.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.