With a plush texture and caramelized crust, this Sourdough Discard Banana Bread is the most delicious way to use up extra ripe bananas and sourdough discard. If you're someone who dislikes letting ingredients go to waste, then this recipe is sure to win you over. And the best part? You can whip it up in one bowl without a mixer.
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Why I love this recipe
- Made up of simple ingredients you already have in your pantry
- No-waste bake that uses up a lot of sourdough discard and overripe bananas
- Simple recipe all mixed by hand with no special equipment required
- Bananas are the star of the show, a mix of brown sugar and nutmeg enhances the banana flavor and let's it really shine
- Pillowy, plush crumb that stays moist for days thanks to sourdough discard and brown sugar
Delicious no-waste recipe
I’ve always hated the thought of throwing my sourdough in the trash so I’m always on the lookout for delicious ways to add it to bakes and dishes. Banana bread is one of my favorite bakes because it uses two ingredients that would otherwise go in the bin – overripe bananas and sourdough discard.
We’ve all had those three spotted bananas sitting on our counter just waiting to be made into something delicious. I’ve published different recipes for homemade banana bread in the past and this one has to be my favorite. It’s so easy to make but still results in an incredibly pillowy, plush texture and an intense banana flavor.
What you need
All-purpose flour: Low protein content of all-purpose flour imparts a soft and tender texture to this banana bread. Do not substitute whole wheat flour or your bread will turn out dense.
Overripe bananas: I like to wait until my bananas are completely black before baking banana bread. As bananas ripen, starches are converted into sugars, so the sugars in the fruit are at their highest concentration. This results in a loaf with an intensely caramelized banana flavor.
Nutmeg: Enhances the flavor of bananas, freshly-grated is best but you can use ground if that’s all you have or omit it altogether.
Oil: Tenderizes the crumb, adds moisture, and prevents the cake from drying out. Use a neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed, vegetable, canola or avocado oil. You can substitute olive oil in a pinch, but it will add a distinct flavor to your loaf.
Sourdough discard: Both active starter and sourdough discard work for this recipe. Add 56 grams of flour and 56 grams of water to your recipe if you don’t have any discard.
Brown sugar: If you don’t have any brown sugar, go out and get some. Brown sugar reacts with baking soda which helps your loaf rise and neutralizes its soapy flavor.
See the recipe card for complete ingredient information.
Tip
No ripe bananas? Bake your yellow bananas with the peel on at 300 F for 30 to 40 minutes to ripen them quickly.
Looking for more delicious ways to use bananas? Try my Sourdough Banana Cake, Sourdough Banana Muffins, Sourdough Banana Nut Bread and Sourdough Banana Cookies.
Baking with sourdough discard
Discard adds a great tangy sourdough flavor to this classic banana bread. Since you’re not using it as a leavener, your sourdough starter does not need to be activated or fed for it to work. That means you can use it straight from the refrigerator.
Older discard will have a tangier, more acidic flavor than fresh sourdough starter. Both will work for this recipe, you’ll get a slightly different taste but your sourdough banana bread will still be delicious!
Want more sourdough quick bread ideas? Try my Sourdough Zucchini Bread, Sourdough Banana Nut Bread and Sourdough Pumpkin Bread!
Step-by-step instructions
STEP 1. Mash bananas
STEP 2. Whisk together bananas, sugars and vanilla
Tip
Most people don’t know that baking soda has a shelf-life, if yours has been sitting in the pantry some time, test its effectiveness by combining ¼ teaspoon with a drop of vinegar, if the mixture fizzes then it should work for this recipe.
STEP 3. Add in eggs one at a time then fold in sourdough discard, salt, baking soda and nutmeg
STEP 4. Gently fold the flour into the batter a third at a time
Tip
Folding your flour in a third at a helps avoid lumps in your batter and prevents too much gluten development. Mixing your batter too much will make your banana bread dense and gummy, adding your flour in a third at a time and mixing the oil in just until combined will help ensure your banana bread is light and tender.
STEP 5. Slowly drizzle the oil into the batter
STEP 6. Pour batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment and bake at 375 F for 50-60 minutes
Baker's Tips
- Don’t open the oven door while your banana bread is baking. Opening the oven door releases a lot of heat, and these fluctuations have a marked effect on the baking time of your loaf. Additionally, the force from closing your oven door could cause your banana bread to collapse if it’s not fully baked, unfortunately, your loaf will not be able to recover from this and it will bake up with a dense center. If you do end up opening your oven before your loaf is fully baked, try your best to close it as gently as possible.
- Test your loaf for doneness in multiple spots. Your banana bread could bake at different rates depending on the heat distribution in your oven. When you’re ready to test your banana bread for doneness, make sure you poke a skewer or cake tester in a few spots to test whether its fully baked. There shouldn’t be any uncooked batter on your stick when you pull it out of your loaf.
- Weigh your ingredients. Measuring with a kitchen scale is much more accurate than using tablespoons and cups and will help guarantee the success of your bake.
- Both active starter and sourdough discard will work for this recipe. If you don't have a starter, just add 56 grams of water and 56 grams of flour to your batter.
Variations
This banana bread is endlessly adaptable! If you'd like to add mix-ins to your loaf, limit it to 1 cup (about 100 grams). Here are my favorites:
- Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or candied ginger).
- Chocolate (white chocolate or dark chocolate chips).
- Nuts (pecans or walnuts).
Recipe FAQs
There are a few reasons:
- Your baking soda may be past its prime and may have lost its leavening abilities, check that your baking soda is still fresh by combining a little bit with a drop of vinegar, if it fizzes then it should work for this recipe.
- You may have opened the oven door before the center is fully baked, unfortunately, this would cause your bread to sink and the center of your loaf to be dense.
- You may have measured your ingredients incorrectly, weigh your ingredients to make sure your baking proportions are correct.
You may have developed too much gluten in your batter. It helps to fold your flour into the batter ⅓ at a time to ensure all of the flour is incorporated without over mixing. Opening the oven door before your loaf is fully baked could also cause your bread to be too gummy. In this case, your bread will sink and the interior will be gummy.
You may have measured your baking soda incorrectly. Acidic ingredients like sourdough discard and brown sugar neutralize the flavor of baking soda. If you end up adding too much to your batter its soapy, bitter flavor will come through. For the best results, weigh your ingredients instead of using volume measurements.
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Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- 340 grams overripe bananas about 3 to 4
- 100 grams cane sugar
- 150 grams brown sugar
- 8 grams vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 2 grams baking soda
- 7 grams salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg grated
- 180 grams all-purpose flour
- 113 grams oil neutral-flavored, plus more for greasing tin
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mash bananas: Add bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mash bananas using a whisk.340 grams overripe bananas
- Make the batter: Whisk mashed banana, sugars and vanilla extract together until sugars are fully dissolved, a few lumps of bananas are fine.100 grams cane sugar, 150 grams brown sugar, 8 grams vanilla extract
- Add the eggs in one at a time, waiting until each one is incorporated before adding the next.2 eggs
- Whisk in the sourdough discard, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until the discard has fully dissolved into the batter, otherwise you may end up with gummy spots in your banana bread.113 grams sourdough discard, 2 grams baking soda, 7 grams salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Fold a third of the flour into the wet ingredients. Add in another third of the flour and stir until only a few dry bits of flour remain.180 grams all-purpose flour
- Add the last third of the flour in, and continue stirring while you slowly drizzle in the oil. Gently fold the batter until the oil is incorporated. Don’t over mix or your banana bread may turn out gummy.113 grams oil
- Bake the loaf: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out gently on a wire rack.
- Enjoy and store: Serve once it has cooled slightly. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- This loaf can be baked in an 8 by 5 inch loaf pan or 9 by 4 inch Pullman pan.
- Use heavily spotted or brown bananas for the best results.
- Both active starter and sourdough discard will work for this recipe.
- Don't open the oven door while your banana bread bakes. If you open the oven door while your loaf is baking, it will result in a rapid loss of heat from the oven. If your loaf isn't fully baked, it may sink and turn dense and gummy.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Shawnee Land says
Hello Hannah, thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I have been making your older version of Banana Sourdough Bread for at least 3 years and i consistently get huge compliments. I’m curious what made you decide to modify it to this recipe, even though I may get the answer to my question after I try the new recipe:)
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi Shawnee! So glad you love my Banana Bread recipe, but don't worry - the older version is still live on the site. I just added this one on my catalogue since I wanted to provide a plain version for people who have allergies. Adding the link to the oldie version here. Hope you try this one as well!
https://makeitdough.com/sourdough-banana-bread/
Anne says
Hi, what size loaf pan would I need for this recipe? Under equipment you listed 9x5 but in the recipe instructions, you listed 8x4. Thanks!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Ooh thanks for letting me know! Both an 8 x 5 loaf pan or a 9 x 4 Pullman pan will work for this recipe.
Ron says
This is my 2nd time making this recipe. The first time I made my Discard was a mix of Organic Bread Flour and Whole Wheat. Hannah recommended I start using Organic Unbleached All Purpose Flour for my Starter. Just removed from the oven. Cooked at 375F and 70 minutes vs 60. A skewer inserted at 60 minutes did not come out clean. The 1st time I made I used Dark Brown Sugar. This time I used Imperial Light Brown Sugar, Anxious to see what it looks like when sliced.
Melanie W says
Hi! I’m dying to make this but my son is allergic to eggs. Do you have any suggestions for what would be the best substitute? Thank you in advance!!!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
I haven't tried very many egg substitutes that are currently available. But you could try 100 grams of pumpkin puree or apple sauce. If you do try this route, let me know if it works!
Jen says
hi! can bread flour be substituted for the all purpose?
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi Jenn - I would not recommend substituting bread flour for all purpose in this recipe or for any other quick bread recipe. The goal here is a plush and tender crumb. To achieve that you need to keep gluten the development low. Bread flour is high in protein which encourages gluten. Using it would result in a chewy and tough banana bread.