A classic, comforting banana bread, made with sourdough discard! This bread is sweet, with just a hint of sourdough tang. The inside is soft and tender and the exterior is perfectly crispy.
Since it all comes together in one bowl, this bread feels really simple to make!
Use bubbly, active starter or discard for this recipe. The bread will get a little extra boost in the oven if you use active starter.
The genius of this recipe comes from Emilie at The Clever Carrot. She has the method for this bread totally nailed down. All I have done is changed the amounts of the ingredients.
Her recipe will make one 9 by 5-inch loaf, and since I don't own that size pan, and since I always have to make at least two loaves of banana bread if I want it to last longer than 20 minutes, I have adapted it to make two 8 by 4-inch loaves.
Ingredients
Oil - Use any oil you like here. Neutral oils like vegetable or canola will add great texture without much flavor. If you want to add a richer or more interesting flavor, try using coconut oil (melted and cooled), olive oil, or even melted and cooled butter.
If you want to substitute the oil, you can use the same amount of unsweetened applesauce by weight.
Bananas - Use about 6 overripe bananas here. There is a weight listed in the recipe card, but doing slightly more or less banana will work just fine.
The most shocking thing about this banana bread is it doesn't have any cinnamon. I love cinnamon in banana bread (and use loads of it in my regular recipe), but leaving it out really lets the banana flavor take center stage.
The Method
This bread is made in one bowl, which makes it feel so easy! Adding things in a specific order is key to success.
Rather than mixing all the wet ingredients and then adding the dry ingredients, some of the wet ingredients are mixed, then the dry ingredients added, then the remaining wet ingredients get folded in.
This works really well and consistently results in a perfect texture banana bread. But, you do need to be careful to avoid overmixing here! At each stage of adding ingredients, mix until things are combined and no more.
You'll also bake this bread at 360 degrees. A slightly higher temperature gives it a little extra rise.
One Bowl Sourdough Discard Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 565 grams overripe bananas (from about 6 medium bananas)
- 340 grams brown sugar (dark or light will work just fine!)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 150 grams sourdough starter discard OR active starter
- 375 grams all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 3 grams salt
- 185 grams oil
- 90 grams milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Butter two 8 by 4-inch loaf pans.To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the banana, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for about a minute until ingredients are combined and bananas are mashed - some lumps are okay. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate between each addition. Mix in the sourdough starter. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined - scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Some pockets of dry flour are okay at this point. Add the oil and milk and mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix or your bread could be tough! I like to finish this step by hand, folding in the milk and oil. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the loaves comes out clean. (I recommend poking this bread in a few different spots - some wet pockets like to hide!) Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert to release and cool completely on a wire rack.
CindyP says
Great banana bread! Will def make again. Great flavor and very moist.
Cassidy B Barney says
So yummy! Have you ever tried freezing a loaf for later?!
mandyjackson says
Yes! It works great, but I do find it’s slightly more sour.
Susan says
This recipe definitely makes 2 loaves. I started to use a 9X5 pan and quickly discovered the entire batter was not going to fit, and give any room for rise. I quickly greased a 5X5 baking pan I have and poured batter to the same depths in both pans. I will have to get another 9X5 pan. I need a second loaf pan for sourdough sandwich bread anyway. Turned out very good. I’ll make this again.
Holly says
Why are your liquid measurements in grams? Do you mean milliliters?
mandyjackson says
Hi Holly - Grams are the correct unit.
CY says
I bake this in one long pan that I bought from King Arthur's website. I love this recipe. If I do not have enough bananas, I just make up the difference with canned pumpkin. Everything I have baked on here has been great!
Tina says
CY I didn’t know King Arthur had a website! Thank you! Thank you for the recipe Mandy!
Lexi says
Hi! Could you substitute the brown sugar for honey, maple syrup or fructose to give a little healthier option?
mandyjackson says
Hi Lexi - I think using honey/syrup would change the liquid content of the recipe too much, and I’m not familiar with baking with fructose… sorry I’m not much help, but hopefully someone else can give you a better answer!