This sourdough banana bread is soft and flavorful, with a tangy twist from sourdough starter. It’s the perfect way to use up overripe bananas and sourdough discard!
Our family is obsessed with banana desserts, especially banana bread. It’s such a comfort food, and it’s my go-to whenever I have some questionable looking bananas. So why add sourdough starter to a perfectly good treat? I’ve been doing it for years, and I can say with confidence that the subtle tanginess from the starter beautifully complements the sweetness of the bananas. It also makes the bread more moist and chewy.
You guys, this sourdough banana bread is seriously next-level. It’s the kind of treat that you make for friends… but end up keeping for yourself. It’s so good with coffee or tea, and I love toasting it up the next day with some butter. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Ready to go bananas? Start your day off right with banana waffles or banana pancakes, or enjoy a sweet treat with banana chocolate chip muffins or banana almond whoopie pies.
Sourdough Banana Bread Video
How To Make Sourdough Banana Bread
Making banana bread is crazy easy — follow these five steps, and you’ll have a golden loaf in an hour!
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix together the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, sourdough starter, and mashed bananas.
- Combine the dry and wet: Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and fold just until combined.
- Bake the bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
Tips For the Best Sourdough Banana Bread
Whether you’re a banana bread newbie or you can make it in your sleep, a few simple tips can make all the difference. Here are the most important things that I’ve learned over the years of making banana bread.
- Use overripe bananas. The time has come for those spotty, brown bananas on your counter to shine! Overripe bananas are extra sweet and easy to mash, making them perfect for banana bread.
- Opt for brown sugar. I’ve made plenty of banana breads with regular white sugar (and they’re amazing!), but for this particular recipe, I love using brown sugar. The combination of the brown sugar and sourdough starter creates the most delicious caramelly flavor.
- Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. To guarantee a smooth batter and even baking, use ingredients that are all at the same temperature. If you need to warm up cold eggs quickly, place them in warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Avoid overmixing. You guys, remember this one. Overmixing leads to a tough and dense bread, so mix the dry and wet ingredients together just until no flour streaks remain to keep that beautiful fluffy texture.
- Add mix-ins (optional). Experiment with additions like chopped pecans, walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips to personalize your banana bread.
- Do the toothpick test. You know the drill…grab a toothpick and poke it into the middle of the loaf. If there’s any wet batter on the toothpick when you pull it out, keep baking.
- Allow the bread to cool before slicing. As with any bread, banana bread needs to rest for at least 15 minutes once it comes out of the oven to allow the steam inside to evenly disperse. Cut in too early, and you run the risk of a squashed, gummy slice. I’m watching you!
Storage
Store leftover sourdough banana bread for up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature. To freeze for up to three months, slice the cooled bread and wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Hot tip: Use leftover banana bread to make French toast!
More Banana Bread Recipes
- Banana Zucchini Bread — Incredibly moist and boosted with shredded zucchini and plenty of chocolate
- The Best Banana Bread — A dash of cinnamon and raisins take it to the next level!
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread — Packed with hearty whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt
- Banana Walnut Apple Bread — Sweet, fruity, and nutty
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 very ripe bananas mashed
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar dark or light
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard or active
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line) a 9×5 inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate dish, mash the bananas until they are smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, sourdough starter, and mashed bananas until smooth and well-blended.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir just until combined—don’t overmix! If you’re adding nuts or any other mix-ins, fold them in gently.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen, then carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing.
This is absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for creating and sharing it. I added 100g of raisins and 1tsp of cinnamon to the mixture and sprinkled a small handful of chopped walnuts on top as per your non sourdough recipe. The cake took a lot longer to cook in my oven and a really long time to cool down (my little boys had a fan pointed at it to speed up the process!) but the finished loaf was absolutely worth the wait! Thanks again
That made me laugh, Roisin! I love that your kids pointed a fan at the bread — that's genius! Enjoy the loaf!