Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

This buttery quick bread has become my favorite way to use up two things I always seem to have a surplus of: overripe bananas and sourdough starter discard. Naturally sweetened with just enough honey and jazzed up with the balancing tang from sourdough discard, this sourdough discard banana bread is not your typical banana bread recipe.

Recipe Background and Details

I love using sourdough starter to create crusty loaves of bread or bubbly pizza crusts. But sometimes I also need to just shove the jar in the fridge and forget about it. Even on those weeks I don't have time to fuss with long-fermented sourdough recipes, I still crave the interaction with my beloved starter. That is precisely why adding sourdough discard, or unfed starter, to my everyday quick bakes like this sourdough discard banana bread has become one of my recent obsessions!

Check out my Three Favorite Sourdough Discard Recipes video on my Youtube Channel where I make this banana bread but I turn it into mini muffins for my toddler. I also make my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread.

Why you will LOVE this sourdough discard banana bread

• It is not overly sweet - you can really taste the banana, the cinnamon and vanilla, and the hint of tang from the sourdough starter.
• This banana bread is buttery and tender but sturdy enough to toast. A toasted slice of banana bread with some salted butter is truly one of life's pleasures.
• This recipe is a great way to use up sourdough discard, but although I call for discard here, but you can actually use active - you will just have a higher rise which is never a bad thing.
• Easily doubled, this sourdough discard banana bread is a great way to use up that bunch of bananas you forgot about. The riper the better! I like to let them get really dark and spotted before making this to take advantage of those natural sugars.
• It is delicious served with soft, salted butter.
• It keeps well at room temperature for a few days (if it lasts that long). If we do happen to have any left after about 3 days I like to pop it in the fridge or freezer.
• Like I wrote above, this recipe is easily doubled so you can enjoy one loaf now and pop one in the freezer for next week.

Tips for making the best sourdough discard banana bread

• Since this is a long bake, make sure to place your oven rack right in the middle of the oven. Too high or too low will result in the top or bottom getting a bit too dark.
• During the last 20 minutes of baking I like to tent the bread with foil to prevent over-browning on top.
• Be sure to check with a wooden skewer or toothpick to make sure the loaf is done. You want to see a few moist crumbs attached, but if you see wet batter give them another 5 minutes before checking again.

How to make Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

This batter comes together in a flash. First, mash bananas in a large mixing bowl and add wet ingredients on top. Whisk well to combine. Next add dry ingredients that you have quickly mixed together in a separate bowl. Finally, add to a buttered loaf pan and bake!

Step-by-step photos

What can I use my sourdough discard for?

Well, this sourdough discard banana bread of course! But seriously, you can add sourdough discard to almost any baked good recipe. You will need to adjust the flour and liquid measurements to accommodate the addition of starter. Basically for every 100 grams of starter you add, subtract 50 grams liquid and 50 grams flour from the recipe. And you will treat sourdough discard as a liquid when adding it to the recipe. I find it best suits breads, quick breads, muffins, and yeasted doughs like cinnamon rolls and pizza crust. Be sure to give my popular sourdough discard recipes a try: Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Discard Soft Pretzels, and Sourdough Discard English Muffins, and Overnight Sourdough Pancakes.

I hope you will give this sourdough banana bread recipe a try. I have really been diving deep into my sourdough recipe development over the past month or so, so if you enjoy sourdough recipes stay tuned! As always, thanks for being here. xo - Anita

More Sourdough Recipes

Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

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Naturally sweetened with honey and balanced with the tang of sourdough discard, this Sourdough Discard Banana Bread is not your typical banana bread recipe.

• Total Time: 65 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted*
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sourdough discard*
• 3 medium bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment.
2. In a small bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and whisk to combine.
3. In a large mixing bowl mash bananas thoroughly with a potato masher or a fork. Add remaining wet ingredients (sourdough discard, vanilla, eggs, honey, and butter) whisk well to combine. *if your honey is solid or crystallized, warm it with the butter. I have done this many times.
4. Add dry ingredients and fold until no streaks of flour remain and ingredients are all well incorporated. 
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake on center rack for 55-60 minutes, covering loosely with foil after 45 minutes. 
6. When thoroughly baked, a wooden skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs attached. If wet batter remains, give another 5 minutes and test again. 
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.
8. Enjoy warm with butter!

Notes

I almost always use salted butter because that's what we prefer to keep on hand in our home. You can use salted or unsalted in this recipe and if you are worried about the salt, simply lower the salt amount from ½ teaspoon to ¼ teaspoon (I never do this).

You can use fed or unfed (discard) starter. The fed will result in a higher rise in your loaf.

• Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: quick bread, sourdough, breads and breakfast
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: American