Moist Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

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I developed this banana bread using my Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread as a starting point, and it is just as delicious. Pumpkin and mashed banana have relatively similar moisture content, which makes it a natural adaptation with bananas. This bread is tall and moist, perfectly sweet and full of banana flavor, and reminiscent of a bakery style loaf.

This bread is tall and moist, perfectly sweet and full of banana flavor, and reminiscent of a bakery style loaf.

This soft and delicious banana bread recipe uses a small portion of almond flour to add additional moistness and give the banana bread a lovely tight crumbed texture. I do the same with my sourdough discard banana chocolate chip muffins! A good amount of vanilla extract to bring out the true flavor of the bananas, and the loaf is finished with raw sesame seeds for subtle crunch and toastiness at the top of each slice.

Why use sourdough discard in banana bread?

Sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter that has been removed from active sourdough starter to rebalance the acidity levels)can be a magical ingredient, making cakes and baked goods fluffy and soft because it increases the acidity of the batter, which weakens the gluten in flour. 

Because it has already been fermented, the gluten in the sourdough discard itself has also been weakened. It has the same effect in this fabulous Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread and Sourdough Discard Rhubarb Cake. Contrary to what one might think sourdough discard doesn’t make cake or quick bread recipes sour!

Main Ingredients for Sourdough Banana Bread

• Sourdough starter discard
• All-purpose flour
• Almond flour
• Very ripe bananas
• Eggs
• Neutral oil (such as sunflower or grapeseed oil)
• Sugar
• Vanilla and cinnamon

How to Make Moist Sourdough Banana Bread:

• Mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth.
• Add sourdough discard, vanilla and oil. Whisk until combined. Then add eggs and sugars, and whisk again until combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two increments, using a spatula to fold in until no streaks remained.
• Pour batter into a loaf pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. When oven is preheated, place loaf pan inside and turn heat down to 350 degrees F. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with no wet batter.
• Remove from oven and let pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove bread to finish cooling.

How long does sourdough discard last in the fridge?

You can keep sourdough discard in your refrigerator for up to 10 days. The discard will be more sour the longer it stays in the fridge. So for something like these pumpkin scones or sourdough discard muffins, where I don’t want the sourness to come through, I use discard that is less than 5 days old.

Your discard might accumulate a little liquid on the top while it’s in the fridge, which is called hooch, simply meaning alcohol that is the byproduct of fermentation. You can simple pour the liquid off into garbage, and scrape the very top off, and use the rest as discard.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes:

• Flaky Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze
• Lemon Rhubarb Sourdough Discard Cake
• Easy Sourdough Discard Soda Bread

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Moist Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Loaf

This incredibly soft and moist banana bread is easy to make with sourdough discard and full of banana flavor! It comes together in just 20 minutes before going into the oven. Great beginner recipe for using leftover sourdough starter, and makes a tall and lofty loaf, just like the bakery.

5 from 15 votes

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Prep Time :20 minutes minutes

Cook Time :1 hour hour

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 350 grams mashed very ripe bananas mashed (weight taken when bananas are out of their peel)
• 140 grams sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 90 grams granulated sugar
• 90 grams brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 205 grams all-purpose flour
• 35 grams almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder (optional, but deepens the flavors)
• raw sesame seeds for topping (optional)

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Equipment

• 1 (9×4 inch) Pullman Loaf Pan

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth.
• Add sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and oil. Whisk well, until fully combined and mixture is cohesive. Then add eggs and sugars, and whisk again until combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two increments, using a spatula to fold in until no streaks remained.
• Pour batter into a greased loaf pan, lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
• Turn oven heat down to 350 degrees F and for 55-65 minutes (if you are using the pullman loaf pan like I did. If you are using a standard loaf pan it will likely be done around 45-50 minutes), until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with no wet batter. A few light crumbs is okay. (If you don't have an oven thermometer, start checking bread at 45 minutes in case your oven runs hot.)
• Remove from oven and let pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove bread to finish cooling. Store bread sealed in foil on the counter or in a sealed container in the fridge, for 4 days.