Introduction

Oh, banana bread! Is there anything more comforting than the smell of it baking in your oven? It instantly transports me back to cozy mornings and happy kitchen moments. And let me tell you, this Sourdough Discard Banana Bread is a game-changer. It’s ridiculously easy, comes together in a flash, and uses up that sourdough discard you’ve been faithfully feeding. Get ready for a moist, flavorful loaf that’s perfect for breakfast, snacks, or even a sweet treat after dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Seriously, you can whip this up from start to finish pretty quickly, making it perfect for when that banana bread craving hits.
Easy: No fancy techniques here! If you can mash a banana, you can make this bread.
Giftable: Wrap up a warm loaf, and you’ve got an instant crowd-pleasing gift for friends, neighbors, or teachers.
Crowd-pleasing: Even if you’re not a sourdough baker, the tang from the discard adds a subtle complexity that everyone raves about. It’s just plain delicious!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to create this banana bread masterpiece:

1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas: The riper, the better! Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots – they’re sweeter and mash up like a dream. This is usually about 3-4 medium bananas.
¼ cup sourdough discard: Your bubbly, lively discard is the secret ingredient here! It adds a subtle tang and incredible moisture.
1 ⅛ cups unbleached all-purpose flour: I love unbleached flour for its pure, unadulterated taste.
1 teaspoon baking soda: This helps give our bread a lovely lift.
½ teaspoon baking powder: Another leavening agent to ensure a light texture.
¼ teaspoon salt: Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness and bring out all the flavors.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s softened, not melted, for the best creaming action.
½ cup packed light brown sugar: Brown sugar adds that lovely caramel note and extra moisture.
1 large egg: For binding and richness.
1 large egg white: Yep, an extra egg white for even more moisture!
1 teaspoon vanilla extract: The classic flavor enhancer that makes everything better.
Baking spray: For easy pan prep.
Parchment paper: My secret weapon for foolproof loaf removal!

How to Make It

Let’s get baking! Grab your apron, and let’s make some magic.

Preheat & Prep: First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While it’s heating up, grab your trusty 9×5 inch loaf pan. You can either grease and flour it really well, or my favorite trick is to line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides. This makes lifting the finished loaf out a breeze!
Banana Mash Time: In a big bowl, mash those ripe bananas until they’re smooth and lovely. No need for perfection here, a few little lumps are totally fine.
Discard & Stir: Now, add your sourdough discard right into the mashed bananas and give it a good stir. They’ll get along just fine.
Dry Ingredients Unite: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This ensures all those leavening agents are evenly distributed.
Creaming Magic: In another large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer!), cream together the softened butter and packed brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This step is key for a tender crumb!
Egg Addition: Beat in the large egg and then the egg white, one at a time. Make sure to mix well after each addition so everything gets nicely incorporated.
Vanilla Hug: Stir in that fragrant vanilla extract. Ah, the aroma!
Combine Wet & Dry: Now, gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Mix them just until they’re combined. Be careful not to overmix here – overmixing can lead to a tough loaf. A few streaks of flour are okay!
The Gentle Fold: Gently fold in the mashed banana and sourdough discard mixture. You want to incorporate it without deflating all that lovely air you just created.
Pan It Up: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top a little with your spatula.
Bake to Perfection: Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes. The best way to tell if it’s done is to insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, it’s ready!
Cool Down: Once it’s out of the oven, let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. This helps it set. Then, use those parchment paper overhangs to lift it out and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is a virtue, my friends, especially when waiting for warm banana bread!

Substitutions & Additions

Want to jazz things up or have different ingredients on hand? No problem!

No Sourdough Discard? If you don’t have sourdough discard, you can substitute it with ¼ cup of buttermilk or plain yogurt for a similar moisture boost. The tang won’t be there, but it will still be delicious!
Nutty Goodness: Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for a delightful crunch.
Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chips (dark, milk, or semi-sweet) for a decadent twist.
Spice It Up: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for extra warmth.
Sweetener Swap: You can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar, but the texture might be slightly different. Coconut sugar or maple syrup (reduce liquid slightly) are also options, but will alter the flavor.

Tips for Success

A few pointers from my kitchen to yours:

Ripe Bananas Are Key: I can’t stress this enough! Overripe, spotty bananas are packed with sweetness and moisture, which is exactly what you want for the best banana bread.
Don’t Overmix: Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a tougher, denser bread. Mix until just combined!
Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour, resulting in a dry loaf.
Prep Ahead: You can mash your bananas and measure out your dry ingredients a day in advance and store them separately in airtight containers.

How to Store It

Once your beautiful banana bread has cooled completely, you have a few options for storing it:

Room Temperature: Store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh on the counter for about 2-3 days.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, pop it into an airtight container or bag and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezer: This banana bread freezes beautifully! Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the oven.

FAQs

Got a few quick questions? I’ve got you covered!

Can I make this banana bread without a sourdough starter? Yes! As mentioned in the substitutions, you can use buttermilk or plain yogurt instead of sourdough discard.
My banana bread sank in the middle. What did I do wrong? This can happen if the oven temperature was too low, you opened the oven door too early during baking, or you overmixed the batter. Ensure your oven is accurately preheated and try to resist peeking too much!
How do I know if my bananas are ripe enough? Look for bananas that are heavily speckled with brown spots, almost entirely brown, and are soft to the touch. They should smell strongly of banana.

Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

Moist, flavorful, and easy to make banana bread using sourdough discard for added complexity and moisture. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or a sweet treat.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Servings 10 slices

Equipment

Loaf pan 9x5 inch
Mixing bowls Several
Whisk
Spatula
Wooden skewer or toothpick
Wire rack

Ingredients

Main ingredients

1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas about 3-4 medium bananas
0.25 cup sourdough discard
1.125 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
0.5 teaspoon baking powder
0.25 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
baking spray for pan prep
parchment paper for pan prep

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Stir the sourdough discard into the mashed bananas.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
In another large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Beat in the egg and then the egg white, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Stir in the vanilla extract.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Gently fold in the mashed banana and sourdough discard mixture.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before lifting it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. Don't overmix the batter, and measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.