The Sourdough Planner
A banana loaf on a wire rack, split along the top, one thick slice cut to show a dark moist crumb.

Discardeasy★ 5.0 (3)

Banana bread

Sourdough discard banana bread with more depth of flavour than the classic version. The discard adds subtle tang that cuts through sweetness, deepens flavour, and produces a more tender moist crumb, while using up starter you would otherwise throw away. Three overripe bananas, one bowl, no mixer, no fermentation wait. Ready in under 2 hours.

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Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

  • Overripe bananas (mashed)3 bananas (approx. 300g)
  • Sourdough discard150g
  • Plain flour200g
  • Unsalted butter (melted)115g
  • Brown sugar150g
  • Eggs (large)2 eggs
  • Vanilla extract1 tsp (5g)
  • Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)1¼ tsp (7g)
  • Fine sea salt¾ tsp (4g)
  • Ground cinnamon¾ tsp (2g)
  • 900g (2lb) loaf tin
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Kitchen scale
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Skewer or toothpick
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Bread knife, serrated
Alternatives, sizes and where to buy

Method

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven

    5 min

    Set your oven to 175°C (155°C fan) / 350°F. While it heats, grease a loaf tin generously with butter, or line it with parchment.

  2. 2

    Prep the bananas

    5 min

    Peel your bananas (they should be very ripe, with black-speckled or fully black skins) and mash them thoroughly with a fork directly in a large mixing bowl. You need approximately 300g mashed banana, roughly 3 large bananas.

  3. 3

    Mix wet ingredients

    5 min

    To the bowl of mashed bananas add: 115g melted butter (cooled slightly), 150g brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract, and 150g sourdough discard. Whisk until fully combined, about 1 minute. The batter may look slightly curdled from the discard. This is completely normal and resolves when flour is added.

  4. 4

    Add dry ingredients and fold

    5 min

    Sprinkle directly over the wet batter: 200g plain flour, 1¼ tsp (7g) bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ¾ tsp (4g) fine sea salt, and ¾ tsp (2g) ground cinnamon if using. Using a spatula, fold gently until just combined with slow strokes from the bottom up and over. Stop the moment no dry flour streaks are visible. Fold in any add-ins with 2–3 final strokes. Pour batter into prepared tin and smooth the top.

  5. 5

    Bake

    60 min

    Place the tin on the centre rack of the preheated oven at 175°C (155°C fan) / 350°F. Bake for 55–65 minutes. Do not open the oven before 40 minutes. At 40 minutes: tent loosely with foil if top is browning too quickly. At 55 minutes: insert a skewer into the very centre. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If wet, bake a further 5–10 minutes and test again.

  6. 6

    Cool and serve

    30 min

    Remove the tin from the oven. Leave the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the loaf out onto a wire rack. Leave for at least 20 more minutes before slicing. For best texture and flavour, wait until fully cooled ~ approximately 1 hour total.

Keeping it

  • Up to 4 days on the counterTightly wrapped, or in an airtight container. It is best from day 2.
  • Up to 3 months in the freezerSlice first, then wrap in cling film.
  • Warm it upToast slices from frozen, or 25–30 seconds in the microwave.

Ratings

5.0 from 3 ratings