Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe

Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

Regular banana bread is already a good thing. Sourdough discard banana bread is better. The discard adds a mild tang that cuts through the sweetness of the bananas, and the fermented starter contributes a more complex flavor and a slightly denser, moister crumb than a standard baking soda version. It is also the best use for discard that would otherwise go in the bin.

This recipe comes from Maurizio Leo's The Perfect Loaf, a book about sourdough baking that treats every loaf as a technical problem worth solving. The banana bread is one of the more approachable recipes in the book and requires no special equipment beyond a loaf pan and a kitchen scale.

Why It Works

• Sourdough discard acts as a partial acid in the batter, which means you need slightly less baking soda than in a standard banana bread. The acid from the starter reacts with the baking soda to provide lift, while also contributing a noticeable but not sharp tang that balances the sweetness of the bananas.
• Very ripe bananas matter more here than in regular banana bread. The sugars in an overripe banana are more concentrated and more fragrant, and those flavors come through clearly against the mild sourness of the discard. Bananas that are yellow with black spots are at the right stage; mostly black is even better.
• Melted butter rather than creamed butter keeps the crumb tight and moist rather than cakey. Banana bread made with creamed butter has more air pockets and a lighter texture; made with melted butter, it stays dense and sliceable for days.
• The batter should not be overmixed once the flour goes in. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes quick breads tough. Fold until just combined, even if a few streaks of flour are still visible.

On the Discard

Sourdough discard is the portion of starter removed before each feeding. It is not active enough to leaven bread on its own, but it still contains wild yeast, acetic and lactic acids, and flavor compounds that develop over time. For banana bread, use discard that has been refrigerated for no more than a week. Very old discard becomes more sour and can overpower the banana flavor. If your discard has a liquid layer on top, stir it back in before measuring.

On the Bananas

The riper the banana, the better. A ripe banana that is good for eating is not ripe enough for banana bread. You want the peel to be mostly black, the banana very soft, and the flesh smelling almost like banana candy. If your bananas are not ripe enough, place them unpeeled on a baking sheet in a 300 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins turn black. Let them cool completely before using.