This fudgy Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread, is an easy 1 bowl recipe! It’s super easy to make, extra chocolaty with cocoa and mini chocolate chips, and stays moist for days!
Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread
Unlike most sourdough bread, this sourdough bread is sweet, fast and easy! It’s the best recipe for using up sourdough discard and ripe bananas, especially if you’re craving chocolate!
- Easy: It’s super fast and easy to make in 1 bowl for easy clean up!
- Sourdough Flavor: This is a wonderful way to use leftover sourdough starter or discard that adds moisture and a depth of flavor.
- MOIST: This chocolate banana bread stays moist for days, with less oil in the batter!
Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe Tips:
Sourdough Flavor
Let the batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. This allows the sourdough starter to continue fermenting, resulting in a slightly tangy flavor.
Soft Bread
To ensure a soft bread, don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients are just incorporated, stop mixing.
Loaf Variations
This recipe can be baked in a standard loaf pan or a bundt pan for a more decorative presentation. Adjust baking time slightly based on the pan size.
Testing for Doneness
Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the bread is done.
Storing
Let the bread cool completely before storing it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Optional Streusel Topping
For a delightful streusel topping, combine 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon softened butter with your fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter before baking.
Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter or discard
- 3 ripe bananas mashed with a fork (about 1 3/4s cup)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup avocado oil olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup mini simi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., and Butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan really well (especially in the corners).
- In a large mixing bowl mash 3 ripe bananas
- Then add wet ingredients and sugar: 1/2 cup oil, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 lightly beaten eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mix till well incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and mini chocolate chips.
- Use a rubber spatula and gently stir JUST till combined, and you don't see dry flour anymore.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan.
- Let sit on counter and rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Bake at 350 degrees F till toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 70 minutes.
- Remove to a cooling rack or cutting board, and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea is a mother of six, a sourdough baker, and a homestead builder living in Idaho. Alongside her husband and their horse, Dude, she manages a busy farmhouse and shares her love for scratch-cooking and simple homemaking. Through her blog and YouTube channel, she helps millions of families every year master the art of the handmade home.
5 comments
Dixie Clements
I love me a chocolate banana bread! This hit the sweet spot literally! Perfectly moist!
Juliea Huffaker
Thank you Dixie! I’m so happy this hit the sweet spot for you… There is just something about that chocolate and banana sourdough combo that is hard to beat! I really appreciate you taking the time to share!
bee
Made this tonight to share with friends. I’ve been baking for many years but only recently started with sourdough. The bananas I used were ripe, however, the amount of sugar in this recipe is not nearly enough to make this bread SLIGHTLY sweet. It’s not sweet at all!! The look of my bread is nowhere close to the one on the video… I followed the recipe to a T! My bread is dense and oily. Disappointing to say the least! I will not be sharing this with friends! My search continues!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Bee, I’m so sorry to hear the loaf didn’t turn out as expected! This is usually a favorite, so I’d love to help troubleshoot. Regarding the sweetness: between the 2/3 cup of brown sugar, the natural sugars in 3 ripe bananas, and the full cup of chocolate chips, it’s usually quite sweet! If the bananas weren’t heavily spotted or ‘over-ripe,’ that will definitely impact both the sweetness and the moisture levels. For the ‘dense and oily’ texture, that can happen if the batter is over-mixed once the flour goes in. I always recommend mixing just until the streaks of flour disappear. Also, since this recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil (standard for moist quick bread), it feeling ‘oily’ suggests it may have been underbaked or the bananas were smaller than the 1 3/4 cups required. If your sourdough discard was very ‘young’ or thin, it can also weigh down the bread if not handled gently. I appreciate the feedback and hope your next baking adventure is a success!
Timber
The chocolate is a great addition to banana bread. It makes a moist chocolate bread that no one can resist.