Soft Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe – How to Make Moist

Looking to transform your overripe bananas and sourdough discard into a delectable treat… This delicious moist sourdough banana bread is the perfect solution!

With the tangy goodness of an active sourdough starter, this recipe brings together the best of both worlds – the beloved classic flavors of banana bread and the rich depth of sourdough.

This simple recipe is a great way to incorporate naturally fermented grains in sourdough starter, in a moist banana bread that boasts an incredible depth of flavor.

Whether you’re a seasoned sourdough baker or trying out sourdough recipes for the first time, our sourdough discard banana bread is a fantastic addition to your collection.

This sourdough banana bread recipe uses half the sugar of most sourdough or classic banana bread recipes… but you wont miss it one bit! 

It’s a great way to use sourdough starter discard! This sourdough banana bread recipe uses twice the amount of 100% hydration sourdough starter!

The mixture of wet ingredients, including melted butter, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract, perfectly complements the tanginess of active starter. These ingredients combine to produce a soft, moist crumb and a beautiful rise. You can even add a few chocolate chips for an extra indulgent twist!

Key Ingredients

Every ingredient plays a role in creating this delightful loaf, but a few are foundational to its unique flavor, texture, and rise:

• Active Sourdough Starter (100% hydration): This is the heart and soul of this sourdough banana bread. More than just a leavening agent, starter adds a ton of flavor, texture and aroma…. And it creates that lovely crumb.
• Ripe Bananas: Ripe bananas are the key to this bread’s incredible moisture and crumb and flavor. Ripe banana flavor pair beautifully with the sourdough tang.
• Dark Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar brings a richer, more complex sweetness with notes of caramel and molasses. This depth of flavor complements the tang of the sourdough and the sweetness of the bananas beautifully. Plus, the molasses inside dark brown sugar adds to the bread’s moisture, helping to keep it soft and tender for longer!
• All-Purpose Flour (or Whole Wheat): Flour provides the structure. All-purpose flour yields a tender crumb, while whole wheat flour will add a nuttier flavor and denser texture, plus increased fiber.
• Baking Soda: While your sourdough starter provides the primary leavening, baking soda acts as a powerful enhancer, especially in a recipe with acidic ingredients like sourdough and bananas. It reacts with these acids to produce carbon dioxide gas, contributing to a lighter, airier texture and ensuring a good rise, so you wont get a dense loaf.

Pro-Tips for Perfect Sourdough Banana Bread

Baking this banana bread is a breeze, but these little tips and tricks will ensure you get a moist, tender, and absolutely perfect loaf every time!

Ripeness is Key: The best banana bread starts with the bananas themselves! Make sure you use very ripe bananas—the ones that are almost completely brown and spotty. The browner they are, the sweeter they are, which means more flavor for your bread.

Active Starter for the Best Rise: This recipe works best with an active sourdough starter. Using a starter that has been fed recently and is bubbly and active will give your banana bread a nice lift and that classic sourdough tang.

Don’t Overmix! Once you’ve added the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, mix just until everything is combined. A few streaks of flour are perfectly fine! Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, which will make your banana bread tough and chewy instead of light and moist.

The Toothpick Test: The best way to check for doneness is with a simple toothpick. When you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. If it comes out wet, your loaf needs a few more minutes.

Patience is a Virtue: We all want to slice into that warm, fragrant loaf right away, but letting it cool completely is the most important step! Cooling in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then on a wire rack, allows the loaf to finish setting. If you cut into it too early, it might crumble and fall apart.

More Sourdough Recipes

Soft Sourdough Rolls

Easy Sourdough Bread for Beginners

Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Perfect Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Sourdough Baguette

Recipe Tools

• Mixing Bowl: A large mixing bowl is essential for combining your wet and dry ingredients to create the banana bread batter.
• Loaf Pan: A 9×5-inch loaf pan or a smaller loaf pan is needed to bake your banana bread to perfection. You can also use mini loaf pans for smaller portions.
• Parchment Paper: Line your loaf pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make it easy to remove the bread after baking.
• Wire Rack: A cooling rack allows your banana bread to cool evenly and prevents moisture buildup on the bottom.
• Airtight Container: Store leftover sourdough banana bread wrapped banana bread in an airtight container to keep it protected.

How to Store Sourdough Banana Bread

You’ve made a beautiful loaf of banana bread, now here’s how to keep it moist and delicious!

For Short-Term Storage (1-7 days)
First, make sure your loaf is completely cool before you store it. This is a crucial step! Once cooled, wrap the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in an airtight container or a large zip-top bag.

• Your banana bread will stay fresh and moist at room temperature for about 1-2 days.
• For longer storage, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For Long-Term Storage (Up to 3 months)
The freezer is your best friend for storing banana bread! Simply slice the cooled loaf into individual portions. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place the wrapped slices in a zip-top freezer bag. When you’re ready for a slice, just pull one out and let it thaw at room temperature or warm it up in the toaster or microwave.

I want to know what YOU think, Please leave a review!

If you try this recipe, let me know what you thought… Please leave a review on the recipe card or in the comments below! Or tag me on Instagram @farmhouse_harvest with your delicious creation… Thank YOU!

Sourdough Banana Bread

This moist and delicious sourdough banana bread is the perfect loaf! With the tangy goodness of an active sourdough starter, this recipe brings together the best of both worlds – the beloved classic flavors of banana bread and the rich depth of sourdough.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 48 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 18 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 loaf

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Juliea Huffaker

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Ingredients

• 1 cup active sourdough starter at 100% hydration can be fed or unfed.
• For the banana bread batter:
• 2-3 ripe bananas mashed
• 1/4 cup neutral oil such as vegetable or avocado oil
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts walnuts or pecans, optional

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
• 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
• 3. Add 1 cup of your active sourdough starter to the banana mixture and mix until incorporated.
• 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using).
• 5. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• 6. If you're using nuts, gently fold in the chopped nuts.
• 7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
• 8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• 9. Once baked, remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• Calories: ~220-250 kcal
• Total Fat: ~9-11 g
• Saturated Fat: ~1-2 g
• Cholesterol: ~15-20 mg
• Sodium: ~150-200 mg
• Total Carbohydrates: ~31-35 g
• Dietary Fiber: ~2-3 g
• Sugars: ~15-18 g
• Protein: ~4-5 g

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g