Make soft, rich, same-day sourdough banana bread at home with active starter or sourdough discard. One bowl. Simple recipe. My secret? All brown sugar, overripe bananas, and a specific mixing order for a velvety soft texture and bold, caramel taste.
I’ve tested hundreds of banana bread recipes in my career and here’s what I know: this is not your average sourdough banana bread. The texture is soft and smooth, like velvet. Everyone asks for the recipe. It’s the only banana bread recipe I make.
The original version comes from The Boathouse restaurant in Manly, Australia, which I adapted to include sourdough. You can use bubbly, active sourdough or sourdough discard– whatever you have is fine.
I like to make this recipe on the same day using leftover discard from fluffy sourdough pancakes, sourdough pasta or even sourdough bread. However, feel free to ferment the batter overnight if you prefer. The texture will only change slightly due to how much the flour absorbs overnight.
Want to bake more? Check out my full collection of sourdough discard recipes here.
What Makes It Ultimate?
- All brown sugar. When combined with perfectly overripe bananas and pure vanilla extract, it creates the most exquisite caramel taste. It will blow you away. No white sugar is used in this recipe.
- Specific mixing order. Typically when making a quick bread like this, you’d simply combine the wet and dry ingredients and call it a day. But here, you’ll cream a portion of the wet ingredients first, then add the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and olive oil. I was definitely hesitant about this mixing order (the batter looks totally strange when you get to the oil part). But it’s the science behind the banana bread’s velvety soft texture.
- No cinnamon. Shocking, I know. But your won’t miss it. Cinnamon is lovely but strong and the lack of it really let’s that caramel flavor shine through.
How To make Sourdough Banana Bread {Step-by-Step Recipe}
To Start: Preheat the oven to 360 F (that’s not a typo). Baking at 10 degrees higher than the standard 350 F gives this sourdough banana bread a nice lift. Thn coast your loaf pan with softened butter Normally, I use a 9×5-inch pan. You can also use three 7x3x2 mini loaf pans instead. I like to freeze the little ones individually. So cute!
Next: Add the bananas, brown sugar and vanilla extract to a bowl. Don’t bother slicing the bananas, just break them up by hand. Cream together with a stand mixer or hand held mixer. Add the eggs and the sourdough starter.
Add: The dry ingredients, followed by the milk and oil. The liquids will not blend in right away. Just keep mixing on low speed until completely absorbed. Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s).
To Finish: Place into a sheet pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Plan on 60-65 minutes for a standard loaf pan and 45 minutes for the mini pans. Cool before cutting into thick, sturdy slices.
Final Thoughts:
Friends, please look no further. This sourdough banana bread is truly the very best. It’s soft and moist, packed with caramel-banana flavor in every bit. Take a cue from The Boathouse restaurant and serve it with salted butter or mascarpone cheese for a decadent treat! Then come back and bake my moist sourdough blueberry muffins, these easy, no-roll sourdough scones, sourdough waffles (overnight or same day) and more.
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Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf or 3 mini loaves 1x
- Category: Sourdough Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Banana bread is a comfort food classic. My secret is plenty of brown sugar, overripe bananas, and a specific mixing order for the ultimate sourdough banana bread. Recipe adapted from The Boathouse restaurant in Manly, Australia.
Notes:
Out of sourdough starter? You can still make this recipe (and it’s delicious!). Increase the milk to 125 ml (1/2 cup) total.
You will need a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan or three 7x3x2 mini loaf pans for baking.
Ingredients
- Butter, for coating the pan
- 375 g overripe bananas (appx. 1 1/2 cups lightly smashed)
- 225 g (1 1/4 cups lightly packed) light or dark brown sugar
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g (appx. 1/2 cup) active sourdough starter or or sourdough discard
- 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
- 125ml (½ cup) neutral flavored oil
- Powdered sugar, butter, and mascarpone cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360 F.
- Lightly coat three 7x3x2 mini loaf pans or one 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter.
- Add the bananas, sugar, and vanilla to a bowl. Cream with a hand held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (some small lumps of banana are okay).
- Add the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the sourdough starter.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Working in batches, add this to the banana mixture.
- Add the milk and oil and mix until just combined. Do not over do it; the banana bread will be tough.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). If using the mini loaf pans, place them onto a baking sheet and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes (for the mini loaf pans) or 60- 65 minutes (for the standard 9×5-inch pan), until rich golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cover with foil if the loaf browns too quickly.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve with powdered sugar for a nice touch!
Comments
Misha says
I’ve baked so many different banana bread recipes and this one takes the cake (pun intended haha). My husband said it was the best tasting banana bread he’s ever had and my kids inhaled it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Misha! I’m so glad you love this recipe. That’s why I call it the “ULTIMATE” 😉 So good to share!
LeAnna says
Nice texture, very light and moist, not dense. Strong baking soda taste.
Squid says
I added walnuts and it’s delicious, moist and actually rose – which my cakes never do! Slightly burnt even though it was only 60 min in the oven though.
Robert says
I have made this banana bread 3 times, it is a great sweet treat!
Adding some walnuts and doing an overnight ferment before adding the baking soda this time.
TY for the recipe!
Kaytlyn says
I just made this but with 100% spelt flour cause that’s all I have left in my house. Other than the texture being more crumby, this loaf is fabulous. Thank you for a great recipe.
Dem says
Súper súper yummy! Made it last week, gluten free with gf sourdough starter and Bob’s 1to1 gf flour.
I did bake it in a 7×11 pan so I didn’t have to worry about the middle not cooking well, and it’s easier to serve to a crowd that way. Also added chocolate chips into the mix at the end and covered with foil while baking as soon as it started browning up on the outside. My husband (not gf) asked me to make it again this week and to serve to guests.
LINDA J NELSON says
I wanted to receive the health benefits of fermentation, so I followed the recipe, with the exception of adding the baking soda, until I was ready to bake the bread. I refrigerated overnight, and the next morning I added the baking soda and baked. The results were amazing; a soft, moist bread.
Robert says
Thank you I am giving that method a try today.
LINDA J NELSON says
How do you make it if fermenting the flour and starter overnight?
Heather says
Absolute best banana bread recipe! I substitute the flour with einkorn flour. The flavor is excellent!
Jewel says
Made this twice now, so good! 2 year old is my favorite helper! Thank you!
KB says
Hands down the best banana bread recipe I have ever used! Everyone wants their own loaf!
Janet says
I’ve made this recipe twice now and every time, my flour mixture always clumps into little pellets (similar to what happens when you add flour to hot liquid). I followed the recipe in the right order. Do you know what I did wrong?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Janet! Are you adding the flour in batches? This will help. Doing so (a little bit at a time) will ensure the flour absorbs the liquid slowly. Too much too soon could be the culprit. Also: using a stand mixer or hand held mixer will help too.
Janet says
The first time, I added them in 2 batches and used a rubber spatula to fold it in, which was probably too much. I continued to bake it thinking the clumps would go away (like with pancake batter), butt they didn’t. This time, I added the flour mixture a little at a time using a whisk and I was still getting big and little clumps. I went through and broke up all of them individually. I seem to be the only one having this problem. :) My bread was good with a lovely “ear” but pretty dense. Is it supposed to be a little heavy or light? Thank you.
Caite says
Substituted about 1/3 of the flour for whole wheat. Everything was great and it turned out perfectly moist.
Max says
The first time I made this recipe I thought it’s one of the softest banana breads i’ve ever eaten. I tried to recreate it in different orders, but its never as fluffy and soft.
What’s the science of adding the oil and milk in the end? Is it like a protective layer from forming the gluten?
Lucinda Kiessling says
Forgot to rate them. Definitely 5 stars for this recipe and every recipe that I have tried of Emilie’s with great success.
Emilie Raffa says
You are so kind for circling back! Thank you, Lucinda 🥰
Lucinda Kiessling says
Used thawed out cranberries along with the mashed banana when I didn’t have enough ripe bananas. I had quadrupled the recipe and added the cranberries at the very end of the mixing. The loaves took longer to bake but they were very yummy with the tartness of the cranberries and sweetness of the banana. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Your recipes Emilie are incredible and I have tried several. My other favorites are the cranberry/orange scones and the oatmeal raisin cookies. Yum 😋 😋 😋 Thanks for sharing your recipes, Emilie.
Jill says
I agree 100%. She has GREAT recipes!!
Nikki says
These were perfect! I wanted muffins so I baked for 17 minutes. First batch I tried a higher temperature of 400 as I saw suggested in a comment here, but it made them extremely dark. Still good! Next two batches I baked at 360 and they came out perfect!
Janet E Smith says
I made this and while it worked out well, it is too sweet for me. I will decrease the sugar next time, or just eat the bananas fresh with some berries for a very healthy snack, dessert, or with a few nuts sprinkled on, and. toast for breakfast.
Fleur says
Truly an outstanding recipe. Best banana bread I’ve ever made.
Soph says
This recipe was delicious! I added half a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips which sealed the deal. A must try
Angie says
I haven’t rated because mine is in oven baking now. The bananas I used were frozen. I measured them out when frozen & then thawed them. I added all the juices from them. When I got to the point of adding the milk & oil, I didn’t because it would have been way too runny. I don’t know if i made the right decision. I don’t know, maybe it won’t turn out. Do you think using frozen bananas weren’t a good idea?
Jen says
I always use frozen bananas but follow the rest of the recipe as is and it’s always perfect
Scott Hespen says
I made this recipe as stated except that I used jaggery instead of brown sugar at my wifes request and added a 1/2 cup of crushed walnts. It was exceptionally good and I’m convinced the jaggery really enhanced the flavor over brown sugar. I will have to make it again with light brown sugar to check that theory. In any event, great recipe, nice almost airy loaf compared to most heavier banana bread recipes I’ve had. Well done!
Ed Friday says
When does the starter go in?????
Robin says
Check out Step 4. After the eggs
SCL says
This really is the ultimate banana bread recipe. I made two pans of this to take to a party last weekend and it was an instant hit. It even traveled well!
mac says
hi can we proof the mixture overnight?
Tammy Barnack says
This recipe is amazing I used brown butter and it truly was delicious with the brown sugar.
I even added blueberries, cherries and raisins.
Lindsay Hooper says
Soooo good!!
Liat says
This looks wonderful! If I’m out of milk, can I use yogurt instead? I just turned all my milk into yogurt… but I have a huge banana harvest that needs to be addressed!! Thanks!
Shayna says
Best banana bread I EVER made and that’s saying something because I’ve made it A LOT. I used a fork instead of a stand mixer and it still came out perfect. I will never use another recipe again!!
Jean says
The texture of this load is perfect. The recipe came together quickly. I love the deep brown colour, moist crumb and it is simply delicious. I definitely will be making this recipe again. I added a few chocolate chips on the top because, when you have grandchildren, it is just an unspoken rule lol.
Heidi A Martin says
Do I HAVE to butter the pans, or can I use parchment? 🤔
April Amiel says
Wow, this is the BEST banana bread I’ve ever had. And I’ve made a lot of banana bread! It’s so buttery and light despite their being no better. It’s perfect.
Lobo Mitro says
This is the best moist spongy banana bread I have ever made. Simple and same day. Outstanding!!! Will be making this again soon.
Chauncey says
I’ve made this bread several times now with subtle changes and varying results it’s always delicious and amazing!
Thanks!
Sqrl says
I just made this today and I have to say, I’ve been baking banana bread for years and this is hands down the absolute best banana bread I’ve ever made! I used avocado oil as my oil of choice and made one large loaf. Around the 50 minute mark I covered it with foil to prevent it from getting too dark, my loaf took probably close to 1h20m until it hit 200 degrees in the middle. It was lightly crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside to perfection! Ty for the great recipe, another great use for my sourdough discard and my new go to recipe!
Mahima says
What can I use instead of eggs?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Some bakers have used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer with great results. Others have used flax egg. Both will change the texture slightly, but still very good!
Mahima Nangia says
Thanks. Tried it last night. It was delicious but very gummy :(. Fell flat as soon as I took it out of the oven. I think the batter was too wet ? It wasn’t undercooked for sure
Chauncey says
I’ve made it three times now using aqua faba and it’s great. 😁
Nic says
Wow I’ve made other banana bread recipes that were dense, dry, or blah. This one came out soft, fluffy, and delicious. Rather than loaf pans I used two cupcake pans and cooked for ~15 minutes close to sea level. YMMV if you use cupcake tins like me, check with a toothpick
LMarie says
This banana bread is on another level!! Wow it’s spectacular! You are right…I will never need another banana bread recipe again. Thank you 😋
Eleanor says
I have been making this bread non-stop! So delicious. I’m wanting to gift mini-loaves for the holidays and realizing that the linked loaf pans are different sizes than what you mention (6×2.5×2 vs 7x3x2). Do you think the recipe will still work with the 6×2.5×2 loaf pan?
Holly Carter says
Where do you get the mini loaf pans shown in the recipe? They look great for gifting. Ive made this several times and it is amazing!
Flowerchild Cisco says
I see all sizes and shapes of foil pans at the dollar store, like Dollar Tree.
Marissa roberts says
This recipe is unlike any banana bread recipe I’ve used before (its the method and the brown sugar that set this apart), and it’s just the BEST banana bread ever, no alterations needed. Delightfully fluffy, soft and carmell-y, perfect mild banana flavor- I don’t desire to ever make a different banana bread!
Leslie says
I just made this and was great! I might play around with toppings next time, but the bread texture was delicious 😋
Terra says
Made for first time. I’m a banana bread aficionado and have made a 100 different other recipes. This is by far my favorite first try and a great way to use up discard and coconut oil. Thank you for creating and sharing this amazing recipe!
Sara says
This is my go to banana bread recipe! She gives a modification if you don’t have starter too. It’s really good bread.. I’ve done the mini loaf version and a regular loaf pan and they always turn out!
ZClare says
This is my new favorite banana (nut) bread. My “old” non-sourdough recipe called for 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar!! yikes. The Clever Carrot’s sourdough banana bread recipe is light and not so sweet tasting. The brown sugar mixed in with the ripe bananas really does enhances that all natural sweet flavor. I followed the specific instructions to a T then added chopped pecans in the bread and topped it with pecans. So delicious.
Pooya says
This is really an amazing recipe. My 5 year old asks for a slice in her lunch box every single day.
I modified it a bit tho, used 70 gram of sugar and 50 gram of oil, and added chocolate chips. Thank you for a great recipe :)
Rachelle says
Amazinggggg!! I added a little extra banana and cinnamon. I also did part avocado oil and part butter. Turned out delicious! I did have to bake 70 min.
Kristen says
Love it! Made both mini and a single large loaf. I had trouble cooking the large loaf, even with tenting it in the last 3rd of cook time. Mini loaves, no issues at all! Taste great!! Trying to make more of a dessert, could you replace oil with brown butter?
Gerry says
What if you put nuts in it
Paul Mitchell says
This is an excellent Bannana Bread recipe ! It’s different from any I’ve made before , and I have made so many others. The taste is fabulous and the crumb was light. This is a keeper for sure.
Pooya says
This is a great recipe; I made it with 50gr sugar, 100ml coconut oil and added 1/6 cup semisweet chocolate chips and it turned out amazing. I have to stop myself from eating the whole loaf in one go! Definitely recommend and definitely on repeat for me. Thank you so much.
Fiona says
This was a very tasty banana bread. I substituted almond milk and reduced the cooking time to 45 minutes I cooked at 170 degrees Celsius in a fan forced oven
Perfect loaf. Will never cook any other banana bread again. Thank you so much.