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.
If you’re a sourdough bread baker, you’re going to appreciate this recipe. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of sampling the most delicious banana bread. It came from The Boathouse restaurant, a fantastic beachside spot in Manly, Australia. I couldn’t get over how remarkably soft, sweet and scrumptious it was. The texture was like velvet.
At the time, I didn’t ask for the recipe, so I searched online until I found it. And now, my version is yours: one with sourdough and one without. Both are incredible.
What Makes This The Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread?
First, it uses all brown sugar. No white at all.
When combined with perfectly overripe bananas and pure vanilla extract, it creates the most exquisite caramel flavor. It will blow you away.
Second, the ingredients are mixed in a specific 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.
Weird? Weird.
I was definitely hesitant about this at first (the batter looks totally strange when you get to the oil part).
But upon further research, this particular mixing order is the science behind its velvety soft texture.
Third, there’s no cinnamon in this sourdough banana bread.
And I don’t miss it!
Cinnamon is strong, and the lack of it really lets that caramel flavor shine though.
Finally, I added bubbly, active sourdough starter to the original recipe.
I wanted to see if adding bubbly, active starter as opposed to leftover starter discard would increase the rise… and it did!
Alternatively, you can use leftover discard instead. It just won’t rise as high.
Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe: Step by Step
Grab Your Ingredients
Ok, so you know the drill: measure out everything before you begin.
Preheat your oven to 360 F (that’s not a typo).
Baking the sourdough banana bread 10 degrees higher than 350 F gives the bread a nice lift.
You’ll also need a stand mixer or electric hand held mixer.
Butter Your Loaf Pans
Typically, I’d bake this sourdough banana bread in a traditional 9×5-inch loaf pan.
I’m using three 7x3x2-inch mini loaf pans instead. I like to freeze them individually. So cute!
Coat nicely with softened butter.
Mix the Ingredients
Start by creaming the brown sugar, vanilla and bananas together. Don’t bother to slice the bananas, just break them up by hand.
Then add the eggs and the sourdough starter. Followed by the flour, baking soda and salt.
Now add the oil & milk…
The liquids will not blend in right away. Just keep mixing on low speed until completely absorbed.
Bake the Banana Bread
Place the loaf pans onto a sheet pan and transfer it to the oven.
Bake on the center rack until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool before serving.
Bottom Line?
Friends, please look no further!
This sourdough banana bread is truly unique.
It’s soft, sweet, and packed with comfort and flavor (everyone always asks for the recipe when I make it!).
Take a cue from The Boathouse and serve it with salted butter or mascarpone cheese for a decadent treat. But plain is fine too!
More Sourdough Discard Recipes You’ll Love!
- Sourdough Discard 101: Recipes & Faqs Answered
- Best Sourdough Zucchini Bread
- Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes
- Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Waffles
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
- 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) bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 125ml (½ cup) neutral flavored oil
- 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
- 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
Amber Harvey says
I used to have a go to banana bread recipe that I would use every time but after having moved 4 times in less than 2 years I lost it amidst the boxes and travels. I never have been able to find it again (and all I can remember is that it used sour cream). This recipe is absolutely delicious and so close in taste to my old one! This is the banana bread recipe I have been searching for thank you so much! The flavor was excellent and the texture, so moist! Thank you so much! I made the 3 mini loaves and ate one all by myself within 2 hours of it exiting the oven! Heavenly!!
Emilie Raffa says
Ahhh! Love stories like this! Enjoy x
Tabitha R Woodard says
Goodness, these turned out well! I like banana bread and make it quite regularly but these have a fantastic slight chew to the crust and that extra punch from the sourdough really sets it apart.
I made these as muffins (with a double recipe, half with walnuts) and baked for 23 minutes. They are nicely golden brown, and my only regret is having to wait to breakfast to eat more than the one I snuck after I put the kids to bed.
Abe says
Yeah, this ruled! I’ve found “my” banana bread recipe at last. Thank you, dearly!
Used flax eggs and unsweetened soy milk — also used spelt flour (since I’d used up everything else with this week’s foray into sourdough experiments – also guided by this site). It is lovely. Thank you truly for guiding us all thru quarantine with such sweetness!
Sara says
So delicious!! This banana bread has great texture and flavor. Perfect way to repurpose my discard sourdough starter. Added some walnuts on top for a nice little crunch. Will definitely make again.
Clodagh Kelly says
Hello, the recipe sounds delicious, would I be able to substitute the brown sugar for coconut sugar?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I believe so! Sounds delicious.
Jennifer says
Hello! This recipe looks delicious but I have a gluten intolerance and am wondering because this doesn’t need to ferment does that mean it won’t b suitable as the sourdough recipes? I have tried a few bread recipes and they all are true sourdough and don’t bother me at all:). Thanks so much!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jennifer! Thank you! The answer is specific to your personal biochemistry and tolerance only. You can try fermenting the batter for a few hours, adding the baking soda right before baking. See how that goes for you. :)
Jonathan says
I’ve always been very ho-hum about banana bread. But quarantine + overripe bananas + an excuse to bake with sourdough starter = what the hell? It baked up with incredible rise into a delicious loaf! My wife and son had it for dessert last night, and then again for breakfast. My only modification was a handful of mini chocolate chips. Served with homemade whipped cream, which paired superbly. Although now I’m eager to try your Greek yoghurt frosting.
Note: I was relieved to see others ask about the weight of the bananas. I used two bananas which (minus peels) weighed about half what the recipe calls for. But it looks like you might have weighed with the peels on??
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jonathan! Love mini chocolate chips in this bread, and your idea to serve it with homemade whipped cream sounds awesome. Yes: the bananas are weighed with the skin on as indicated in the recipe.
Amanda says
Hello – have you ever tried making this without the sugar? I have a toddler who I try to bake sugar free cakes for (banana bread is a fav) and would love to use my sourdough starter in a recipe but without the sugar.
Thanks in advance!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Unfortunately, I have not tried this recipe without the sugar. If you experiment, let us know! x
Amanda says
Thank you! May do or may just be mean and make it not for him to enjoy! 🙈
Lindsay says
Oh. My. Gosh. I am currently eating a piece of this still warm from the oven and it is divine!!! I used butter instead of oil (per comments – honestly just didn’t have enough oil left).
Suchi says
Hi,
My muffins are baking in the oven. Keeping my fingers crossed because I saw the starred note about the bananas a little too late! I had a bunch of frozen bananas which, I’m thinking, would be difficult to weigh with skin, and also the banana juice that oozes out of them! Could you please give the weight of the actual banana pulp that would go in the bread?
BTW, i made your Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls and they were absolutely fabulous. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks,
Suchi
Merlin says
I made this recipe yesterday with a few adjustments and it turned out great! I substituted flax eggs and coconut milk just to make it vegan, and added a little extra sourdough discard to finish off what I had left over. My end result was a bit more wet than the bread as pictured, but it didn’t really detract from the texture or taste. It definitely rose better than other banana breads I’ve made, and the taste was superb. I’ve been trying to recreate the banana bread I used to buy for breakfast on the Sydney street corners ever since I left Australia (a six year quest!), and I have to say this is just like being back there. Best banana bread I have ever made! Thank you for the stellar recipe!
Daiane says
Hi! I made this banana bread and followed the recipe using my scale. The bread had a beautiful rise, up until I got it out of the oven. It totally collapsed! It was also starting to burn and the inside was still kind of wet. Any recommendations for next time? Don’t add milk? Reduce bananas? Thanks!
Christine says
Are you at an increased elevation, by any chance? That can really affect baking outcomes. I’m at 3,800 ft in Canada and I have to make small recipe modifications quite often.
adam says
Hi Emilie, I read some recipes use Yohurt instead of butter for health reason. Do you think it is workable?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Adam! I’m sure it is, but I haven’t tested the quantities or other specifics in this recipe. Might change things a bit!
Lina says
Hello There! I definitely love this blog and this recipe sounds amazing! I’ve got my baby sourdough starter one month old now and I still thinking about the best banana bread that I ever ate, it was in Melbourne, and it was so chewy and with walnuts.
I’ll try it for sure, I was wondering, could I add some chia seeds and crashed walnuts as well? Does the chia seeds absorb too much liquids and make it dry or weird? Should I adjust the quantity of milk? When should I add them?
Should the sourdough discard be at room temperature of straight out from the fridge works well as well?
Thanks a bunch,
Best
Lina
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thanks so much! Adding walnuts should be fine. The chia seeds on the other hand, will absorb too much liquid and will change the texture of the bread. I haven’t experimented with adding chia, so I’m unable to advise on how to adjust the liquid quantity. But if you experiment, please let us know! PS: regarding the sourdough starter, room temp or from the fridge is fine. Just watch the baking time if the starter is cold.
Sheri says
Wow! Great recipe. So delicious. This is my new go to banana bread recipe. Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you! Glad you liked it! x
Sally says
Hi looking forward to making this but wondered if you’d tried making it with butter?
Emilie Raffa says
No worries! It’s fabulous with butter. Enjoy :)
Carol Weber says
Looks good but corners really blackened hard as a rock. I foiled loaf too.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! What type of pan did you use? Metal? Glass? This could be the issue (besides heat, obviously) :)
Aida says
If it can be made without sourdough starter whats the point of putting any? I feel like its a waste. Unless it give something extra to the taste or texture ect. I made it btw, its very good but i dont know what the starter adds to it. Thank you
Emilie Raffa says
Aida, there are many benefits! First, the point is to make the recipe flexible. Not all of my readers are sourdough bakers, and I like to offer alternatives where applicable. Second, if you do choose the sourdough version the starter adds texture and flavor. Third, if you’re using sourdough discard (instead of bubbly) it’s a practical way to use up something you’d otherwise discard. So as you can see: it’s a win, win for all!
Lori B says
I made it today with sour dough starter discard and made two mini loaves. Turned out scrumptious ! I was curious how should this type of bread be stored. I know regular banana bread is out in fridge to enhance flavor.
Emilie Raffa says
Lori, it’s best to store it at room temperature for best flavor.
Melissa says
Just made the bread this morning. The taste is great. I wish I had put in nuts but just didn’t think about it. The problem I had is that it fell. I used weights for all my ingredients. I think your banana weight is too much. You indicated 2 medium bananas and I needed 4 to get to the proper weight. I think that is what caused it to fall.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! The banana weight is correct (I’ve tested this recipe a million times). However, too much liquid will definitely cause it to fall! Out of curiosity, did you weigh the bananas with the skin on? Thanks!
jillypax says
I am in the middle of baking this right now (the kitchen smells AMAZING) and I also had to use 4 (on the smaller side, I guess) bananas to get to 375g! I assumed the weight provided was for the bananas without the skin, since one does not use the skin to bake with… I will let you know if I have problems with my bread falling. The batter seemed a lot thinner than other banana breads I have made, and I have tried dozens of recipes so far, ever searching for “the one”! But I remain hopeful – I love a good variation on a classic.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! You know, now that I think of it… the weight of the bananas (without skin) could’ve been the issue for you (and another reader)! 375g of bananas is the weight with the skin on. I will update the recipe to clarify. THANK YOU! Hopefully it sill came out ok. :)
jillypax says
It was the MOST delicious banana bread I have ever had. And I have tried out soooo many versions over the years! I truly LOVE this. The caramel richness really comes through. I may try adding chocolate chips or nuts to it at some point, just to see if it works that way, as well. Works toasted or not – I love it with some butter and salt! It holds together so well, almost bounces out of the toaster unlike so many others I have tried that crumble in it and get stuck. WOW, I have FINALLY found my banana bread!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Steph S. says
Hi! I just pulled this out of the oven a bit ago and sliced myself a slice and oh my! This is amazing! For the oil I used 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted. This is by the far the best banana bread I have made and honestly…. it might be the best banana bread I’ve ever had! Also, how awesome I got to use my sourdough starter!
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! I’ve used butter before too (salted!) and it’s just so good. Thrilled you love it. Thanks for the feedback, Steph!
Sally says
Whoops sorry should have read all these comments and my question re butter would have been answered. 😊
Raechel says
I used browned butter in place of the oil, and baked it in muffin tins. Turned out amazing! Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
OMG sounds soooooo good!
Izabel Santiago-McIlveen says
Hi Emily,
This is my second time baking this banana bread and again it was an amazing success!
Do you think I could substitute the banana for another fruit? Here in New Zealand we are on the Feijoa season at the moment and I was wondering if I could use that instead of bananas…. thanks very much again!
Izzy
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I had to look up “Feijoa” as I had never heard of it! But it sounds absolutely delicious (and I will be thinking of it for the rest of the day, lol). Unfortunately, using them won’t work in this particular recipe. The bananas provide a certain amount of liquid and sweetness. I imagine applesauce or grated apples would work with some experimentation.
Kim says
I had the same question above about allowing it to sit for 4-6 hours before baking. I am just using mine to eat. Another recipe I saw said letting it sit allows it to have more sourdough flavor. What do you think?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kim! I suppose you could let the batter sit for a while (adding the baking soda only right before baking). However keep in mind, the longer the batter sits the more liquid the flour will absorb which changes the texture altogether. I’ve done this with another recipe and the final product was too chewy. Regarding flavor, additional sitting time might increase the sourdough flavor; it all depends on the acidity levels in the bubbly or leftover starter discard. Go by smell.
Lucie says
This is DELICIOUS!!! Made it last night for breakfast the next day and half was gone before breakfast. This is our new go to recipe. Thank you!
lee says
I forgot to ask another thing: If I want to make a large amount and freeze it, should I freeze it pre-baking, or post baking?
Emilie Raffa says
It’s best to freeze the banana bread after it’s baked.
Lee says
Hi! Thank you for the recipe. I’ve been looking for a good banana bread sour dough recipe :)
However I don’t have baking soda. Can I substitue it with baking powder, or just leave it out?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lee, I would use baking powder.
Rufina says
Hi Emilie, I am planning to make this tonight! I have LOTS of starter hanging around, could I increase it to 200g for this recipe?
Emilie Raffa says
Rufina, I wouldn’t add extra starter because the batter will be too wet. I recommend doubling the recipe instead.
Cate says
I made this last night using my brand new 5 day old starter and it came out brilliantly, so smoth and fluffy. Divine this morning toasted with butter beside a cup of coffee.
Cathleen says
Just finished gobbling down 2 thick slices with salted butter. I’ve been baking banana bread for at least 30 years and this the first time I’ve gone nuts over it. Usually I put nuts in mine but decided to follow your recipe to a tee the first time. I didn’t miss them or the cinnamon. OMG it’s good. The crust is crispy and sweet (but not too sweet) and the inside is so moist. And the aroma while it was baking was out of this world! Thank you so much for posting this. I’m going to check out the rest of your site!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Cathleen! I’m telling you, there is something truly special about this banana bread. Glad you liked it! And I’m a total fan of salted butter too ;)
Jayce C says
Delicious! Made as written and as three small loaves. Sweet and delicious will make again and again!
Emilie Raffa says
So glad you liked it, Jayce! xx
Tina says
I’ve seen some recipes for this that call for letting the dough rise/proof for 4-6 hrs in the loaf pan and some don’t. Thoughts? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Tina! For banana bread? Or regular sandwich bread? Want to make sure I understand your question correctly. Thanks!
Chailai Brune says
Thank you so much for this excellent Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread! I made it today, and it’s the best banana bread ever! I cut the recipe in half only because I have only one banana on hand. It was amazing!
Emilie Raffa says
So glad you liked it, Chailai! Thanks for the feedback :)
Leena Silberer says
Hello! This recipe is great as it has weight measurements. It worked for me and made one big loaf plus 12 muffins (with blueberries too, They came out after 20 mins). The problem was it is waaaaaaay too sweet for me. I also couldn’t taste the sourdough at all, wondering if the sugar overpowered it. If I halved the sugar would it still work?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thanks for your feedback! You can absolutely reduce the amount of sugar. The ripeness of your bananas will effect the overall sweetness too, so just keep that in mind when finding the right balance. I don’t believe the original amount overpowered the sourdough flavor. However, the sourdough flavor will be different for everyone depending on the type and condition of their particular starter. So my answer is not necessarily set in stone! Do experiment and see how you go. x
Megan says
Hi Leena, I just made a double batch with half the sugar and it came out great. I am sure we traded some caramel flavor for that, but like you, I am not a huge fan of overly sweet. :-) Great recipe, Emilie!
Fiona says
I made this recipe to experiment with the sourdough starter I have recently created. I made this recipe using part AP flour, ground flax and buckwheat flour (approximately a third of each). This gave the bread an extra nutty flavor. The exterior is deliciously buttery and crusty, recommend using lots of butter on the pan :) I haven’t tried it with just all-purpose but so far this recipe was a win!
Emilie Raffa says
Fiona, thanks so much for sharing this version. Sounds delicious. I can only image that buttery, nutty flavor! I will remember this for a future loaf, for sure.
Kelsey says
I’ve baked my way through nearly every recipe in ‘Artisan Sourdough Made Simple’ and find your recipes fool-proof. Each of your posts is such a treat — it’s fun to bake along! I made this loaf last week, ate a fresh slice, froze the rest, and I can attest that this is indeed the ultimate banana bread :) Thank you for sharing!
Emilie Raffa says
Ahhh… this means a lot. You are very kind. Thanks so much! xx
Denise says
Can’t wait to try this today! My oven only heats in 25 degree increments; should I sent it to 359 or 375? How long should I bake? Thank you!
Denise says
Sorry…should I *set* it to 350 or 375? In my excitement I forgot to proofread! 😂
Emilie Raffa says
Hi! No worries… set to 350 F if you cannot go to 360 F (375 might be too high).
Mike says
I JUST took this out of the oven and the house smells amazing! Seriously easy to put together. I used a mix of Light brown (125g) and Dark brown (100g). Do I really have to wait for it to cool!?!
Emilie Raffa says
Haha… I’ve been known to eat it warm ;) Wait until you try it… so good!
Cari says
I made this early today to avoid studying for my finals, and it was worth it! My family and I have eaten pretty much the entire loaf. Absolutely the best banana bread I have ever made, every single other recipe turns out somehow dry, and overwhelmingly sweet. This is perfect, it doesn’t need any extras because as you said in the recipe it just has this wonderful caramelly banana flavor, it’s smooth and perfect. The crust is fantastic but next time I would take your advice of putting foil over it, as it browned a little too much (for aesthetics, it tasted amazing). The sourdough really adds and I used almond milk with wonderful results. I can see this easily being converted to a vegan recipe by using an egg replacement. Anyway!!! Thank you for this fabulous recipe, I will not use another one.
Emilie Raffa says
So glad you liked it. We feel the same way you do! Appreciate the feedback, thank you. xx
Rebecca H says
This recipe is amazing! I used muffin pans and they turned out wonderfully. The whole family loved them. Will definitely add this recipe to my frequently used.
Emilie Raffa says
That’s great! We love them as muffins, too. Try them as mini muffins with mini chocolate chips :)
Larry Buete says
Hi Emilie,
On cleaning out the freezer we found 4 very over-ripe (and that’s an understatement) bananas we put in there well over a year ago, then a few days later your wonderful recipe turned up. we properly let them thaw out and we have the most beautiful banana bread.
We have been enjoying it over the past few days. looking forward to doing some more baking from your site as we confined to home here in OZ. Kinda nice too that you found from the land down under.
Cheers
Larry
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Larry! Ahhh… I know exactly what you’re talking about! Good old frozen bananas. I was wondering they would fare in this recipe when thawed. Did you drain off the liquid first? Or just throw them in as is? Either way, good to know it worked out! Happy baking :)
Larry Buete says
I did drain them off a little, mainly by just letting sit peeled in the bowl for a while as we gather the rest of the ingredients. Just drained off the small amount of liquid from the bowl and carried on. Because they were so ripe ( pretty much black and extremely soft) they had an abundance of sweetness which translated to very tasty cake.
Emilie Raffa says
Makes sense.Frozen bananas can be really watery. Thanks, Larry!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Larry! Figured as much Frozen bananas are incredibly watery and smushy, lol. Good to know for the future!
Anna says
Made this for the family yesterday. It was a huge hit! Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Wonderful! So glad you liked it. Thanks, Anna :)
Claudia says
I have successfully raised a healthy starter thanks to you and my first bread was a success!
I would like to make this banana bread with nut milk. Would that work?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Claudia! That’s fantastic!
Yes: you can make this recipe with nut milk. It’s best to use unsweetened. I’ve done it with almond milk and it was beautiful.
Sandra says
We made this last night. The dark brown sugar added a deep rich color. The texture of the bread was moist and satisfying. Loved this recipe. My question is, would it be ok to add one or two more bananas into the mixture? If so, how would you alter the recipe? We always have so many overripe bananas on our counter thanks to our Costco bulk shopping.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Yes! You’ll get that rich, cognac colored crust with the dark brown sugar :)
Personally, I wouldn’t add more bananas to the recipe. It will change the existing texture too much. Instead, I’d make a double batch in 2 separate bowls and then freeze whatever bread you don’t eat. You can even freeze the brea in slices with parchment paper in between, to pull out what you need with ease.
Ros says
Hi Sandra, you can pop overripe bananas in the freezer skin and all and just pull them out when you want to bake!
Audree Cameron says
I am very bad when it comes to writing reviews but I had to after making this banana bread. It is outstanding! I did not use the sour dough but added the milk as your suggestion. It really is an amazing trcipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Much appreciated! And glad you like the bread… isn’t it yummy?
Nellie says
I am anxious to try this recipe! I did notice that the scale buttons do not work for all of the ingredients. When I wanted to double it and pressed “2X”, some but not all amounts changed. Particularly the flour and sourdough did not.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I actually have a support ticket in to resolve the issue. Apologies for the inconvenience!
For now, instead of the mini loaves, it can be baked in a standard 9×5 inch pan (instructions in the recipe). Or to double, I would just make TWO separate bowls of batter, instead of making one big large bowl. Hope this makes sense! xx
Lisa says
I just made this and I must say this is an amazingly light and decadent banana bread! I used the discard from my starter, and got a really good rise, and used melted butter for my oil. This will now be my go to recipe for banana bread, this is a wonderful slice of heaven thank you for the recipe,
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lisa! Yay! I’m so glad you like this recipe. Isn’t the texture amazing? Really, it’s so unique. I’ve made this with melted butter too (using 2/3 cup salted) and it was divine. Thanks for sharing!
Kelsey A says
Oh how lovely this sounds!!! I can’t wait to make this! Question for you. Which “neutral oil” do you use and love in the recipe? Not sure which ones will work best. Also, any chance the sweetener could be swapped for honey? Thoughts on how much honey to sub in??
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Sunflower oil is a nice option that I use often. Trader Joe’s carries it. Mild olive oil will work too (not extra virgin- too strong). For the sweetener substitution, I’m not exactly sure how honey will work because I haven tested the specifics myself. But off the top of my head, it will most likely not be an even swap and the baking time might change. Honey tends to darken loaves very quickly during baking. If you happen to experiment, please let me know! x
Santos L. Halper says
When swapping honey for sugar:
1) Honey, per gram, is WAY sweeter than sugar. Use between 1/2 and 2/3 the amount of honey as you would sugar.
2) Honey is about 20% water, so you’ll need to use less liquid. The rule of thumb is, for every cup of honey you use, cut back 1/4 cup of other liquid. In this case, I’d probably use 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk; leaving out the other egg white.
3) Honey is acidic, so add more baking soda to counter act the increased acid. The usual rule of thumb is to add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for every cup of honey you sub in.
4) Honey browns quicker than sugar, so reduce your oven temperature by 25 degrees and stand by with that foil cap, just in case.
(Adapted from https://www.thekitchn.com/4-rules-for-successfully-swapping-honey-for-sugar-in-any-baked-goods-230156)
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks for your tips, Santos!
Carmella B says
The way you describe this really got my interest. I might even put in some chocolate chips. I will definitely try with sourdough and send this recipe to my mom who will appreciate the ‘non sourdough’ version. :)
Emilie Raffa says
You’re really going to love this recipe. It’s the only one I make. In fact, I’ve done it with mini chocolate chips and it’s fab. Enjoy!
Marie says
OMG!!! It’s exactly what I need today!! Unfortunately My toddler ate all the ripe bananas already but this is on my “to do” list this week!!! Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to make it!!! I’m already rating it 5 stars because just reading the recipe makes me hungry! Lol!
Emilie Raffa says
Hello Marie! Same here. My baby (19 months now) eats bananas like they’re going out of style! Can’t keep up! Enjoy the recipe, our kids love it. And thanks for the support. xx
Jess G says
Do you think I could make these into muffins? And just adjust the cooking time?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jess! Absolutely. I’ve made them into muffins before and they are great (they freeze well, too).
Matthew James says
This sounds delicious! Can this be made with an egg substitute like flax, chia, or applesauce?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Matthew! Great question. I know it can be done, I just haven’t tested it yet. I would try the egg substitute first, as opposed to applesauce, which might add too much liquid to the batter. Let us know if you experiment! x
Shana says
Just made this, so good! Couple of notes – replaced the egg (allergy) with Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and it worked just fine. Also added about a cup of cinnamon chips, and baked in muffin tins. They were perfectly done after 25 minutes at 360F.
Emilie Raffa says
Shana, thanks so much. I know a few others were asking about vegan options. Sounds perfect! x
Lacy says
I tried it with flax, but I also misread the recipe and added baking powder instead of soda (so then I added soda, too) and the recipe didn’t rise enough and turned out very wet. I’m not sure if it was my powder mix up or that my sourdough wasn’t as active as it should have been. I think you could likely omit it altogether, as many vegan banana bread recipes do. Banana in and of itself is a decent egg sub.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thanks for the vegan tips! Sounds like there wasn’t enough flour in the batter. That’s why it was wet. It wasn’t your starter; this recipe can be made with active starter or unfed sourdough discard.