Sourdough Banana Bread with Blueberries

Welcome to the delicious world of homemade sourdough banana bread. This is a scrumptious quick bread recipe with blueberries. This heavenly combination of tangy sourdough starter, sweet ripe bananas, and juicy blueberries is sure to make your taste buds sing.

Sourdough baked goods have been a staple in many households for centuries. Sourdough adds a unique flavor and texture to baked goods that is hard to replicate with any other ingredient. And when paired with the classic flavors of banana and the burst of sweetness from blueberries, you have a sourdough discard banana bread recipe that is truly a match made in heaven.

This is a beautifully moist banana bread recipe with loads of flavor. Sourdough banana bread is quite simple to make. It also uses your extra starter and ripe bananas.

Your family will love the yummy pops of blueberries with banana bread. This is such a great combination of ingredients.

This recipe began when I remembered how much we loved Kaytis’ recipe for Banana bread with blueberries. Blueberries and bananas are a great flavor team…and I always have sourdough discard to use.

So why not add the starter and see what happens? A miracle happened. Thats what. Heavenly, fragrant and aromatic bread with a depth of flavor you just can’t get without sourdough. And the sourdough adds a healthy twist as well. Read more about why sourdough is good for you in this post.

How to Make Sourdough Banana Bread:

This is a simple banana bread recipe. If you have recently fed your starter and are looking to use up some over ripe bananas. This recipe will please you with its results. And your family will love it.

Tips for Making Premium Banana Bread:

We all know banana bread can be tricky to get perfect. Making it often comes with frustrations. Here are a few secrets to getting perfectly baked banana bread.

1. Use room temperature ingredients: Room temperature ingredients like eggs, butter, and sourdough starter mix more easily with the other ingredients, which can help you achieve a more even texture. Warm starter is also a good leavened and will give you a stronger flavor.
2. ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. Look for bananas that are mostly brown and spotty.
3. Mash bananas thoroughly: Mash your bananas until they are completely smooth to ensure that your batter is not lumpy. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash the bananas well.
4. Use high-quality ingredients: Premium banana bread starts with high-quality ingredients like real butter, fresh eggs, and pure vanilla extract.
5. Measure accurately: Baking is a science, so it’s important to measure your ingredients accurately to get the best results.
6. Sift dry ingredients: Sifting the dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt can help prevent lumps and ensure that they are evenly distributed in the batter.
7. Mix well, but don’t overmix: Mix your ingredients well to incorporate everything evenly, but don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can lead to tough, dense bread.
8. Grease the pan well: Make sure to grease your baking pan well with butter or cooking spray to prevent the bread from sticking.
9. Baking banana bread is tricky. The bananas ripeness will determine how the bread bakes so there is a lot of variation on the rime it takes. Also how full your baking pans are and how hot your oven is all play into the final baking time. Use your oven timer as a guide but expect some variations in final baking time.
10. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean: Insert a toothpick or a cake tester into the center of the bread to test if it’s done. If it comes out clean, the bread is ready. If not, continue baking for a few more minutes.
11. Let the bread cool completely: Let your banana bread cool completely before slicing it. This will help the bread finish baking internally and set the crumb and hold together better.
12. Slice with a serrated knife: Use a serrated knife to slice the banana bread. This will help prevent the bread from squishing and falling apart.

By following these baking tips, you can make a perfectly moist and delicious banana bread every time.

Variations on Blueberry Banana Bread with Sourdough Starter

The sourdough adds its own deeper level of flavor. It’s pretty amazing. This is one of those recipes you will come back too again and again. It’s an easy sourdough banana bread recipe that can be changed up in several ways.

One of the best things about banana bread is how versatile it is. The best sourdough banana bread is the one your family enjoys the most. This basic recipe that takes changes well. Are your peeps getting bored with the plain Jane recipe? Get creative with it.

Here are a few ideas for ways to change up the recipe:

1. Add nuts: Consider adding chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to your sourdough banana bread batter. Nuts add a delightful crunch and nuttiness to the bread.
2. Change up the berries: While blueberries are a classic choice, feel free to mix it up by adding raspberries, blackberries ( I love this bread with blackberries), or even strawberries to your banana bread.
3. Omit the berries: If you’re not in the mood for berries, you can omit them altogether and still have a delicious sourdough banana bread.
4. Add chocolate chips: Who doesn’t love a bit of chocolate in their banana bread? Adding chocolate chips to your batter will give it a decadent twist.
5. Swap out the bananas: While bananas are the star of the show in banana bread, you can try swapping them out with other mashed fruits like pumpkin, sweet potato, or even applesauce. But remember, these additions might require you play around with the recipe a bit to get it correct. I’ll be posting recipes for these versions eventually. 🙂
6. Add spices: Want to change the flavor profile a bit? Try adding warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to give your bread a cozy, comforting flavor.
7. Try a mix of sugars: Use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar for depth of flavor and texture. Or replace the sugar with pure maple syrup. You may have to add a bit more flour to get the bread texture right but you will get that lovely flavor and a healthier sweetener.
8. Feel free to change the oil to avocado oil or other oil if you prefer. Just do NOT use a really strongly flavored oil like olive oil. The flavor of the oil should disappear or compliment the bread. I have made this bread with butter. it turned out great.

The possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with your recipe. Then come back and tell us what you did. Our bakers all love to see each others work.

Toppings, glazes and frostings:

Toppings, glazes, and frostings can add an extra layer of flavor and texture to your sourdough banana bread. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Streusel topping: Mix together flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon to create a crumbly topping to sprinkle on top of your banana bread before baking. Try the streusel recipe we use without rhubarb muffins.
2. Cream cheese frosting: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to create a smooth and tangy frosting that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the banana bread. Try our cream cheese frosting we use on sourdough cinnamon rolls here.
3. Maple glaze: Mix powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk to create a sweet and sticky glaze that will take your banana bread to the next level.
4. Caramel sauce: Drizzle homemade or store-bought caramel sauce over your banana bread for a rich and decadent finish.Take a look at our Glazed Caramel Pecan Banana Bread. If you like it, use the topping for this bread. See what you think!
5. Whipped cream: Top your banana bread with a dollop of freshly whipped cream for a light and airy finish.

Remember, the toppings, glazes, and frostings you choose will depend on your personal preferences and the occasion. Whether you want to keep it simple or go all out, there are plenty of ways to make your sourdough banana bread even more special.

Sourdough Banana Muffins:

Making this banana bread into muffins is a great idea for a quick breakfast or snack on the go. Here’s how you can adapt the recipe:

• Make the recipe according to the instruction in our recipe card
• Fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full with the batter.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Add Toppings as desired

This recipe should make around 12 muffins. However, the exact number of muffins you will get will depend on the size of your muffin tin and how much batter you fill each muffin liner with.

If you have any leftover batter, you can always make a few more muffins or bake the remaining batter in a small loaf pan to make mini banana bread loaves.

Storing and Freezing This Bread:

I like to make a double batch and make three loaves at a time when I have enough ripe bananas. All sourdough baked goods hold well and freeze like a dream. Here’s how I store and freeze this bread.

Wrap and store properly:

• Wrap your completely cooled banana bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge to keep it fresh up to a week.
• Set it on a cake plate or other air tight container, with a cover, on the counter. It will hold at room temperature for several days and stay fresh if covered or put in a plastic bag, like a bread bag.

Freeze it for later.

Freezing banana bread is a great way to extend its shelf life and enjoy it later. Here are the steps to freeze banana bread:

1. Once baked, Allow the banana bread to cool completely at room temperature. If you try to freeze warm banana bread, it may develop ice crystals or become soggy when you defrost it.
2. Wrap the banana bread tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure the entire loaf is covered and there are no gaps or air pockets.
3. Label the container with the date and type of bread.
4. Place the wrapped banana bread in a large freezer bag with the air sucked out, or an airtight container.
5. Place the container or bag in the freezer. You can freeze double wrapped banana bread for up to three months, or even longer.
6. To Defrost: When you are ready to eat the banana bread, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. You can also heat it up in the microwave or oven for a few seconds to make it taste freshly baked.

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Your Printable Recipe Card:

Here is the printable recipe for you. However, for all the tips and tricks to getting this bread perfect and some ideas on various toppings and variations, please read the entire post.

More Delectable Sourdough Discard Recipes:

Every one of these recipes are delicious. your family will love them and you will love having ways to use up extra sourdough discard starter. You really don’t want to throw it away. Use your sourdough discard in these recipes. We are always posting more ways to use your discard. Keep checking back!

• Sourdough Bagels
• Sourdough Pretzels
• Sourdough Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• Sourdough Pancakes
• Sourdough Waffles
• Sourdough Discard English Muffins
• Sourdough Pie Crust
• Sourdough Pizza Crust

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Recipe adapted from Food.com