This Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread is an easy way to use up overripe bananas, sourdough discard, and get your chocolate fix.
Not a fan of chocolate? I also have a Regular Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe or try this Sourdough Pumpkin Bread.
If you don't have a sourdough starter I also have this recipe for One-Bowl Browned Butter Banana Bread.
If you are worried the sourdough discard will make this moist banana bread too tangy, don't be. The ripe bananas, sugar, and chocolate completely mask the sourdough flavor.
It makes a delicious breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea. I also love having a slice of this sourdough chocolate banana bread for dessert. It's like having a slice of chocolate cake but slightly healthier. And if you decide to add a scoop of ice cream, I won't tell.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Nothing smells better than freshly baked bread. And because this is considered a quick bread it is super easy to make.
- This rich chocolaty bread is loaded with ripe banana flavor. It's moist without being dense.
- Not only is this sourdough chocolate banana bread easy to make it stays moist for days and makes a thoughtful and delicious gift.
- This recipe uses a full cup of sourdough discard making it a great way to use up extra discard.
If you are looking for more Simple Ways to Use Your Sourdough Discard, try these Sourdough Cheese Crackers, this Sourdough Pita Bread Recipe, some Sourdough Flatbread, Sourdough Waffles, or these Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies.
Recipe Ingredients
All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread.
All-Purpose Flour: For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale.
Tip: If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup.
Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder adds chocolaty flavor throughout the banana bread. You can use natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa powder will give your loaf a darker color.
Baking Soda: Quickbread uses chemical leaveners such as baking soda or baking powder to rise.
Espresso Powder: This banana bread won't taste like coffee. Espresso powder just helps to intensify the chocolate flavor.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar contains more moisture and adds a deep caramel flavor. Feel free to substitute the same amount of regular white granulated sugar for the brown sugar although the bread may not be as moist. You can also reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer your banana bread less sweet.
Large Eggs: Room-temperature eggs are easier to incorporate. Be sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next egg.
Sourdough Discard: You can use fresh, thick, and bubbly recently fed sourdough starter or older sourdough discard that you have saved in the refrigerator.
Pro Sourdough Tip: Keep a glass jar in your refrigerator to store your sourdough discard. Continue adding to it until you have enough to make your chosen sourdough discard recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
Substitutions and Variations
Flour: For a nuttier flavor swap up to half of the AP flour for whole wheat flour.
Neutral oil: (canola oil, vegetable oil, etc.) Swap the oil for the same amount of softened unsalted butter.
Ripe bananas: If you are wondering if your bananas are ready to be used to make banana bread check out this post: How Ripe Should Bananas Be To Make Banana Bread?
You can use frozen bananas instead of fresh ones. Thaw them at room temperature and drain off any excess liquid before using them in the recipe. Need another delicious way to use frozen bananas? Try this Strawberry Chocolate Banana Smoothie.
Sourdough discard (fed or unfed): If you don't have any sourdough discard, you can substitute sour cream, yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, or even canned pumpkin puree.
Chocolate Chips: Not only are their chocolate chips stirred into the loaf there are additional chocolate chips on top. Substituting peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips would be a tasty addition as well.
Mini Loaves: Pour the batter into three mini loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes.
Muffins: Use this sourdough discard banana bread recipe to make 24 banana muffins. Pour the batter into lined or greased muffin pans and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C) then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The total bake time is about 20-23 minutes.
Mix-ins and Additions
This recipe for banana bread is a great base for all sorts of additional flavors. For an added flavor twist, try adding a cup of any combination of the following:
- peanut butter
- chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- raisins, craisins, or other chopped dried fruit
- chopped nuts
- seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- sliced fresh fruit
- shredded coconut
Stir in any additions just before pouring the batter into the pan.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: In a second large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment mix the bananas on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the bananas have broken down and look like lumpy baby food.
Tip: I always use a metal pan to bake banana bread. If you use a glass pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).
Tip: If you don't have a mixer you can use a potato masher to mash the bananas and then mix the batter by hand.
Step 3: Add the brown sugar and oil and mix until smooth and creamy, approximately two minutes. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated.
Step 4: Mix in the sourdough discard and vanilla extract on medium speed until combined.
Step 5: With the mixer running at low speed, slowly mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no flour clumps remain. Do not overmix. Use a rubber spatula to fold in one cup of the chocolate chips.
Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips across the top of the loaf. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Tip: If the top of your sourdough pumpkin bread is browning too quickly, cover the top of the bread with a piece of foil for the last few minutes of baking to reduce the risk of the bread burning.
For even more information about baking loaves of quick bread check out this post on How to Know When Banana Bread is Done.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
If you don't want to bake your banana bread right away, check out this post on freezing banana bread batter.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Do not refrigerate sourdough banana bread. The refrigerator is a very dry environment. When baked goods like these Condensed Milk Brownies or this banana bread are refrigerated they dry out quickly.
Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread is best when stored at room temperature.
Wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container it will keep for 4-5 days. Any longer, especially when temperatures are warmer, it will start to have a fermented flavor.
To Freeze: Banana bread freezes really well. Having a couple of frozen loaves or slices in your freezer means you always have a quick and easy breakfast or snack ready.
- Once the banana bread has cooled, tightly wrap the whole loaf or slices (individually or grouped) in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Place the wrapped banana bread in a large freezer zip-top bag or reusable container.
- Label with the date and contents and freeze for up to 6 months.
- To thaw, place the frozen banana bread on the counter. It will thaw in about 30 minutes if it’s sliced or about two to four hours if it’s a full or partial loaf.
Recipe FAQs
While this recipe was created to use up excess sourdough discard, you can easily substitute the same amount of sour cream, yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, or even canned pumpkin puree if you don't have any sourdough discard.
If you want to make banana bread but don't have any ripe bananas you can help bananas ripen more quickly using one of these two methods.
Oven: Place under-ripe bananas still in their peel on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F (120°C) for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the initial ripeness of the bananas.
Paper Bag: Place under-ripe bananas in a paper bag, seal them, and leave them at room temperature for a couple of days. Trapping the ethylene gas emitted by the bananas in a paper bag will cause the bananas to ripen more quickly.
Yep! I always have a zip-top bag full of frozen bananas stashed in my freezer. Allow the bananas to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before mashing them.
Check the date on your baking soda to make sure it isn't expired and make sure you are adding the correct amount of baking soda. Adding too much will cause the bread to rise too high with too many internal air pockets which will cause it to collapse as it cools.
Don't over-mix the batter. Over-mixing incorporates too much air into the batter and can cause it to collapse.
Use the correct size pan and do not overfill it. If your pan is too full, there will not be enough support from the sides of the pan as the bread rises.
When banana bread and all loaves of quick bread bake they rise and the sugar caramelizes to form an outer crust, which darkens and crisps as the bread bakes. The bread can look fully baked even though it isn't. If you remove the bread from the oven too soon before the middle has had enough time to fully bake and set it will not have enough structure to support the crust.
Grease your pan well. I usually use a nonstick spray but you could also use shortening, softened butter, or oil.
Line the pan with parchment paper. Leave two of the sides long to create a sling which makes removing the loaf of banana bread from the pan a breeze.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least ten minutes. As the bread cools, steam will condense along the edges and help the bread release more easily.
If the bread does stick, run a thin knife around the outer edges of the pan to loosen it.
Expert Tips
- For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale. If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup. Too much flour creates dense banana bread.
- If you don't have any sourdough discard, you can substitute sour cream, yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, or even canned pumpkin puree.
- Flour: For a nuttier flavor swap up to half of the AP flour for whole wheat flour.
- Frozen Bananas: You can use frozen bananas instead of fresh ones. Thaw them at room temperature and drain off any excess liquid before using them in the recipe.
- Customize this banana bread by adding your favorite mix-ins. See the list above for suggestions.
- If you don't have a mixer, you can use a potato masher to mash the bananas and then mix the batter by hand.
- If the top of your chocolate sourdough banana bread is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
Thanks for Reading!
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread
Equipment
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa Dutch-process or natural
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 ripe bananas broken into large pieces
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, etc.)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sourdough discard (fed or unfed)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a loaf pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk the 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon espresso powder,1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking powder together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a second large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment mix the 4 ripe bananas on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the bananas have broken down and look like lumpy baby food.
- Add the ¾ cup brown sugar and ½ cup neutral oil and mix until smooth and creamy, approximately two minutes. At medium speed, add the 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated. Mix in the 1 cup sourdough discard and 2 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed until combined.
- With the mixer running at low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no flour clumps remain. Do not over-mix. Use a rubber spatula to fold in one cup of the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Kat S. says
Such a fun way to use up overripe Bananas & a lot of discard! My kids loved it & it was gone in 2 days!! Thanks for a yummy recipe!!
Erica Schramek says
I am so glad you liked it!