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Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

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Make life a little sweeter with a loaf of sourdough chocolate banana bread. It’s a fun breakfast or a great simple treat.

Slice of chocolate banana sourdough quick bread on plate with fork.

This chocolaty bread is loaded with banana. It’s soft, moist, flavorful and perfect with a cup of coffee, tea or milk. Plus it is a great way to use some sourdough discard too!

Sourdough starter needs to be fed regularly to keep it bubbling away happily. In order to keep from having your starter take over your entire kitchen, you usually discard part of the starter and let the rest bubble away for another baking day.

Glass mixing bowl filled with chocolate banana sourdough quick bread batter ready to go in pan.

The problem is, I don’t like discarding the discard. Poor Big Bertha (my sourdough starter) worked hard. So I like to show her the respect of baking every bit.

Nine times out of ten the discard finds its way into a sourdough pizza crust. This has kept pizza on a regular rotation on our dinner menu and I’ve heard no complaints about that!

I also have a big affinity for sourdough muffins. They are another great way to use some discard.

chocolate banana sourdough batter in glass loaf pan, ready to bake.

If you have a starter, you definitely need to put the muffins on your list.  Our favorites include the chocolate chip and caramel apple, but they are all good and pretty healthy as well!

I almost always have some bananas in the freezer. Lately they have mostly found themselves in smoothies, but as the weather turns colder they are likely to end up in a lot more baked goods.

loaf of chocolate banana sourdough quick bread on cooling rack.

So this bread is the culmination of the start of banana baking season and a hungry sourdough starter. The cross section of two forms of not wanting to waste any food turned into something delicious!

This bread is quick and easy to make. The addition of baking soda means you don’t have to wait for your starter to get going. It gets the boost it needs and keeps the banana bread texture we all know and love.

slices of bread on cutting board.

The chocolate of course makes it even better. I mean, it is chocolate after all.  The cocoa powder gives a nice chocolate flavor throughout and the chocolate chips kick it to the next level of goodness.

This bread is moist and flavorful on its own and is also great with a bit of butter smeared over top.

kid eating a piece of bread with butter spread on it.

Do you have a sourdough starter? What are your favorite ways to use the discard?

Slice of chocolate banana sourdough quick bread on plate with fork.

Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

Carlee
Make life a little sweeter with a loaf of sourdough chocolate banana bread. It’s a fun breakfast or a great simple treat.
4.64 from 11 ratings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 299 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup banana mashed
  • 1 cup sourdough starter or discard straight from fridge is ok
  • ½ cup oil vegetable, canola etc.
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  • In a mixing bowl, stir together sugar, banana, sourdough starter, oil, egg and vanilla.
    1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup banana, 1 cup sourdough starter or discard, ½ cup oil, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
    1½ cups all purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Mix wet and dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
    ½ cup chocolate chips
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
  • Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert out of pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 201mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23g
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Recipe Rating




Believe it, Top Georgetown Towing

Saturday 2nd of March 2019

Oh wow, looks awesome ! I need something easy to make and heart-warming for this weekend !

Carlee

Monday 10th of December 2018

Thank you!

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies

Wednesday 5th of December 2018

The discard is another reason why I need to get some starter going! Your sourdough recipes all sound so good!

Carlee

Monday 10th of December 2018

It is kind of a fun challenge to keep up with it without wasting any =)

Debbie

Thursday 29th of November 2018

Hi Carlee, I hate throwing any sourdough starter away, but sometimes just have to. I do keep two jars in the fridge, one with the fed starter and one with discard and am always on the lookout for anything to use up the discard. I'm going to have to give this recipe a try for sure!

xx

Tell Me A Story

Tuesday 1st of October 2019

I never discard starter. Pancakes/crepes and dumplings are good ways to use excess starter.

Carlee

Monday 10th of December 2018

I have pizza on the menu tomorrow because my starter is looking hungry. THat is my go-to but muffins and quick breads are fun as well!

Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen

Sunday 25th of November 2018

OH HECK YES! I've never thought to incorporate sourdough into banana bread so I have to try this. LOVE IT!

Carlee

Monday 10th of December 2018

Ha! It really is delicious, thank you!