I’m sure many bakers claim to have created the ultimate sourdough banana bread. But I promise you, this recipe is the best of the best. It is long fermented (meaning it does not merely use sourdough discard) for the best health benefits. In addition, it is sweet without using cane sugar and healthy without compromising taste. Absolute perfection.
And don’t be intimidated by the long fermentation. It’s actually requires no extra work! You just leave it on your counter for a few hours. That’s it! This is such an easy recipe with just a few quick steps.
What are the benefits of sourdough bread?
Sourdough bread is long fermented. This means it does not use your standard active dry yeast from the grocery store. It uses sourdough starter, which is created from flour and water and left on the counter to ferment. This fermentation is what gives sourdough that sour flavor, as well as all the added health benefits. Natural good bacteria is the backbone of sourdough starter. This good bacteria contains probiotics that help you to better digest your bread. And in today’s world, it seems we all have issues digesting the gluten in our standard grocery store bread.
This is why sourdough bread has made such a comeback, it is much easier on our guts to digest. In addition, grains contain an antinutrient called phytate. Phytate limits your body’s ability to absorb the vitamins and minerals found in the grains. So fermenting your grains creates lactic acid bacteria which neutralizes phytic acid. Plus, sourdough bread is 100% unprocessed when you bake it from scratch at home. And that is the key to health. So when we decide to swap out our sugary processed banana bread with sourdough banana bread, we are making a change that not only tastes better, it’s better for us.
What makes this the ultimate sourdough banana bread?
Banana bread can be defined as both the humble dessert and the classy breakfast. It is incredibly versatile. But long fermented sourdough banana bread takes it to a whole new level. Plus, this banana bread is made with einkorn flour. So it is bursting with nutty and buttery flavor that combines beautifully with the sour flavor. And this banana bread is cane sugar free! Just a quarter cup of maple syrup, bananas and chocolate chips sweeten this loaf. And to make this loaf even more nutritious, I’ve added collagen powder and kefir. Kefir is fermented milk, so like our sourdough, it adds probiotics to our bread. I’ve also used grass-fed butter in place of seed oils. Many recipes call for vegetable oil and I do not recommend this. Instead, try butter, it makes your loaf extra moist and doesn’t crumble. I hope you enjoy!
Ultimate Long Fermented Sourdough Banana Bread
Banana bread is both the humble dessert and the classy breakfast. But long fermented sourdough banana bread takes it to a whole new level. Plus when you forgo the cane sugar and use only whole food ingredients, you can feel great serving this healthy treat to your family and friends.
Prep Time
12 hours
Cook Time
1 hour
Yield
1 loaf
Meal
Breakfast/dessert
Ingredients
- 3 medium overripe bananas
- 1/2 cup active sourdough starter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 cups all purpose einkorn flour (or regular all purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup kefir (or buttermilk)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 5 tbsp collagen powder (optional)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the bananas (mashed), starter, maple syrup and flour. Stir to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let ferment on the counter for 4-6 hours, or overnight (10-12 hours) in the fridge.
- Then stir in the remaining ingredients until smooth and well combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Pour the batter into a buttered or oiled loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!
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