Sourdough Banana Bread

Last week I made my last baked good in my old kitchen. The day I was baking it was the first day of demo for my kitchen reno! That’s right, Lara and I are renovating our kitchen/dining room! We started thinking about this in June of last year. It was something we thought about doing “someday”, but then in June we decided to just go for it. Not sure exactly why the light switch flipped, but definitely think COVID had a lot to do with it, being stuck at home all the time. It also helped so much that the federal government changed the interest rate on all federal student loans to 0%. Yes, 0%. No interest has been collecting on my loans for months and months now. That has been so nice to see.

Anyway, I knew I had only a few days left in my kitchen so I did some baking and cooking. I had quite a bit of leftover sourdough starter in the fridge that I wanted to use up. I wanted a recipe that used a lot of it, but wasn’t difficult or didn’t take too long.

I wasn’t really even searching for a recipe that morning, but this sourdough banana bread recipe just popped up on my Instagram feed. I knew it was meant to be. I was able to get it whipped together and baked before the demolition crew showed up. Used up almost all of my leftover starter which was great.

It smelled amazing, as banana bread does, while baking. I heard the demo crew immediately comment that it smelled really good! Later in the day as they were heading out, the final loaf was still sitting on the counter and they commented again, “it’s the banana bread!”. :) When I cut it later that night I just had to set aside a few pieces for the guys the next day. I heard later that they really appreciated it!

Other than having the sourdough starter, this was a pretty basic banana bread. It was quick and easy to put together and it baked up beautifully. The baking time was actually pretty accurate, it rose well, and developed a lovely rounded and crackly crust. I am a big fan. It also taste delicious. I would probably up the cinnamon and other spices next time just because I like more of them in my banana bread, as written the spices are quite subtle.

A few specifics on what I did; I used 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar instead of 2/3 cup as stated in the recipe. Since there is also 1/4 cup honey I thought this would be fine, and it was. I didn’t notice any missing sugar/sweetness. I also added a few additional spices, just a pinch of allspice and cloves. But as stated above I would probably add more spices next time, if nothing else I would increase the cinnamon. I used about 3 + 1/3 medium/average sized bananas to get to 397 grams required in the recipe. I also added a little whole wheat flour, using a little under a cup of home ground white winter wheat that I ground before the kitchen was gone and am storing in the freezer. I also added in walnuts, about half of what the recipe recommends, I threw in about 45-50 grams. It was a nice addition. I could definitely add more next time.

All in all this one is a keeper. I will be using this to use up sourdough starter in the future I have no doubt!

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Sourdough Banana Bread
From King Arthur Baking Company
Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

• 2/3 cup (142g) brown sugar, packed

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 3/4 cups (397g) mashed ripe banana (from about 1 3/4 pounds unpeeled bananas) - I was too lazy to actually mash up the bananas, so I just chopped them up and through them in in chunks. They never really smoothed out in the batter, they stayed chunky, but once it was baked up it didn’t seem to matter. No chunks or weird spots in the final bread - Yay for lazy success!

• 1/4 cup (85g) honey

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup (113g) sourdough starter, unfed/discard

• 2 cups (240g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour - I used some whole wheat, a little under a cup

• 3/4 cup (85g) chopped nuts, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, beating until smooth. Add the mashed bananas, honey, eggs, and sourdough starter, again beating until smooth. Add the flour then the nuts, stirring just until smooth.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Bake the bread for 45 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top to prevent over-browning.

Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or thin paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean, with a few wet crumbs clinging to it.

Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove it from the pan and cool completely on a rack.

Banana Rye Muffins

Is there such thing as too many banana bread recipes? Not in my book! Here it is - a perfectly simple and wholesome banana muffin recipe. Not fancy, but oh so good. Perfect with my morning coffee. I decided to switch things up a bit by mixing whole wheat and rye flours, as well as some whole oats for chew. Of course I had to add a little chocolate for a few pockets of sweetness. They baked up beautifully, and I have been enjoying them all week, I'm sure you will too!

Banana Rye Muffins
Adapted from Broma Bakery
Ingredients

• 2 extra ripe bananas (approximately 200 grams, or 1-1.25 cups)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) butter
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (120 grams) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 (60 grams) rye flour
• 1/2 cup (40 grams) old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chunks

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 10 muffin tins with muffin liners, spray with non-stick baking spray, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk mashed banana, eggs, brown sugar, butter, oil, yogurt and vanilla extract until well combined.

Use a spatula to fold in both flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, mixing until combined. Fold chocolate in during the last few strokes of mixing.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, they will be about 3/4 full. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then turn oven down to 375°F and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle has a few moist crumbs clinging to it, don't overbake as the end result will be dry. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Banana Poppy Seed Muffins

I finally did it! I took the plunge and completely reworked my little blog; a new host, a new domain, a whole new look, and I LOVE it!! Welcome to the very first post on delectablymine.com! No more blogspot for me, it's feeling great! It all happened so fast. I hope you all enjoy the new look and the new site. It's nothing fancy, but I usually like to keep things simple so it's perfect for me. There may be a few wrinkles to iron out yet, just bear with me, I'll get to them as quickly as I can! 

For my very first post on this new adventure I have a delicious breakfast muffin to share. I would guess that of all the types of recipes I've posted over the years, I have the most muffins so what better way to start out than with another muffin recipe. Everyone know the classic lemon poppy seed muffin (check out a good one here), but I had never before thought about doing a banana poppy seed muffin. Why not? I love pretty much anything with banana, and with the addition of poppy seeds - amazing! 

These muffins baked up just beautifully, rising nice and tall, crowning perfectly and tasting delicious. The banana flavor certainly shines through. If you're expecting lemon flavor when you first bite into these you will be sorely disappointed, but have no fear, the banana is a fabulous alternative. Not quite as bright and tangy as the lemon obviously, but wonderful in a different way. 

I made a few minor changes in the recipe; first I halved it because it's just me and so it takes me a while to eat through a dozen muffins. Thankfully muffin recipes generally halve very well. I also cut down on the sugar by just a tablespoon and didn't seem to notice, they were plenty sweet for me with the banana in there as well. Finally, I pulled these out of the oven about 5 minutes earlier than the recipe called for and they definitely did not need to go longer. I dislike dry and over cooked muffins so I'm really happy that I pulled them when I did. They were nice and light and plenty moist. Another winner to add to the muffin arsenal. 

Banana Poppy Seed Muffins
Adapted from Macheesmo
Ingredients

• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) brown sugar
• 1 banana (4 ounces), mashed; about 1/2 cup
• 1 egg, lightly beaten, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) milk or liquid whey
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan with butter, or line with paper liners.  In a medium sized bowl combine the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and banana. Add the egg, milk, butter, vanilla and poppy seeds and mix until well combined. 

Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared muffin pan, dividing the mixture evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Yields: 6 muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

I had three very black bananas on my counter a few days ago that needed to be used. So when this banana oatmeal bar popped up on one of my recipe searches and called for 3-4 bananas, I knew what I needed to do. It was the perfect way to use those bananas up and provide me with a breakfast treat for the upcoming week. I love killing two birds with one stone! 

Another bonus; these bars are pretty healthy. Most of sugar comes from the bananas, with the addition of just a bit of brown sugar for a little extra sweetness. There is actually no wheat flour in these bars either, just oat flour that I made in my food processor. Chocolate chips and a few walnuts added in bring the whole thing together into a tasty and hearty bar. 

The original recipe called for 1/4 cup applesauce, but I rarely have applesauce in my house, so I just used an egg instead and it worked out just fine. It also used 1/4 cup maple syrup that I replaced with just a couple tablespoons of brown sugar. I cut back a little on the sugar, using only 2 tablespoons, but if you like things a little sweeter you can go ahead and use the full 1/4 cup.

I also didn't put tons of chocolate or walnuts into the bar, but feel free to use more if you want. It's really just a preference thing. Play around with it and find out what you like best!

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
Adapted From Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cup (185 grams) oats, ground into flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ripe bananas (14-15 ounces total)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1.5 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 ounces walnuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8 inch square pan with baking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together oat flour cinnamon, soda, powder and salt. In a medium bowl, blend the bananas, vanilla, egg and brown sugar until well combined and mostly smooth.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend to combine. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts and stir until evenly distributed. Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely and slice.

Cinnamon Sugar Whole Wheat Banana Bread

I don't know about you, but in my opinion there is no such thing as too many banana bread recipes. I've made so many different recipes over the past few years (banana oat bread anyone? How about buttermilk banana bread, or Greek yogurt banana bread? And don't forget about sour cream banana bread or banana chocolate chip breakfast cake!) and I haven't ever been disappointed. There are a few key points to keep in mind however. First is don't over bake!! This is key. There is almost nothing as disappointing as a dry slice of banana bread. And second, don't start with a poor recipe. This one may not be as easy figure out, but if your new recipe is fat free, gluten free, dairy free or in some other way flavor free there is probably no way to salvage it. I'm not saying you can't find a good gluten free (or whatever free) banana bread recipe, but you have to be a little more careful when picking a recipe. 

This cinnamon sugar banana bread recipe is the newest addition to my banana bread recipe collection and it certainly does not disappoint! It's full of oat-y goodness from some ground up oats that combine with whole wheat flour to produce a wonderfully chewy and hearty loaf. Some brown sugar adds a nice hint of molasses and a little butter adds richness. I decided to spice it up a little by adding a sweet cinnamon sugar swirl to the center of this loaf. It added a sweet and delicious surprise that really elevates this recipe to the next level. Another winner to add to your banana bread repertoire! 

Now, I decided to go with the cinnamon sugar swirl this time, but the original recipe called for walnuts and chocolate chips (1/2 cup and 1 cup respectively) so that is another option if your feeling the need for some chocolate. Both are delicious so you really can't go wrong either way!

Cinnamon Sugar Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Adapted from Naturally Ella
Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (60 grams) old fashioned oats
• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (9 ounces) banana puree, about 2 bananas
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• Old fashioned oats, for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚and generously butter/oil a 8 or 9" loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, set aside. 

In a food processor, pulse oats until almost flour, not too fine, you want a few pieces of oats left. Pour into a large bowl and add wheat flour, baking soda, and brown sugar. Stir to combine

In a separate bowl, whisk together banana puree, butter, and eggs. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir until just combined (don't over stir!)

Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with about half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Pour the other half of the batter on top and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Finally, top with a handful more of oats.  

Bake for 45-50 minutes. Top should spring back lightly and when a toothpick is entered, it should come out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool and slice!

Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

I don't think I really know anybody who doesn't like a good slice of banana bread. I'm sure there are plenty of those people out there, but I have yet to meet one! For the rest of you who love banana bread as I do, I have a winner of a recipe to share. This banana bread recipe was just what I was looking for the other week. It's the classic with a few updates that make it a little healthier, but no less tasty. Full of great banana flavor, lightly sweetened with just enough sugar to keep it super tasty, but not so much that it tastes like cake, and lightened up with a little Greek yogurt to keep it nice and moist and a few tablespoons of butter to maintain that delicious flavor. This is one of the best banana bread recipes I've tried. It reminded me of one of those slices of bread or cake you can pick up at Starbucks or other coffee shops, but so much better, healthier, and cheaper! You really can't loose with this recipe, I highly recommend you give it a try soon!

With 3 bananas in just the one loaf, you really don't need a ton more sugar, so I found that 1/2 cup was just perfect. Vanilla and cinnamon add a delicious aroma and amp up the flavor just a touch, without being overpowering. The texture of the finished bread is very moist, and a little spongy as a lot of breads are that use yogurt; this is not a bad thing, I like this in my breads. Just be sure to not overbake. Nothing kills a good banana bread like overbaking, resulting in a dry and flavorless loaf. often set my timer for a few minutes less than what the recipe calls for just to be sure. Watch it carefully and you should be good to go!

Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
Adapted from The Recipe Rebel
Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas (~15 ounces total)
• 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) butter, softened 
• 1/3 cup plain (unsweetened) Greek yogurt 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups flour (I used 6 ounces whole wheat, and 3 ounces all purpose)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a whisk. Add butter, yogurt and sugar and whisk until combined and somewhat smooth. If it's still a little chunky, don't worry. 

Add vanilla and eggs and stir until combined.

Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon and flour and stir just until combined (don’t overmix – it doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth).

Spread in loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

Banana Poppy Seed Cake

Simple cakes such as this banana poppy seed cake are good recipes to have in your back pocket just in case you need to whip together a quick dessert sometime. What I like about this cake is that it is a little different than the typical everyday cake. Bananas and poppy seeds are not ingredients I often use in my desserts. Although I do bake with bananas a lot, I usually don't use them in my cakes such as this one which is what initially intrigued me about this recipe. The combination of tender banana scented cake paired with the slightly bitter crunch from the poppy seeds came together in a perfect pairing making this cake a winner. Although this time I opted to pass on the cream cheese frosting that the original recipe called for, I'm sure it would be wonderful atop this cake, making it just that much more special. 

The bananas as well as a nice half cup of sour cream keep this cake moist and tender. A touch of butter is added for flavor and a little more richness and then finish it off with those cute and crunchy poppy seeds. It is a simple combination that works wonderfully to turn out this simple cake that is just unique enough to make things interesting.

Banana Poppy Seed Cake
Adapted from The View From Great Island
Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside. Cream the butter, 2/3 cup sugar and sour cream together. Beat in the egg, bananas and vanilla until smooth. 

Sift the flour mixture and poppy seeds into the wet mixture. Mix together just until just combined. Spread the batter into a greased 8-inch round cake pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. 

Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees until a toothpick just comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack. 

Banana Oat Breakfast Bars

Currently these breakfast bars are hanging out near the top of my long list of favorites. I'm really loving them. I discovered the recipe a few months back when I was looking for some kind of breakfast bar that was easy to whip together using ingredients I usually have on hand, and was on the healthier side as baked goods like this go. Oh, and of course, they had to taste good too! This recipe easily meets all of these requirements. I love that they are full of hearty oats, sweetened with banana and just a hint of honey. I added pumpkin for extra moisture, which also adds a nice golden color without adding any additional flavor, I promise you won't even notice it's there. Plus, I love that I can add a vegetable into my breakfast treat and don't even notice it. My favorite way to eat these is by cutting them in half lengthwise and spreading both pieces with peanut butter, it's a perfect combination and a perfect breakfast.

The texture of these bars is a little different, not really bread-y the middle is almost creamy and custardy thanks to all the milk. I really like this, but if you prefer your baked goods a more firm, I'd be sure to bake them just a tad longer, but not too long that they dry out. The banana flavor really shines through, but I don't think the bars really taste like banana bread, they just taste like banana bars! The oats make them heart and chewy, just how I like it. And if you're into removing refined sugar from your diet, these are perfect; sweetened with banana and a little bit of honey. Skip the honey completely and you have no added sugar other than what's in the banana.The whole combination just makes me happy in the morning, it's a healthy and delicious alternative to my normal muffin.

Banana Oat Breakfast Bars
Adapted from Gringalicious
Ingredients

• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup (4.25 oz) canned pumpkin (or you can sub applesauce for a little more sweetness)
• 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons (1.5 oz) honey
• 2 cups (7 oz) old fashioned oats 
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking dish with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with baking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the banana, pumpkin, milk, egg and honey. Add the oats, flour, salt baking powder and vanilla. Mix until just combined.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Yields: 8 bars

Nutrition: 197 calories each