This matcha black sesame sourdough banana bread is the one banana bread my husband’s coworker constantly requests. You should make it for the earthy matcha, nutty black sesame, and toffee-like notes from the brown butter alone. But of course, I have to sneak in a little sourdough discard, which makes this loaf extra moist and yummy!
Key ingredients
🍵Obviously you’ll need matcha for this recipe. I’ve used many different brands over the years and I really can’t tell the difference once you’ve baked it into your matcha cookies or matcha milk bread. Right now I’m using Kirkland brand matcha from Costco. It’s really cheap and works just fine for my baking needs.
Also, black sesame seeds add a nutty flavor that goes so well with matcha. I definitely recommend toasting and crushing them so they can release their nutty flavor when you mix them into the matcha banana bread batter.
💡PRO TIP: I love freezing overripe bananas when I have too many going brown at once and I know I can’t use them all. Sometimes I would buy a huge Costco bunch just so I can do this to save them for another day. I wrap them up individually in plastic wrap and keep them in a freezer bag, this way they don’t stick together and you can thaw only what you need. To use frozen bananas, you just need to thaw and mash them up along with the liquid that releases during thawing.
Let’s make black sesame matcha banana bread
1. Brown the butter
Brown the butter and let it cool slightly, we don’t want to cook the egg when we mix them together.
NOTE: Once you add brown butter to banana bread, you will never go back, trust me!
2. Prepare black sesame seeds
Toast the black sesame seeds and crush them using a pestle and mortar. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you could grind them in a spice grinder, or put them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin…
3. Prepare the wet ingredients
I like mashing the bananas with my potato masher but a fork will work too. Then just beat everything all together. I used to beat in a few at a time but eventually found it doesn’t make a difference.
4. Add dry ingredients
You can just sift the flour, matcha powder, baking soda and baking powder directly into the wet ingredients, no need for a separate bowl, though I used to do that as well (just a lazy gal trying to save a step and a dirty bowl now).
Add the salt and crush sesame seeds separately since they won’t be able to pass through the fine mesh sieve.
Mix lightly with a whisk or spatula, don’t overmix here to keep the bread tender.
5. Bake
Depending on your pan size, you may want to pay a little more attention during the last 5 mins to make sure you don’t overbake the loaf. The one I used is around 8.5”x4.5”
Few more tips
It can be a balancing act to keep your banana bread moist without underbaking it and fully cooked without over baking it so I usually keep checking back on it during the last 5 mins!
- You want to make sure the middle is completely cooked through so you don’t have a too-gooey center. The visual indicator is within the crack on the top of the bread, if it looks like wet batter still then it is not done yet.
- When you poke it with a toothpick, stick it in the middle of the bread since the side will be cooked well before the center. You want the toothpick to come out with moist crumbs and not wet batter.
- If the top of the loaf starts to brown too much and the center hasn’t fully cooked, you can tent it loosely with foil and bake a few more minutes until done.
Matcha Black Sesame Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Loaf pan (8.5”x4.5”)
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter brown
- 9 grams (1 tablespoon) black sesame seeds toasted, reserve ½ teaspoon, crushed
- 320 grams mashed banana
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 5 grams pure vanilla extract
- 150 grams brown sugar light or dark both work
- 100 grams sourdough starter discard 100% hydration, room temperature
- 180 grams all-purpose flour
- 5 grams (1 tablespoon) matcha powder
- 3 grams (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- 4 grams (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 3 grams (½ teaspoon) kosher salt
Instructions
- Brown butter – Place the butter in a light colored saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, it will become foamy. When the foam subsides, you will see clear bubbles, start whisking continuously at this point to keep the milk solids from burning. When the butter is caramel in color and smells nutty – about 8 to 9 minutes – remove from heat and set aside to cool.113 grams unsalted butter
- Prepare black sesame seeds – Toast the black sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Reserve ½ teaspoon to sprinkle on top later. Crush the rest using a pestle and mortar.9 grams black sesame seeds
- Prepare wet ingredients – Mash the bananas with a potato masher in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled brown butter, egg, vanilla, brown sugar and sourdough discard (active starter). Beat with a whisk until thoroughly combined.320 grams mashed banana, 1 large egg, 5 grams pure vanilla extract, 150 grams brown sugar, 100 grams sourdough starter discard, 113 grams unsalted butter
- Combine dry ingredients – Sift flour, matcha powder, baking soda and baking powder directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients, sprinkle the salt and crushed sesame seeds on top. Mix gently with a whisk or a spatula until combined with no more large lumps of flour remaining.180 grams all-purpose flour, 5 grams matcha powder, 3 grams baking soda, 4 grams baking powder, 3 grams kosher salt, 9 grams black sesame seeds
- Rest batter – Cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel and rest the batter at room temperature for 1 – 2 hours. It’s okay to skip resting if you don’t have time.
- Preheat the oven – Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F at the end of the resting period.
- Prepare the baking pan – Brush a loaf pan generously with melted butter, line it with a longer piece of parchment paper leaving the excess hanging over the sides. Brush the top of the parchment paper with more melted butter.
- Bake – Transfer your banana bread batter to the prepared pan, sprinkle the rest of the sesame seeds on top, and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 55 – 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter attached.9 grams black sesame seeds
- Cool – Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. To remove banana bread from the pan, simply lift it out using the excess parchment paper as handles.
Notes
- Storage: you can keep your matcha banana bread in an airtight container at room temp for 3-5 days in cooler weather. In warmer weather, I would store it in the fridge. Or you can freeze leftovers for 3-6 months.
- Reheating: I love serving banana bread slightly warm. Microwave it for 15–20 seconds wrapped in a damp towel (so it doesn’t dry out) until warmed through. If it’s frozen, I would heat it in short bursts, checking as you go until it’s perfectly warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
