Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
This Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread turns a cup of hard-earned discard into a moist, tender quick bread. The discard isn’t there for lift; it adds a subtle chew and complex flavor. Thanks to the starter and pumpkin puree, the loaf stays fresh for days. The recipe comes together in about 20 minutes and take about an hour to bake. Cranberries add a tangy pop of flavor.
Why Use Sourdough Discard in Pumpkin Bread?
If you’re a sourdough-bread baker, you know how painful it is to throw away your hard-earned yeasty goodness every time you need to replenish your starter.
In this recipe, the baking soda does the heavy lifting to raise the batter in the heat of the oven. Since the yeast in the sourdough starter is not the main leavening for the bread, why is it in there?
The sourdough discard does give the bread a little extra lift in the oven and it imparts a slightly chewy texture and lovely complex flavor. The starter also keeps the bread fresh longer so you can enjoy it for the better part of a week.
This recipe is great not only for using discarded sourdough starter, but also to use that bit of pumpkin puree you have left from your pumpkin pie, and that last cup of cranberries you’ve got hanging out in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator or in the freezer.
If you don’t have one, check out my post to learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then check out my system to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter.
Why is it Called “Quick” Bread?
This type of recipe, also known as “tea bread”, is made with baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast. Since you don’t have to wait for it to proof before baking, the recipe is, you know, quick.
Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – You can use discard that’s been fed fairly recently or discard that is quite ripe. A recently fed discard may result in a little extra lift in the bread and an older discard will add more tangy flavor to the loaf.
- Spices – In place of the spices listed in the recipe you can use the same total amount of any pumpkin spice blend.
- Cranberries – Use fresh or frozen cranberries. You can also use dried cranberries or raisins.
- Maple Syrup – Maple syrup has a light flavor that allows the pumpkin flavor to shine through. If you love gingerbread, use molasses for a more assertive gingerbread flavor that puts the pumpkin flavor in the background. Honey is also a great option.
- Pumpkin Puree – Use only pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I find canned pumpkin more consistent for baking. If you have fresh pumpkin puree and it is very wet, blot the puree on paper towels to wick away extra moisture. If you don’t have pumpkin puree, any puree of winter squash will do. Got butternut? Roast and puree it and you can make Sourdough Butternut Cranberry Quick Bread.
- Granulated Sugar – A crackly, rugged crust forms when the bread splits as it bakes. Sprinkling the top with a little sugar accentuates those crackles on the crust.
How to make Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
Here’s what the recipe process looks like at each stage. Refer to the recipe card below for measurements and exact instructions.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk to evenly disperse the leavening and spices.
- Combine the wet ingredients and sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Mix to emulsify the ingredients.
- Add the pumpkin to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Fold in the cranberries.
- Spread the batter into a loaf pan lined with a parchment sling.
- Sprinkle the loaf with sugar and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before slicing.
How to Serve Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
- Serve this bread for an afternoon snack or easy dessert.
- Because it is not super sweet it also makes a great breakfast or brunch bread.
- I love to eat the bread plain, but you can spread on a bit of butter to make the bread extra rich.
- A schmear of cream cheese echoes the flavor of pumpkin cake with cream cheese, with a more subtle and less sweet flavor.
I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!
Sourdough Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 9 oz all purpose flour (1 ⅔ cups, see note)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz Sourdough discard (1 cup, 100% hydration)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 5 oz vegetable oil (⅔ cup)
- 6 oz granulated sugar (⅔ cup)
- 4 oz maple syrup (⅓ cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz canned pumpkin puree (1 cup)
- 4 oz cranberries (1 heaping cup)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ( for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Butter a 9×5 loaf pan and line the pan with parchment paper (or butter and flour the pan).
- Combine 9 oz all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine the ingredients and set aside. In a mixer bowl combine 8 oz Sourdough discard, 3 large eggs, 5 oz vegetable oil, 6 oz granulated sugar ,4 oz maple syrup and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until the ingredients are emulsified. Add 8 oz canned pumpkin puree and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in 4 oz cranberries.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over the surface of the batter.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few wet crumbs but no raw dough, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan 10 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature before cutting.
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Can use dried cranberries instead of fresh?
Yes. You’ll miss some juiciness from the berries, but it shouldn’t be a problem.
this was SO good, and very easy. I realized after it was in the oven that my pan was smaller than the called-for 8×5, so took a bit longer to bake and wasn’t quiiiiiite done in the center, but that was total user error. But the top was gorgeous, raised, and crusty! The whole family loved it, and I’m making it again this weekend… this time in the proper size pan!
so easy to make being a brand new sourdough baker