Cosy autumn mornings call for bakes that fill the kitchen with the scent of warm spices and pumpkin purée. This Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread is soft, warmly spiced and crowned with a buttery streusel that bakes into crisp, golden crumbly perfection. Whether you are using up sourdough starter discard or simply love pumpkin bakes, this sourdough pumpkin bread feels like a hug with every slice.
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Ingredient Notes
Here are all the simple ingredients you'll need to make this Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Bread recipe:
- Plain (all-purpose) flour. The base of the loaf. Substitute up to 15 per cent with whole wheat flour for a heartier crumb.
- Pumpkin purée. Canned pumpkin works beautifully, but homemade pumpkin puree will also work (as long as it's not very wet). Don't use pumpkin pie filling.
- Sourdough discard. Adds tang and moisture. Both active sourdough starter or sourdough discard will work, though avoid overly acidic discard with hooch on top.
- Light brown sugar + white sugar. A combination gives balanced sweetness and moist crumbs. Dark brown sugar works too.
- Butter. Melted butter adds richness. You can swap with neutral oil, coconut oil or vegetable oil, like we do in our Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins.
- Eggs. Large eggs bind the batter and help it rise.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Or mixed spice in the UK. You can add extra cinnamon or a touch of vanilla extract for warmth. We have instructions on how to make your own spice blend in the FAQ section.
- Baking powder + baking soda. These help your quick bread rise in the oven.
- Streusel topping. The only thing better than pumpkin bread is pumpkin bread with a buttery streusel topping. Add pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Variations
Why not make this sweet bread your own and try this sourdough recipe your way next time:
Skip the streusel and glaze it. Swap the crumble topping for a simple icing made with icing sugar, vanilla extract and a little milk or maple syrup.
Chocolate chips. Stir a handful of chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate into the pumpkin bread batter for a sweet twist.
Nutty crunch. Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the dry ingredients for texture.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Prep the oven and tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper to create a sling.
2. Make the streusel. In a small bowl, rub plain flour, sugar, a pinch of salt and cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add pumpkin seeds if using. Place in the fridge.
3. Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Mix wet ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée and sourdough discard.
5. Add butter. Whisk in melted butter until smooth.
6. Combine. Tip the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
7. Fill tin. Tip the pumpkin bread batter into the prepared loaf pan and scatter the chilled streusel over the top of the batter.
8. Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes until a cake tester or sharp knife inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Cool. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. And here you have it - an easy quick bread recipe for cosy autumn afternoons or even Thanksgiving table!
Recipe Tips For Best Results
- Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures your wet ingredients combine smoothly. Cold eggs or butter can cause the batter to split.
- Avoid overly sour discard. Sourdough discard with hooch on the surface is probably too acidic and will affect the flavour.
- Do not overmix. Fold dry and wet ingredients together only until combined to avoid tough texture.
- Check early. All ovens vary. Check around the 50 minute mark and adjust.
- Cool before slicing. Allowing the loaf to cool completely prevents crumbling. What is more, when you slice it warm, you allow the steam to escape, resulting in a dry pumpkin bread.
Storage and Freezing
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap slices in plastic wrap or aluminium foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature and warm gently in the oven, if you wish.
Recipe FAQs
Mix 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice (or cloves). Stir together in a small bowl and use immediately, or store in a sealed jar.
Yes. Spoon the batter into muffin cups and bake at 180°C for 18 to 20 minutes. Or follow our recipe for Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins (made with oil).
Yes. Try a maple syrup glaze, a dusting of icing sugar or keep it plain.
More Sourdough Pumpkin Recipes
Hope you loved this sourdough discard pumpkin bread recipe! If you love baking with pumpkin this time of year, try more delicious sourdough bakes using sourdough starter discard or active starter. From Sourdough Banana Bread to Sourdough Pumpkin Scones, you will find something to enjoy.
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread With Streusel Topping
Equipment
- Balloon Whisk or Electric Handheld Mixer
Ingredients
For Streusel Topping:
- 35 g (¼ cup) plain flour a.k.a. all-purpose flour
- 35 g (¼ cup) granulated or caster sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 30 g (1 oz) butter cold, cubed
- 1-2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds optional
For Sourdough Pumpkin Bread:
- 125 g (1 cup) plain flour all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or mixed spice in the UK
- 300 g (10.58 oz) pumpkin puree
- 100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 50 g (⅖ cups) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 120 g (½ cup) sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 90 g (3.17 oz) unsalted butter melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (360ºF). Lightly oil a 2-lb loaf pan and line it with a piece of parchment paper (like a sling along the long edge, leaving the edges overhanging.
Prepare Streusel Topping:
- In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour and a pinch of salt. Add the cubed butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. If using pumpkin seeds, stir them in at the end. Place the streusel in the fridge whilst you prepare the sourdough pumpkin bread batter.
Make Sourdough Pumpkin Bread Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- In a separate bowl, using a balloon whisk or an electric handheld mixer, whisk the eggs, brown and white sugar, pumpkin puree and sourdough discard.
- Whisking continuously, drizzle in the butter until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold gently until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Then scatter the streusel topping across the surface.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes. Insert a cocktail stick into the centre of the bread to test if it's done - it should come out clean (internal temperature should reach 96℃ (205℉)).
- Leave the pumpkin bread in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
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