When I was in high school, there was a bakery nearby that was absolutely famous for their soft pumpkin bread. During free periods in September and October, we’d all rush over there to pick some up! I’ve been wanting to recreate it ever since I stated baking my own sourdough but never got round to it – until now!
This soft pumpkin sourdough tear & share loaf is slightly spiced, slightly sweet, and very delicious. I combined with a sweetened cream cheese spread making it perfect for an afternoon treat, but you can absolutely leave this out. If you’d prefer a normal loaf, you can also proof the dough in a banneton and then bake either in a loaf tin or a Dutch oven. If you do this, remember this needs lower heat than a regular loaf and will bake faster, so keep an eye on it. The loaf is features enriched dough, so remember that it will be softer and a little more delicate to handle than a ‘traditional’ sourdough – dough scrapers at the ready! Containing pumpkin and sugar I’ve also found that it ferments much faster than a standard loaf, so prepare to shorten your timescales, check your dough often, and be prepared to move quickly.
What do I need to bake Pumpkin Sourdough?
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- strong flour (I like Wild Farmed or Doves)
- active sourdough started, freshly fed
- pumpkin purée (I use Libby’s. You can also make your own, but remember that this will have a higher water content – so reduce water and milk in your recipe slightly to adapt)
- salt
- oat milk*
- vegan butter*
- pumpkin spice or cinnamon
You will also need the following equipment:
- square baking tin (or a loaf tin or Dutch oven if making a loaf)
- a banneton (only if making a loaf)
- a mixer and bowl with a kneading hook (or a tonne of elbow grease)
- a clean kitchen towel
- baking paper
Easy Soft Pumpkin Sourdough Tear and Share Bread
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer & Kneading Hook or a bowl
- 1 Square baking tin
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 200 g pumpkin puree I use Libby’s
- 125 ml oat milk
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 400 g strong white flour
- 200 g sourdough starter active and bubbly
- 2 tbsp sugar plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice can be subbed for cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
For the Cream Cheese topping
- 1 tub vegan cream cheese I use Philadephia
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 4 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine all bread ingredients and knead for ten minutes.
- Cover with a clean damp tea towel.
- Leave to rest until roughly doubled in size – this took roughly 4-5 hours for me. During this time, perform 3x stretch and folds for the first three hours.
- Line a square baking tin with paper and dump your bread dough into it. Stretch the dough until it is very roughly and even layer, reaching all the way into the corners of the tin.
- Using a dough scraper, firmly (!) press a grid pattern into your dough – you want a 3×4, so that you have 12 segments of dough. Don’t worry if you press all the way through to the bottom and divide the dough, it will join back together during proving and baking!
- Cover and leave to rest again until it has risen by half – this took me 2-3 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 190ºC. Once your oven is fully preheated, brush your bread with oat milk, sprinkle with a little bit of sugar, and bake for 40-45 mins until risen and golden brown. Leave to cool.
For the Cream Cheese Topping
- Combine all ingredients in your mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy.
- Serve with the cooled bread.
Notes
