If you have discard to use, making sourdough pumpkin breads is a great option for fall--and especially for Thanksgiving. These not-too-sweet breads are easy to make, and, if your discard isn't especially active, don't worry. The breads include baking powder, so they'll rise, regardless. If your discard is active, you'll get a bit higher rise and a more pronounced sourdough tang in the breads. You can bake the breads in the regular oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes (test them with a pick for "doneness"), or you can opt to air fry the breads to free up your regular oven and save on electricity/power. I usually make the breads in the air fryer unless I'm baking something else alongside the breads in the regular oven. The breads are full of pumpkin flavor and sweet spice, and a scattering of butterscotch morsels gives the breads little pockets of sweetness. I dust the tops of the breads with a little cinnamon-sugar. You can also top the breads with walnuts (or other nuts) for a nice crunch. The breads are great with breakfast, for snacks, and make a nice, sweet bread addition to a fall dinner. Enjoy!
Sourdough Pumpkin Breads -- Makes 4 Mini Loaves
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1 large egg
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of white whole-wheat flour (or use all-purpose)
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup of butterscotch morsels
Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle (2 tablespoons of sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of
cinnamon), optional but good
1/2 - 1 cup of chopped or broken walnuts (or other nuts), optional but good
In a large bowl mix together well the starter/discard, egg, sugar, oil, milk, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and brown sugar. Add the flours, baking powder, salt, and spices to the bowl and stir them into the wet mixture until combined. Stir in the butterscotch morsels. Spritz four mini loaf pans well with non-stick cooking spray. Divide the batter among the four pans and, if you'd ,sprinkle cinnamon sugar and walnuts on top of the batter in each pan. Spritz the tops of the loaves with a little non-stick cooking spray (this will hold the sugar in place and help keep the walnuts from burning). You can bake the batter immediately or let it sit out for an hour or so for a greater rise (if your starter/discard is active). When you're ready to bake, put 2-4 filled loaf pans in your air fryer basket (depending on the size of your air fryer), put the basket in the air fryer, and air fry the breads at 320 degrees for about 20 minutes or until a pick inserted in a loaf comes out with no wet batter attached (a few crumbs are likely and fine). Remove the breads to cool and repeat the air frying process with the remaining batter if necessary. If you're using the regular oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the breads for 30-45 minutes (for mini loaves) or until a pick inserted in a loaf comes out with no wet batter attached. Let the breads cool in their pans for at least 10 minutes before removing them to cool completely.
