Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

Name: Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough starter discard, unfed, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral vegetable oil; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 (100 g) large eggs; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons (7½ g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) baking soda; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; ⅓ cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar; 2½ teaspoons (6 g) ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted, melted

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, lightly tangy quick bread made with sourdough discard, studded with a brown sugar and cinnamon swirl. No yeast rising required—this loaf comes together in one afternoon and tastes best the next day as the flavors meld. Perfect for using up discard while you maintain your starter.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: 1 loaf (10 slices)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center
Line a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches overhang on the sides for easy removal
Have all ingredients at room temperature

1
Mix the wet base
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
- The mixture should be thick and pourable but uniform with no lumps of starter visible.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No lumps of starter; mixture is uniform and thick
Tip: Whisk the sourdough discard thoroughly to break up any clumps so it incorporates evenly into the batter.
2
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make sure there are no lumps of baking soda by pressing them out with the back of a spoon.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No visible lumps; dry ingredients are evenly mixed
Tip: Sifting the dry ingredients is optional, but whisking thoroughly prevents pockets of baking soda in the finished loaf.
3
Fold dry into wet
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined.
- Do not overmix—the batter should be slightly lumpy and thick.
- Stop folding as soon as no dry flour streaks remain.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No dry flour visible; batter is lumpy and cohesive
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the crumb. Fold only until you don't see streaks of flour.
4
Prepare cinnamon swirl mixture
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until it forms a thick paste.
- Set aside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Brown sugar is moistened and paste is uniform
Tip: Melting the butter helps the brown sugar and cinnamon bind together and distribute evenly.
5
Spread batter and create swirl
- Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Spread half of the cinnamon mixture over the batter using the back of a spoon.
- Add the remaining batter on top, spread smooth, then dollop the remaining cinnamon mixture on the surface.
- Using a butter knife or skewer, drag it through the batter from end to end about 4 or 5 times to create swirls.
- Do not overly blend—you want distinct ribbons, not marbled throughout.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Visible swirls throughout the batter; ribbons of cinnamon-sugar are distinct
Tip: Light swirling creates attractive ribbons. Heavy swirling blends the mixture and obscures the effect.
6
Bake the loafOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter.
- The top should be golden brown.
- If the top begins to brown too quickly after 30 minutes, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Toothpick in center shows a few moist crumbs, no wet batter; top is deep golden brown
Tip: Do not open the oven during the first 35 minutes to allow the loaf to rise fully. Check doneness at 45 minutes and adjust timing if needed.
7
Cool in the pan
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
- This allows the crumb to set slightly so it doesn't fall apart when turned out.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Loaf has cooled enough to handle but is still warm
Tip: Do not skip this step—cooling in the pan prevents the loaf from cracking or crumbling when unmolded.
8
Unmold and cool completely
- Turn the loaf out of the pan onto a wire cooling rack using the parchment overhang to help.
- Let cool completely at room temperature for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- The loaf will continue to cook and set as it cools.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Loaf is cool to the touch at the base
Tip: Slicing while the loaf is warm causes it to tear and crumble. Wait the full hour for clean slices.

Good to know

Tips

Sourdough discard at peak fermentation (bubbly and active) is not required—use your discard whenever you feed your starter. Unfed, slightly deflated discard works perfectly fine and will still provide tang and rise.
For deeper brown sugar flavor in the swirl, use dark brown sugar instead of light. It adds molasses notes without changing the bake time.
If your loaf cracks on top while baking, this is normal and does not indicate a problem. The cinnamon swirl sometimes creates stress points in the crumb structure. The loaf is still delicious.
Slice the cooled loaf with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion to avoid squishing the tender crumb.

Make ahead

Bake the loaf up to 2 days ahead. Wrap cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The flavor improves the next day as the sourdough tang mellows and develops."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (2–3 days): Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Slice as needed. Refrigerator (up to 5 days): Wrap in plastic wrap. Toasts well for breakfast. Freezer (up to 3 months): Wrap cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours, or toast slices directly from the freezer until warm."

Substitutions

neutral vegetable oil → Melted unsalted butter or melted coconut oil. Maintains moisture and tender crumb. Coconut oil will add a subtle flavor; use refined for a neutral taste.
ground cinnamon → Apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice mixed with brown sugar and butter. Creates a warm spice blend instead of pure cinnamon. Use the same amount by volume.
granulated sugar → Honey or maple syrup (reduce to 2/3 cup or 160 ml, and reduce oil to 1/4 cup or 60 ml). Adds moisture and deep flavor. Reduce other liquids slightly to avoid a dense crumb.
all-purpose flour → Whole wheat pastry flour (up to 50% of the flour weight) or all whole wheat (add 1 tablespoon extra water). Whole grains create a denser crumb. Mix half and half for a balance of nutrition and texture.