Sourdough Discard Sweet Potato and Cinnamon Bread

Name: Sourdough Discard Sweet Potato and Cinnamon Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard (unfed, at room temperature); ¾ cup (180 g) sweet potato puree (fresh or canned), drained if canned, at room temperature; 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking powder; 1½ tsp (3½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil; 1 large egg; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground nutmeg (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist quick bread that transforms your sourdough discard into something special. Sweet potato puree creates richness and natural sweetness, while warm cinnamon and a touch of vanilla make every slice aromatic and comforting. Perfect for breakfast, snacking, or a simple dessert.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 55 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 1 loaf (about 10 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position rack in the middle
Line or grease a 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan
Have sourdough discard at room temperature
If using canned sweet potato, drain well and measure the puree after draining

1
Mix wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, sweet potato puree, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- The mixture should be thick but pourable, with no streaks of egg white visible.
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Ready when: Smooth and well blended with no visible egg streaks
Tip: Room-temperature ingredients blend together more smoothly without lumps.
2
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg (if using).
- Make sure there are no lumps in the baking soda or baking powder by pressing them against the bowl with the whisk as you mix.
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Ready when: No lumps visible, spices evenly distributed throughout
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients prevents pockets of baking soda or baking powder that can create bitter spots.
3
Fold together batter
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and fold gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Fold about 15-20 times; do not overmix.
- A few small lumps are fine.
- Overmixing develops gluten and results in a tough, dense crumb.
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Ready when: No streaks of dry flour visible; batter is lumpy but cohesive
Tip: Stop folding as soon as dry flour is no longer visible. The batter should look rustic, not smooth.
4
Fill the pan
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan, then gently tap the pan on the counter 3-4 times to release air bubbles and level the top.
- Smooth the top with a spatula if needed.
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Ready when: Batter is level and fills about three-quarters of the pan
Tip: Don't fill the pan more than three-quarters full or the bread will rise over the sides and brown too quickly on top.
5
Bake the breadOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the loaf pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven on the middle rack.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- The top should be deep golden brown.
- If the top is browning too quickly after 30 minutes, loosely tent with foil.
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Ready when: Toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs; top is deep golden brown
Tip: Oven temperatures vary; start checking at 45 minutes. The bread is done when the toothpick shows a few crumbs (not a slurry of batter).
6
Cool in pan
- Remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- During this time, the crumb will set and firm up enough to handle without falling apart.
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Ready when: Bread pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan
Tip: Do not skip this cooling time or the warm bread will crumble when you try to turn it out.
7
Turn out and cool completely
- Run a thin knife around the edges of the loaf pan to loosen the bread.
- Place a cooling rack or cutting board over the top of the pan and flip the pan to turn the bread out.
- Allow it to cool completely on the rack, at least 5 more minutes, before slicing.
- For best results, wait 1-2 hours for the crumb to fully set.
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Ready when: Bread is cool to the touch and no longer steaming
Tip: Slicing warm bread will result in uneven, crumbly pieces. Waiting gives you cleaner slices.

Good to know

Tips

Sourdough discard doesn't need to be active or bubbly—use it straight from the fridge or at room temperature. The leavening comes from the baking soda and baking powder, not the discard.
For fresher sweet potato puree, roast a medium sweet potato at 400°F (205°C) for 45 minutes, then scoop the flesh and blend with a fork until smooth.
The bread keeps its moisture and soft crumb for days because of the sweet potato puree. Do not skip or reduce it.
Toast thick slices and serve with butter and a pinch of cinnamon sugar for a cozy breakfast treat.

Make ahead

Batter can be mixed and poured into the loaf pan up to 2 hours ahead; cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add 5-10 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.

Storage & reheating

Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 4 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze whole loaves or slices in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours or reheat slices in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Substitutions

sweet potato puree (fresh or canned) → Pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree. Use the same amount. The flavor will shift slightly, but the texture and moisture content remain similar.
vegetable oil → Melted coconut oil, melted butter, or applesauce. Use the same volume. Applesauce will make the bread slightly less rich but still moist.
all-purpose flour → Whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, or spelt flour. Mix whole grain flours with at least half all-purpose flour to maintain the tender crumb. Whole grain alone will result in a denser texture.
granulated sugar → Brown sugar or coconut sugar. Use the same amount by weight. Brown sugar will add moisture and a deeper molasses flavor.