This Buckwheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread is delicious, gluten-free, and nutritious. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare (as long as you have your easy-to-make buckwheat sourdough starter ready and active.) It has a light airy texture straight out of the oven, but will become more dense if you refrigerate it. I like it both ways.
Why Sourdough?
I like to bake with sourdough for a few very important reasons. First, the process of fermenting the grain (or in the case of buckwheat, the seed) predigests it and deactivates the enzyme inhibitors that bind up valuable minerals and vitamins. (These are the enzymes that keep the seed/grain from sprouting too early.) This means you have a much easier to digest product that is also more nutritious. Sourdough is especially good for those with digestive stress, which is many of those who have had to go gluten-free or are giving their body a break from gluten. Another reason I love sourdough is that it is a natural leavening agent. This means that you can use it instead of yeast to make baked goods rise. Most yeasts out there are GMO. Yuck! Many people unknowingly react to these GMO yeasts. (For a good non-GMO yeast, try Bioreal Organic Active Dry Yeast.)
Why Buckwheat?
- Buckwheat is loaded with magnesium (which most of us are deficient in).
- This relative of rhubarb is a good source of potassium, iron, and B vitamins
- It has more protein than any of the grains traditionally consumed in the SAD (Standard American Diet), such as wheat, rice, or corn.
- Buckwheat contains the essential amino acids lysine and arginine.
- Also, it has a fair amount of resistant starch (Source). Resistant starch (also known as prebiotics) feeds the probiotics in your microbiome but doesn’t feed the bad bugs hanging out in there. Getting resistant starch is as important, if not more important, as getting probiotics!
How to make Buckwheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
- 3/4 cup of active buckwheat sourdough starter (see note)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of buckwheat flour (I use Acadian Buckwheat which is very light)
- 2 large pastured eggs, separated
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons grass-fed butter
- 1 cup of unrefined sugar, rapadura, or coconut sugar
- 1 rounded teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- Optional: dried fruit or nuts (1/2 cup)
Directions for Buckwheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread:
- Line a loaf pan (I use an 8.5 x 4.5 Pyrex) with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have your baking rack positioned in the lower third of your oven.
- Melt the butter over low heat and allow to cool slightly.
- While the butter is melting, separate the eggs. Add the yolks to a large bow and the whites to a medium bowl.
- Add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the egg whites and beat until soft peaks form. Leave aside until the end of the recipe.
- Add the cooled butter and sugar to the egg yolks. Mix until lighter in color. If you are using a hand mixer, this will take about 3 or 4 minutes. It should take just 1 or 2 minutes if you are using a stand mixer.
- Next, add the buckwheat flour, the pumpkin pie spice and the pumpkin puree. Mix until smooth.
- Once it is smooth, add your sourdough starter and mix until just incorporated.
- Finally, fold in the egg whites and any add ins if you have chosen some.
- Pour the batter into your lined loaf pan and put it into the oven.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes. It is ready when a toothpick or skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the loaf.
- When the Buckwheat Sourdough Pumpkin Loaf comes out of the oven, allow it to cool in the pan on a baking rack for about two hours before cutting into it. Torture, I know, but worth it!!
Looking for more delicious pumpkin recipes? Try these!
- Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows from Tessa, The Homestead Lady
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree from Brittney at Pistachio Project
- How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds from Christina at Little Sprouts Learning
- Hearty Pumpkin Pancakes (Gluten-free) from Shelby at Fit as a Mama Bear
Buckwheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup of active buckwheat sourdough starter see note
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of buckwheat flour I use Acadian Buckwheat which is very light
- 2 large pastured eggs separated
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons grass-fed butter
- 1 cup of unrefined sugar rapadura, or coconut sugar
- 1 rounded teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- Optional: dried fruit or nuts 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Line a loaf pan (I use an 8.5 x 4.5 Pyrex) with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have your baking rack positioned in the lower third of your oven.
- Melt the butter over low heat and allow to cool slightly.
- While the butter is melting, separate the eggs. Add the yolks to a large bow and the whites to a medium bowl.
- Add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the egg whites and beat until soft peaks form. Leave aside until the end of the recipe.
- Add the cooled butter and sugar to the egg yolks. Mix until lighter in color. If you are using a hand mixer, this will take about 3 or 4 minutes. It should take just 1 or 2 minutes if you are using a stand mixer.
- Next, add the buckwheat flour, the pumpkin pie spice and the pumpkin puree. Mix until smooth.
- Once it is smooth, add your sourdough starter and mix until just incorporated.
- Finally, fold in the egg whites and any add ins if you have chosen some.
- Pour the batter into your lined loaf pan and put it into the oven.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes. It is ready when a toothpick or skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the loaf.
- When the Buckwheat Sourdough Pumpkin Loaf comes out of the oven, allow it to cool in the pan on a baking rack for about two hours before cutting into it. Torture, I know, but worth it!!
I am curious about you. Have you gone gluten-free? Are you just giving your body a break from wheat? Have you baked with buckwheat before? Sourdough? Are you eager to start?
Oh this sounds yummy! Perfect for fall… I was just thinking about fall treats yesterday! Aaaaand it’s sourdough and gluten free! Sounds like a winning recipe. I’ll definitely be trying it once I get a starter ready!
I’ve recently started using buckwheat more when I cook, but I really didn’t know that much about it. Fascinating – and I love that it’s a prebiotic! Major win! Now, I just need to get a sourdough starter going so I can make this delicious bread! I’m so ready for pumpkin-flavored everything!
I’ve never baked with buckwheat or sourdough but as a kid, my dad made all our bread and we had sourdough quite frequently. This pumpkin sourdough sounds delicious, I’m going to save this one for later.
Yum! Buckwheat is a favourite here, as is sourdough. Next time I get up the gumption to make bread, I’m going to give this a try. Thank you!
This looks just perfect recipe for the fall. I am big fan of pumpkin and try to make everything I can. This is on my list. Thanks for the inspiring recipe!