Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread (with brown butter cream cheese frosting)

If you bake with sourdough regularly, you know the question all too well: what do I do with all this discard? This Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Loaf with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting is one of those recipes that makes discard feel like a luxury rather than a leftover. Moist, warmly spiced, and deeply flavorful, it’s the kind of loaf that disappears slice by slice—especially once that nutty brown butter frosting enters the picture.

This isn’t just pumpkin bread with sourdough added in for novelty. The discard plays a real role here, enhancing texture and balancing sweetness while letting the pumpkin and spices shine. It’s an easy, one-bowl bake that feels equally at home on a fall breakfast table or served as dessert with coffee.

Why Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Is Worth the Extra Step

Browning the butter transforms the frosting entirely. That quick step creates nutty, toffee-like notes that cut through the sweetness of the powdered sugar and complement the pumpkin perfectly.

When combined with cream cheese, the result is:

• Rich but not heavy
• Sweet but balanced
• Deeply flavorful without being fussy

Letting the brown butter cool fully before mixing is key—this keeps the frosting creamy rather than greasy.

Baking Tips for Perfect Results Every Time

• Tent with foil halfway through baking to prevent over-browning
• Check doneness by inserting a knife into the center—it should come out clean
• Cool the loaf completely before frosting so the topping stays thick and luscious

This loaf slices cleanly once cooled and actually tastes even better the next day.

Sourdough Pumpkin Bread With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 12 People

Moist sourdough discard pumpkin loaf topped with rich brown butter cream cheese frosting. An easy, cozy pumpkin bread perfect for fall baking.

5 from 6 votes

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Ingredients

• 113 g Melted Butter 1 stick
• 1 Egg
• 125 g Sourdough Starter ¾ cup – active or discard
• 350 g Brown Sugar 1¾ cups
• 10 g Vanilla 1 tbsp
• 240 g All-Purpose Flour 2 cups
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Nutmeg
• 425 g Pumpkin Puree 1 can
• ¼ tsp Cloves
• ½ tsp Baking Soda

FROSTING

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese room temp
• 113 g Butter 1 stick
• 240 g Powdered Sugar 1½ cups
• 5 g Vanilla Bean Paste or extract
• 3 tbsp Milk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Add your pumpkin, melted butter, egg, starter, brown sugar, and vanilla to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl. Mix with a silicone spatula until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not over-mix.
4. Pour the batter into a greased 9”x 5” loaf pan.
5. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Then tent with foil and bake for another 30 minutes (or until completely baked through).
6. While the loaf bakes, prep the frosting. Start by browning the stick of butter until it is a deep golden color. Allow the butter to cool in the fridge.
7. Using an electric hand/stand mixer, combine the cooled butter with the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the remaining ingredients.
8. Frost the pumpkin loaf once it is cooled.

Notes

This recipe was developed using the metric system. Using cup measurements instead of the scale will result in a less accurate finished product.

 

Course: Bread, Dessert, sweet bread

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