Vegan Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread

This is an interesting bread. Containing both yeast and baking soda, it’s sort of a cross between a quick bread and regular bread. It is intended to a have a somewhat craggy, holey texture reminiscent of an English muffin, and to toast very well. Apparently similar recipes have been around a long time owing to the fact that many people find homemade English muffins to be an upgrade on basic toast taste-wise but not labor-wise. Enter an easy hybrid.

I would say that I don’t actually think it’s an identical approximation of an English muffin, just a rather interesting and nicely textured bread in its own right. Although, to be fair I did modify the original recipe to be whole-wheat and dairy-free; perhaps the original is a closer facsimile.

It’s a fairly fast and easy bread, with short rising and baking times and no kneading. I’ll definitely be making it again for that reason alone.

As a recipe designed for toasting applications, this recipe makes excellent croutons, such as in this Caesar Salad recipe.

Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread

Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread

2 ½ cups whole wheat bread flour

2 ¼ tsp rapid rise yeast

½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp sugar

¾ tsp salt

1 2/3 cup warm water (115-120 degrees F)

Directions:

Mix together all dry ingredients. Heat water to the appropriate temperature (If it is too hot, you may kill your yeast, which would result in total recipe failure. If it is too cold, your dough may not rise adequately in the time allotted.) Stir water into rest of ingredients until completely incorporated (you do not need to knead). Cover mixing bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warmish place for half an hour.

Punch down between 1st and 2nd rises

Spray a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. When the 30 minutes rising are up, briefly stir dough to punch down and then scrape the dough into the loaf pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise again for another 20-30 minutes, until dough rises to top of pan.

Before Second Rise

After Second Rise

Fresh out of the oven

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F a few minutes before rising is done. Remove plastic wrap and bake loaf for 25-30 minutes, until nicely browned. Using oven mitts, flip out of the pan to cool. Let cool at least 45 minutes.

Cooling

Slice and enjoy!

Vegan Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread, sliced and made into Cinnamon Toast