Description

This Moravian Potato Sugar Bread is a soft, sweet, and richly flavored bread made with mashed potatoes and a cinnamon-sugar topping. The dough is enriched with butter and eggs, giving it a tender crumb. After rising, the dough is baked with a buttery, cinnamon-brown sugar glaze that caramelizes to a crunchy crust, perfect for breakfast, tea time, or a sweet snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Potato Mixture

1 Potato
1 cup Water

Yeast Mixture

1 1/2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
2 tablespoons reserved potato cooking liquid (cooled to 95-110°F / 35-45°C)

Dough

8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (6 Tbsp for dough, 2 Tbsp for topping)
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Mashed cooked potato (from boiled potato)
1/3 cup reserved potato cooking liquid

Topping

1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

Boil the Potato: Boil the potato in 1 cup of water uncovered until it is soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the water, reserving it, and let it cool to lukewarm (95-110°F or 35-45°C). Meanwhile, mash the cooked potato and set aside.
Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the cooled reserved liquid with the active dry yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a medium bowl, cream together 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and the granulated sugar until fluffy. Add salt and egg, mixing thoroughly.
Mix Dough Ingredients: Stir the mashed potato and the yeast mixture into the creamed butter and sugar. Add 1/3 cup of the reserved potato cooking liquid, then gradually add the flour, mixing until a dough forms.
Knead the Dough: Turn the soft, moist dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise at room temperature for approximately 1 1/2 hours until it doubles in size.
Prepare the Pan and Second Rise: Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×12-inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Roll or push the dough out to fill the pan evenly. Cover and allow it to rise for 45 minutes.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Topping: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
Dimples on Dough: Using your fingertips, make deep indentations about 1 1/2 inches apart across the surface of the dough.
Add Topping: Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar and ground cinnamon on top to cover the surface.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the sugar topping is crunchy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Ensure the reserved potato cooking liquid is lukewarm before mixing with yeast; too hot or too cold will prevent yeast activation.
This bread has a tender texture thanks to the mashed potatoes and butter, so handle the dough gently.
For best results, use fresh active dry yeast and check its expiration date.
You can store leftover bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Variations: Add raisins or chopped nuts to the dough for extra texture and flavor.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Bread
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Moravian / American

Keywords: Moravian Potato Sugar Bread, sweet potato bread, cinnamon sugar bread, traditional Moravian bread, yeast bread, soft sweet bread