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A Whole Wheat Cape Seed Bread with Sunflower, Pumpkin, and Poppy Seeds
Bake this Whole Wheat Cape Seed Bread with whole wheat flour, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and poppy seeds for a hearty homemade loaf that’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, and everyday baking.
An Easy Seeded Loaf with Whole Wheat Flour and Instant Yeast
Why You Will Love and Enjoy This Whole Wheat Cape Seed Bread
- The mix of sunflower, pumpkin, and poppy seeds gives every slice plenty of texture and flavour.
- It uses simple ingredients and doesn’t require complicated bread-making techniques.
- It makes excellent toast, sandwiches, and breakfast slices throughout the week.
Whole Wheat Cape Seed Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Proofing Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (approximately 12 slices) 1x
- Category: Bread Recipes
- Method: Easy baking
- Cuisine: South African
Description
This Whole Wheat Cape Seed Bread is one of those reliable loaves that comes together with simple pantry ingredients and rewards you with a beautifully seeded crust and soft, hearty crumb. It’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, or simply sliced thick with a little butter while it’s still slightly warm.
Ingredients
- 500 g whole wheat bread flour
- 85 g sunflower seeds
- 50 g pumpkin seeds
- 25 g poppy seeds
- 5 ml – 1 tsp salt
- 8 g – 1 packet quick-rise instant yeast
- 15 ml – 1 tbsp sugar
- 30 ml – 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 350 ml lukewarm water (I would typically use 260 ml tap water and fill up to 350 ml with boiling water)
- 1 beaten egg for brushing
Vegan Option
- Replace beaten egg with plain water for brushing
For Topping
- Extra sunflower seeds
- Extra pumpkin seeds
- Extra Sesame seeds
- Extra poppy seeds
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with oil or non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine: 500 g whole wheat bread flour, 85 g sunflower seeds, 50 g pumpkin seeds, 25 g poppy seeds, 1 tsp salt, 1 packet (8 g) quick-rise instant yeast, 1 tbsp sugar
- Pour in: 350 ml lukewarm water and 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for about 1 to 2 minutes until everything is evenly combined. The dough will feel slightly sticky, which is exactly what you want for a moist loaf.
- Transfer the dough directly into the prepared loaf pan and gently smooth the top with lightly oiled hands.
- Brush the surface with 1 beaten egg, or plain water if making the vegan version.
- Sprinkle the top with extra sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Use the back of a tsp to gently press the seeds into the dough so they stay in place during baking.
- Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has risen to roughly the top of the loaf pan.
- About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C).
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the loaf is deeply coloured and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Remove from the pan immediately and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
- It may be tempting to cut into it early, but waiting helps the crumb set properly.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested by Esme Slabs: SA Tasty Recipes – Saffas Daily Recipes and EsmeSalon Homemade Recipes
Additional Information
- Lukewarm water should feel slightly warm to the touch, around 100⁰F to 110⁰F (38⁰C to 43⁰C). Hot water can damage the yeast.
- Resist the urge to add too much extra flour, as this can make the loaf dense and dry.
- Mixing and kneading directly until combined works perfectly here. There’s no need for complicated bread-making techniques or multiple rises.
- Can I make this vegan? Yes. Simply brush the loaf with plain water instead of beaten egg before adding the topping seeds.
- Can I use all-purpose flour? You can, but the loaf will be lighter and less hearty. Bread flour or whole wheat bread flour gives a better structure.
- Can I add more seeds? Absolutely. Flax seeds, sesame seeds, or hemp hearts can be added in small amounts without affecting the recipe significantly.
Storage
- How Long Can This Be Stored and How?
Room temperature: Up to 3 days in an airtight container or bread bag.
Refrigerator: Up to 1 week, although refrigeration may dry the bread slightly.
Freezer: Up to 3 months. - Can This Be Frozen? Yes. Allow the loaf to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil or a freezer bag. Freeze whole or sliced. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Substitute Suggestions
- Whole wheat bread flour: Bread flour or a half-and-half mix of bread flour and whole wheat flour.
- Sunflower seeds: Additional pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds.
- Pumpkin seeds: Sunflower seeds or chopped nuts.
- Poppy seeds: Sesame seeds, flax seeds, or chia seeds.
- Sunflower oil: Canola oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil.
- Sugar: Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar.
- Egg wash: Plain water, oat milk, or almond milk for a vegan finish.
Enjoy freshly baked bread with a crunchy seed topping in every slice.
This Whole Wheat Cape Seed Bread is a satisfying homemade loaf that combines whole wheat flour with sunflower, pumpkin, and poppy seeds for exceptional texture and flavour. The crunchy topping, soft crumb, and straightforward method make it a great choice for anyone looking to bake a dependable loaf at home. Whether served as toast, sandwiches, or alongside a meal, this bread offers a wholesome, bakery-style result that makes every slice enjoyable.
Similar Recipes
Why not take a look and check out my Keto Almond Flour Bread.
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I love this bread! I used to buy a similar bread from PnP years ago. I moved to the UK and could not find a similar option here. I made this today and I love it! I did substitute oat milk for the egg, it came out perfectly! Thank you for this recipe, it reminds me of home!
WOW I am so happy to see that you tried this and how you adapted it, but above all that its perfect and you love it. Thank you so much. Enjoy every bite.
Do you add the measured amounts of seeds to the dough so there are seeds throughout the bread? Or is that the amount you are covering the outside of the dough with?
Hi Amy, Sorry for the confusion: 85g sunflower seeds, 50g pumpkin seeds, 25g poppy seeds will go in the bread and you use extra for decoration.
Thank you !!
You’re most welcome – please let me know what you think once you made it. I hope you love it as much as we do.
This sounds wonderful! I had never heard of it before! I’ll have to try it!
Hi Holly. Thank you for popping in. I truly hope you will try it and let me know what you think. It is a firm favourite for us.
This sounds amazing Es….I love nice bread with seeds, unfortunately, the men in my life don’t….I will make and freeze in slices which it what I normally do :)…
Carol, it will be perfect to do, as the bread does freeze well, although I must admit does not happen often in this house.
It’s the only way I get to eat the bread I like…I eat very little because I only like nice bread but if I cook Gambas pil pil or soup y0u want a nice slice don’t you?..
Unfamiliar with Gambas pil pil but I do agree soup does require a good slice or two of bread.
You haven’t lived..ha ha..Prawns done in olive oil, lots of chilli, garlic and coriander served and sometimes chorizo sizzling hot..to die for…I will post recipe for you..a amazingSpanish dish…..I am salivating just writing this
Wow. Thanks for sharing Carol. It does look awesome. 😍😍
Thanks – I just ♥ to bake this bread – my favorite
Thank you for reposting. We also love to test the recipe. 😉
☺☺☺
Your bread looks very delicious 🙂
Thanks Irene – I just ♥ to bake this bread – my favorite
😻😻😻😻😻
🙂
You’re amazing. Thank you funky cat
Oh, I am just having fun, and I thank you for joining the fun!
What a great idea ! Love it
🙂