How long does 100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf take to bake?

Bulk ferment 4.00h at 76°F, proof 8.00h, bake 40 minutes at 425°F in a loaf pan.

US · pan

100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf

Name: 100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf
Prep time: 240 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 760 min
Yield: 1 loaf (14 servings)
Cuisine: US
Ingredients: 500g whole wheat; 400g water (80% hydration); 10g salt (2.00%); 100-125g levain (20-25%)

Target 80% hydration · loaf pan · bake at 425°F

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100% whole wheat sourdough pan loaf — dense-but-manageable, deeply nutritious, excellent for sandwiches. 80% hydration is essential to soften the bran. Long autolyse (60-90 min) critical. Pan shape provides structure that free-form can't sustain at 100% whole wheat.

Hydration: 80%
Salt: 2.00%
Levain: 20–25%
Bulk @ 76°F: 4.00h
Proof @ 76°F: 8.00h
Bake temp: 425°F
Bake time: 40m
Vessel: loaf pan

Flour mix

whole wheat — 100%

Technique

Long autolyse (90 min) with 100% of the water at 80°F. Add levain and salt, mix until fully incorporated. 4 stretch-and-folds in 2h. Total bulk 4h. Shape into log, place seam-side down in oiled 9x5 loaf pan. Cold retard overnight. Bake at 425°F for 35-40 min until internal 200°F.

Calculator pre-set to 100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf's target (80%)

Adjust the slider for personal preference within the workable 75–85% range.

Total flour(g)

Target hydration(%)

Salt(%)

Levain of flour(%)

Levain hydration(%)

Flour to add: 450 g
Water to add: 350 g
Salt: 10 g
Levain @ 100%: 100 g
Total dough: 910 g
Effective hydration: 80%

How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 80% hydration guide →

80% hydration reference page — crumb structure, technique notes, other recipes at this hydration
Flour spec: whole wheat — protein, ash, absorption — 100% of this recipe's mix
Hydration deep-dive for this recipe — workable range 75–85%
Timing by kitchen temperature — bulk + proof times at 60-90°F using Modernist Bread multipliers
Guide: baker's percentage explained — the math underlying every formula on this page
All 25 recipes — grouped by category (lean, enriched, hearth, pan)

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)
Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.
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Dutch oven / combo cooker
Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.
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Banneton proofing basket
Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.
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Bread lame + bench scraper
A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.
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High-protein bread flour
The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.
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Danish dough whisk
Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.
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🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Gear guides — what actually matters

Flour mix

Technique

Calculator pre-set to 100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf's target (80%)

Related references on this site

The gear that makes the math work