One of the first times I heard of Cuban bread was at our local homeschool co-op. One of the moms suggested that we use it to make the garlic bread for the spaghetti lunch, and it was a great success using that wonderful bread. This easy recipe shows you how to make this amazing Cuban bread at home!
Do you love to make bread? Don't miss out on these other great recipes for Cob loaf and Macaroni Grill rosemary bread; your family will love them!
History
Cuban bread originated in Cuba, and was brought to south Florida by Cuban immigrants in the 1800s. Both in Cuba and the US, Cuban families bought their bread from local bakeries instead of making it themselves, so when Francisco Ferlita opened his commercial Cuban bread bakery in Tampa in 1896, it was a huge success. Each loaf was sold for 3-5 cents, and was delivered daily to homes in the Tampa area. Many people had a special nail at the front door where the delivery man would drive the bread onto the nail.
Cuban bread is popular because it is used in the traditional Cuban sandwich. In fact, La Segunda Bakery in Ybor City (a suburb of Tampa) makes 18,000 loaves every day! Watch a tour of the bakery to learn more about the fascinating baking process, and read more about the history of Cuban bread if you want to learn more.
Ingredients
Fortunately, Cuban bread calls for simple pantry ingredients you probably already have. Let's talk about the most important ingredients you'll need!
- Bread Flour: The higher protein content in bread flour as opposed to all-purpose creates more gluten in the dough, causing a higher rise and a lovely chewy texture. My favorite bread flour is King Arthur.
- Yeast: I use fast-action (aka instant) yeast in all of my bread recipes, as it's faster and easier. If you're using active dry, make sure to pause at Step 2 in the recipe and allow the yeast to bloom (sit until it's frothy; about 10 minutes). That shows that the yeast is active.
- Sugar: A touch of sugar gives the yeast extra food in addition to softening the bread a little. Feel free to substitute with another sweetener, like honey, if you'd like.
- Lard: Melted lard is what makes Cuban bread so soft and fluffy. If you're vegan, substitute with vegetable shortening.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cuban Bread
Gather the ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, sugar, lard, and water. Melt the lard in a small saucepan or in the microwave.
- Sift the flour into a bowl, then set aside. (image 1)
- Mix together the water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl. (image 2)
- Stir in the melted lard and half of the flour, mixing to form a thick paste. (image 3)
- Gradually add the remaining flour to make a slightly sticky dough. (You may not need all the flour.) Knead the dough until it is smooth, no longer sticky, and passes the windowpane test. See the recipe card below for an explanation of this technique. (image 4)
- Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and let it prove until at least doubled in size, about 1 hour. (image 5)
- Punch down the dough and split it into two pieces. Pat it into a rectangle. (image 6)
- Roll it up tightly from one of the long edges. Pinch the seam to seal, then gently roll it out to make a long, thin loaf. Repeat with the other piece. (image 7)
- Sanitize and split a few palmetto fronds in half lengthwise, then press them into the loaves down the middle. (You can use a piece of string if you don't have access to palmetto fronds.) (image 8)
- Flip the loaf over, then place on a parchment-lined tray and let it rise until nearly doubled in size and springy to the touch, about 45-60 minutes. (image 9)
- Right before baking, flip the bread over so the fronds are on top, using the parchment paper to turn the loaf carefully. (image 10)
- Bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crusty. The palm fronds on the dough will score it, controlling the rise and releasing steam. (image 11)
- Let the bread cool completely, then slice as desired and enjoy in garlic toast, homemade croutons, or a classic Cuban sandwich. (image 12)
Recipe FAQs
What makes Cuban bread special is its beautifully thin, crispy crust and soft, fluffy interior. Unlike baguettes, they're made with a little bit of fat in the dough to keep the inside soft and moist. The contrast between the crispy crust and fluffy interior makes Cuban bread perfect for pressed sandwiches and toast!
There are a lot of differences between baguettes and Cuban bread! Although they are both long, skinny loaves of crusty white bread, that's where the differences end.
Baguettes are made from a fatless dough, scored with a sharp blade called a lame before baking, and are very crispy. Cuban bread, by contrast, has lard or shortening in the dough, is scored by palmetto fronds, and isn't quite as crispy as a baguette.
Palm leaves (more accurately known as fronds from saw palmettos) are traditionally used in Cuban bread for a special purpose. As the bread proves on top of the palm fronds, the leaves create a lengthwise cut down the loaf, allowing steam to escape as the bread bakes. This keeps the bread from "blowing out" (getting irregularly shaped) as it bakes.
If you're looking for a readily available substitute for Cuban bread, try using soft French or Italian loaves from the grocery store bakery. Don't use a crusty French baguette; it's too crunchy.
Keep it at room temperature for up to 24 hours, and freeze for longer storage. Store it sealed tightly in a zip-top bag to retain its moisture, and don't refrigerate, as it will make it go stale quickly. You can also freeze Cuban bread in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Serve
Once your Cuban bread is baked and cooled, it's ready to use in a traditional Cuban sandwich (whether you prefer Miami style or Tampa style) or in Cuban toast with a café con leche. Or if you're hungry, just slice and enjoy the bread with butter!
If you're looking for other Cuban recipes to round out your meal, serve a cup of café Cubano and a pastelito de guayaba for dessert.
Expert Tips
- Note about Flour: This recipe was developed using King Arthur bread flour. Please weigh it using a kitchen scale to get an accurate measurement. Remember that the brand of flour and humidity will affect the exact amount you need for the dough.
- Place the dough in a cold oven with a pan of boiling water on the shelf beneath. The humid steam creates a warm, cozy environment for the yeast to work, creating a faster rise.
- How to use the palmetto fronds traditionally: Split 2 palmetto fronds (leaves) in half lengthwise, then lay the 2-3 strips of frond on top of the loaf. Flip the bread over so the fronds are on the bottom, then let it rise. Right before baking, flip the loaf over and bake with the fronds on top.
- Let it cool completely before slicing. Freshly baked bread is full of steam and needs a while to cool off and finish cooking inside. Breaking into the loaf while it's still hot will make the it gummy and doughy.
Other Savory Bread Recipes
Recipe
Homemade Cuban Bread (Pan Cubano)
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour, sifted
- ¼ cup lard, melted
- 1 ¼ cups room-temperature water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons fast-action yeast
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Weigh the bread flour using a kitchen scale, then sift it into a bowl and set aside. Melt the lard in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
- Stir together the water, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl until blended.
- Add the melted lard and half of the flour to the mixture. Mix until a wet paste has formed, then add in the salt and enough flour to make a somewhat sticky dough. Please remember that the humidity and brand of flour will affect how much flour you add.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth, no longer sticky, and passes the windowpane test. Test the dough by breaking off a lump of dough and stretching it between the thumb and forefinger of each hand to create a windowpane. The dough should stretch until it's translucent in places without breaking. If it does, this means the dough has been sufficiently kneaded. If not, continue kneading for a minute longer and test again.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough prove until at least doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- While the dough is proving, prepare the palmetto fronds. Cut two fronds, then split them in half lengthwise. Sanitize them with soap and hot water, then dry them. (If you don't have access to palmetto fronds, use a piece of baker's twine, or simply score the loaf with a lame before baking.)
Shaping
- Line two 11x17-inch cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Dump the dough onto a floured surface and punch it down all over to knock out air pockets. Cut it into two pieces, then shape each piece into a rectangle and roll it up tightly from one of the long sides. Pinch the seam and ends to seal, then roll it gently with the palms of your hands to extend its length to about 18 inches.
- Press the palmetto fronds (or string) into the top of the loaves, overlapping them slightly, then flip the loaf over so the fronds are on the bottom. Cover the bread with plastic wrap and let it prove for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the loaves have almost doubled in size and the dough springs back quickly when lightly prodded with a fingertip.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and put a metal casserole dish on the lowest shelf of the oven to preheat.
Baking
- Once the loaves are fully proved, gently flip then over so the palmetto fronds are on top. If they deflate a little, that's okay; they will rise in the oven.
- Slide the trays into the oven, pour a cup or two of water into the hot metal dish, and quickly shut the oven door.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown, crusty, and have an internal temperature of 200°F on a meat thermometer. Remove the pan of water during the last 5 minutes.
- Let the loaves cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour on a wire rack before slicing and serving. This allows the bread to finish cooking all the way through.
Video
Notes
- Weigh the ingredients when baking for much more accurate measurements.
- Note about Flour: This recipe was developed using King Arthur bread flour. Please weigh it using a kitchen scale to get an accurate measurement. Remember that the brand of flour and humidity will affect the exact amount you need for the dough.
- Sanitize the palmetto fronds before using. I like to wash them with dish soap and rinse in hot water, then dry them.
- Place the dough in a cold oven with a pan of boiling water on the shelf beneath. The humid steam creates a warm, cozy environment for the yeast to work, creating a faster rise.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Elizabeth
Where is the starter info?
Emma
This recipe doesn't use a starter to save time. You can get a wonderful loaf without it.
Emma
I was hoping the video would explain the "roll it up tightly from one of the long sides. Pinch the seam and ends to seal" part so like a taco and then pinch the end closed?
Emma
A taco is folded in half; this is actually rolled up tightly like a cinnamon roll. Refer to step 2 under "Shaping" in the recipe card for instructions.
Brenda Underwood
I had to use all purpose flour but it turned out great. Thank you for the recipe!!
Emma
You're welcome, Brenda! I'm so glad that you enjoyed this recipe.
Brittany
Have you doubled or tripled this recipe? If so when would you split the loafs?
Emma
I haven't doubled or tripled it, as kneading that much dough at a time would be very difficult unless you have an industrial mixer. It's best to make two or three separate batches. If you do want to make that much dough all at once, you would divide it into three loaves before its first rise, letting the three pieces of dough rise individually.
Deborah Holfeltz
How can I alter for high altitude of 7500 elevation?
Emma
I recommend the following article to provide several suggestions on adapting baking recipes for high elevations. https://www.wheatmontana.com/content/high-altitude-baking-how-make-your-recipes-work-mountains
Helen
A very good bread! As good as French bread and makes a great pulled pork poboy!
Emma
So glad you enjoyed it, Helen!
Bibi
just to be clear, do you add the 2nd half of the flour while kneading?
Emma
At the end of step 3, you'll add enough of the second half of the flour to create a somewhat sticky dough. Then, you can start kneading. Happy baking, Bibi!
Darren
Hey is it ok to use AP flour?
Emma
You can use all-purpose flour in this recipe, but realize that it will not give you the same results as bread flour. Happy baking!
Lana Haskins
I have the bread rising now, but I’m going back over the recipe, it calls for 2 t fine salt, but in the directions I can’t see where the salt comes in??? What am I missing?
Emma
The salt is added in step 3 before the kneading. You can go ahead and bake the bread, but it may not rise as high and won’t taste the same.
Evan Wilson
Love this Recipe!
Emma
I'm glad you like this Cuban bread, Evan!
Susan
Is there a substitute for the palm fronds?
Emma
You can use a metal skewer instead—anything long, skinny, and oven safe.
Katy Bojorquez
I do not have access to palmetto so I used the spine of a banana leaf....same effect.
Emma
that's a great idea, Katy! Thanks for sharing!
Beth
I really enjoy all breads, but this one is very soft and so unique. Palmettos are an interesting thing to score bread with, but it creates a cool look. It smells divine! The soft crust and fluffy interior are perfect with a slathering of butter. Good job!
Emma
I agree--it is a little strange to put a palmetto leaf on bread, but it really makes the bread look interesting! Thank you!
Alex
This bread tastes delicious. I like the chewy crust and the grits on the bottom of the loaf. The grits give it a crunch. I also like the look of the palm frond on top of the loaf. The inside is soft. It tastes especially good with butter.
Emma
thank you, Alex! I like the grits on the bottom, too.