1. 1. Prepare Your Baking Pan and Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 F (175 C). Lightly grease and flour a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bread out later. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.

2. 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Make sure there are no lumps and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture. Set this bowl aside.

3. 3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin puree, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined and smooth. The mixture should have a uniform orange color.

4. 4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing can lead to a tough, dry bread.

5. 5. Transfer to Loaf Pan: Pour the batter evenly into your prepared loaf pan. You can gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and ensure the top is relatively flat.

6. 6. Bake the Bread: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and spring back slightly when gently pressed.

7. 7. Cool Before Slicing: Once baked, remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the bread to set and makes it easier to remove without breaking. After 10-15 minutes, carefully lift the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper overhangs (or invert it onto a wire rack) and let it cool completely on the wire rack before slicing and serving.