This sourdough discard coffee cake is so easy to make. It is sweet, delicious, and the perfect way to use your discard!
I am so happy to have a sourdough starter back in my life. I had a starter when we lived in Houston and I had to just toss it when my husband’s job moved us to Canada. I hadn’t thought about making sourdough in years but then luckily, my neighbor was kind enough to gift me some of hers as well as this recipe!
There is just something special about sourdough and even the discard is no exception. This sourdough discard coffee cake is loaded with sweet cinnamon flavors and topped with a delicious brown sugar crumble. It is an easy and delicious way to use your sourdough discard.
Ingredients needed
For this cake, you will need:
- Flour: You’ll need all purpose flour.
- Sugar and brown sugar: To sweeten the cake. You will need brown sugar for the topping too.
- Sourdough discard: The star of this coffee cake recipe.
- Baking soda: To give the cake some rise.
- Salt: You’ll need just ½ a teaspoon.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: To give the cake some spice. You will also top the cake with cinnamon.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter.
- Egg: You’ll need one large egg.
- Oil: You’ll need vegetable or safflower oil for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is best for baking.
If you’d like to learn how to make your own sourdough starter, this post on how to make sourdough starter with blueberries is a great start.
How to make
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl combine your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Stir well with a large spoon.
Next, add in your wet ingredients and mix well with a hand mixer.
Pour the batter into the baking dish.
Next, in a medium bowl combine the ingredients for the topping (brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and flour). Use a pastry cutter or two forks to combine and press into the ingredients until the topping is pea sized.
Sprinkle the topping over the batter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of the cake.
How to store
Cover leftovers with plastic storage wrap and keep at room temperature. This coffee cake will be good for up to 4 days after making.
Tips
- Feel free to add walnuts or pecans to the topping or in the cake, if desired.
- Use a pastry cutter or two forks to combine the topping together.
- Mix the dry ingredients and then the wet ingredients for the best results.
Other sourdough recipes:
Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9 x 9 inch baking dish
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter cold
- 1 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup pecans or walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl combine your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Stir well with a large spoon.
- Next, add in your wet ingredients and mix well with a hand mixer.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish.
- Next, in a medium bowl combine the ingredients for the topping (brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and flour). Use a pastry cutter or two forks to combine and press into the ingredients until the topping is pea sized.
- Sprinkle the topping over the batter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of the cake.
melissa
Thank you for this! I am just starting my sourdough journey and was troubled by the waste of discarding part of the starter. Now I can turn it into something yummy! 🙆🏻♀️
Two Pink Peonies
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking time to leave a comment! I also hate wasting it (and wasting food in general). I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
amanda
This came out perfectly and my whole family loved it, thanks!
serena
Such a great use of the sourdough
kyleigh
such a great way to use up sourdough discard!
Luke Ratford
A superb coffee cake recipe, the family loved it 🙂
Karen
Such a creative way to use sourdough discard! This was absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to make it again.
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
LOVE this! Am always looking for something besides crackers to do with my discard.
Makhaya
I’m always looking for new sourdough recipes! So happy I found this one, can’t wait to try it!
Brianna May
This looks delish!!
Tatiana
Super creative and delicious way to use that sourdough discard. Yum!
lch
Could you add apples to this? What adjustments would you make?
Two Pink Peonies
Yes, you could add apples to this cake. I would recommend adding 3/4 to 1 cup of chopped and peeled apples. I also have a specific recipe for sourdough apple cake if you’d like to use that one instead – https://www.twopinkpeonies.com/sourdough-apple-cake/
Sarah H
Great recipe
Audrey
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for taking time out of your day to leave a comment! Happy baking.
PaulaJo
This recipe was great, very light and fluffy. I did use butter instead of oil. The only thing I would change is probably cut the white sugar down to 1/4 cup. It was just a little sweet for my taste. I made it in a large size muffin tin instead of a 9×9. They are awesome for single servings.