The Best Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake
The Perfect Blend of Ingredients. Fluffy, cinnamon-swirled coffee cake enriched with tangy sourdough discard for exceptional moisture and nuanced flavor—finished with a crunchy streusel topping.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large & medium mixing bowls
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Rubber Spatula
- Whisk
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Sourdough Coffee Cake Batter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sourdough discard (or active starter) unfed or active
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spoon & level
Cinnamon Sugar Filling & Topping
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar packed
- 5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp ground cinnamon use fresh, high-quality cinnamon
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Make cinnamon streusel: In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, 5 Tbsp flour, and cinnamon. Pour in melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbly; set aside.
- Preheat & cream: Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, cream softened butter and white sugar on medium-high 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add liquids: Scrape bowl; mix in vanilla, eggs, whole milk, and sourdough discard just until combined into a smooth, pourable mixture.
- Finish batter: Add baking powder and flour; mix on low only until the flour is just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Assemble: Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Spread in half the batter; sprinkle with half the streusel. Gently spread remaining batter over, then top with remaining streusel.
- Bake: Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20–30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Efficiency tip: Total time is just over an hour, most of it hands-off. Brew coffee while it bakes and let the crumb set before slicing for clean pieces.