Sourdough Coffee Cake

Molly LaFontaine

If you're looking for wholesome sourdough coffee cake, you've found it! My recipe gives you the moist, fluffy cake you're craving without all that sugar. I use a pure maple syrup to sweeten the cake itself and a small amount of light brown sugar in the cinnamon layer as well as the streusel topping. You get the same delicious flavor without needing to gulp water after you eat it!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings: 1 coffee cake

Step-By-Step Mode

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup sourdough starter fed or discard
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup avocado oil or melted butter
1/2 cup sour cream or plain unsweetened yogurt
3/4 cup buttermilk or milk
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Layer

2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp softened butter salted
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl whisk together maple syrup, sourdough starter, avocado oil, sour cream, buttermilk (or milk), eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Just until combined, don't overmix.
Add in flour. Whisk just until combined. Do not overmix. It’s ok to have some lumps. Set aside. (optional - if you want to long ferment the batter do this now, instructions in notes)
Prepare a 9x9 (or 8x12”) baking pan with parchment or grease with butter and a dusting of flour.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the cinnamon layer ingredients. Set aside.
In another small mixing bowl, mix the streusel top ingredients. Set aside. (NOTE: You can double the streusel topping if desired)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon layer mixture over the cake batter.
Then carefully and gently pour the other half of the cake batter on top. You don’t want this layer to mix into the cinnamon layer you sprinkled on.
Gently smooth out the top layer of batter with a spatula or spoon.
Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of the cake.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when it’s done.

Notes

Optional - Long Fermentation Instructions (AKA Make Ahead)

If you'd like to long ferment this coffee cake, simply whip up the batter and place the mixing bowl covered in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours. When you're ready to bake it, just get it out of the fridge and continue with the recipe.

This is a great way to make the coffee cake ahead of time, so all you'd have to do is get the batter out of the fridge and layer the cake in the baking pan before baking.eYou can use discard, AKA unfed starter, in this recipe to make a sourdough discard coffee cake.

Helpful Tips for Making This Recipe

You can use discard, AKA unfed starter, in this recipe to make a sourdough discard coffee cake.
No matter if you use a fed starter or discard, your starter should have a thick, pancake batter consistency.
Avoid overmixing the batter when making this recipe. Overmixing will give you a dense cake.
When you're pouring the first half of the cake batter into the pan, you can eyeball it. I recommend using less rather than more so you can ensure the top layer of the batter will be enough.
If you want more of a streusel topping, feel free to double that part of the recipe. I created this to not be overly sweet, which is why there is less sugar than some coffee cake recipes.

Sourdough Disclaimer

I feed my sourdough starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water, this creates a 50% hydrated starter. If you feed your starter differently, results for this recipe may vary.