• Get butter, eggs, sourdough discard, pumpkin if in the fridge, sour cream, and cream cheese out of the fridge and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

Make the Pumpkin Cake Batter

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a rimmed half sheet pan (about 10"x15")
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 1 minute until warm to the touch. Don't let it start steaming or boiling. Take off heat and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl add softened butter, avocado oil, and maple syrup. Mix with an electric mixer (with beater attachments) on low speed for 2 minutes. . It should be combined together but won't be creamy and you might see some pieces of butter still. This is because of the maple syrup.
• Add eggs one at a time. Beat each into the mixture on low speed until completely combined.
• Add vanilla, sourdough discard, pumpkin, warmed milk, sour cream, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and baking powder (wait to add baking powder if you’re doing the optional cold ferment step below). Mix on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix.
• Add in flour (a little at a time) and mix on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix.
• Optional – At this point you can either continue the recipe or place the batter, covered, in the fridge for 12-24 hours to long ferment for more sourdough fermentation benefits. When you’re ready to continue the recipe stir in the baking powder just before baking.
• Pour cake batter onto the prepared baking pan. Spread evenly with a spatula to fill the entire pan.

Bake the Pumpkin Cake

• Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (If your pan is differently sized please adjust your bake time a few minutes.)
• Take the cake out of the oven then immediately use a spatula to loosen the edges of cake around the pan.
• Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cake in the pan. Then place a cooling rack over the top of that.
• Flip the entire thing upside down so that the wire rack is standing on the counter like it normally would. Remove the pan and your cake should come right out onto the parchment-lined cooling rack.
• Let it cool for 30 minutes to 1 hr.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

• While the cake cools, place cream cheese, sour cream, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl.
• Mix on low-medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
• Give it a taste, add more maple syrup if you desire a sweeter filling.
• Place in the fridge until cake is finished cooling.

Assemble the Pumpkin Roll Bites

• When cake is cooled, grab a small 2 inch wide cookie or biscuit cutter.
• Use your cutter to cut little circles out of your cake. You should be able to get 18-21 small 2-inch wide circles.
• Group them into 3s and get filling out of fridge.
• Starting with one pile of 3, spread about 1 Tbsp of frosting on top 1 cake circle. Place a second circle on top like a sandwich. Then spread about 1 Tbsp of frosting on top of that. Place a third cake circle on top of the filling. You should have a 3-layered mini cake. Set aside.
• Repeat with the rest of the cake circles and cream cheese frosting. You should get 6-8, 3-layer mini cakes. Any leftover cake can be stored in your freezer for snacking or another purpose.
• Serve them right away or store in the fridge for 1 hour to let them setup. They’ll last about 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!