Sourdough Cinnamon Coffee Cake

If you have a leftover sourdough starter, use it to make this sourdough cinnamon coffee cake! It’s one of my favorite sourdough discard recipes – a soft and tender coffee cake topped with a crunchy sweet crumb topping.

Sourdough cinnamon cake on a black cake stand with a slice on a black plate.

I love to make sourdough bread, but not all the time so I wanted to find a way to use the sourdough discard which is the starter you have left. It’s nice not to have to toss it!

So, one of the things I make with it is coffee cake and when you use your starter you get an amazing one. What I love best about this sourdough coffee cake is the size. It’s a lovely cake that’s so soft and tender. It would be a wonderful centerpiece for a special brunch or breakfast.

Of course, what is cinnamon coffee cake without the buttery sweet crumb topping? So, yes, we have plenty of that, too. 

So don’t throw out your leftover starter – use it to make this impressive sourdough coffee cake! Thanks to King Arthur Flour for this fabulous recipe!

Oh, and if you don’t have sourdough starter, don’t worry. I have an amazing Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake on my other site that you will love, too.

Cinnamon cake on a black cake stand.

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Softened butter

Coffee Cake

  • All-purpose flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Softened butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Large eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Sourdough discard
  • 2% milk

Recipe Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease and flour an 9-inch cake pan.

​To make the topping

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a fork until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set the topping aside while you make the batter.

Crumb mixture in a white bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the flour mixture aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about two minutes or until it’s creamy.

Butter and sugar creamed in mixing bowl.

Add the eggs, vanilla, sourdough discard, and mix at medium speed until the mixture is smooth.

Adding the wet ingredients to creamed and mixing to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat at low speed to combine. Add the milk and beat until smooth at medium speed.

Flour mixed then milk added and mixed to form a smooth batter.

Transfer the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of the batter. Bake the coffee cake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. 

The batter in the pan before and after baking.

Cool the cake in the pan before removing it.

We love this sourdough coffee cake in the morning with coffee and it’s a great snack cake for the afternoon, too. Or, serve it for dessert – it’s really perfect any time of day.

Sourdough cinnamon cake on a black cake stand with a slice on a black plate.

What else can you make with sourdough discard?

Coffee Cake Tips

Topping: Instead of cinnamon try using the same amount of nutmeg or pumpkin spice.

Additional Toppings: I think the crumb topping is just fine, but if you want to dress it up more dust the cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar or add a simple glaze.

Storage: Keep the cake tightly wrapped and it will keep well for a few days at room temperature.

The cake can be frozen whole or in slices. Wrap in plastic then again in foil, place in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 2-3 months in the freezer.

If you’ve been wondering what to do with that leftover over starter, I think you’ll enjoy using it for this sourdough coffee cake recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think – enjoy!

A piece of cake on a black plate.

More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

Sourdough cinnamon cake on a black cake stand with a slice on a black plate.

Sourdough Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Rosemary Molloy
If you have a leftover sourdough starter, use it to make this sourdough cinnamon coffee cake! It's a great sourdough discard recipe.
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings
Calories 487 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

CRUMB TOPPING

  • cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (total – 170 grams)
  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup butter softened (I use salted) 110 grams

COFFEE CAKE

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt*
  • ½ cup butter softened*
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • ¼ cup milk (I use 2%)

*If you use unsalted butter then add ½ teaspoon of salt.

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Grease and flour a 9 inch cake pan.

    CRUMB TOPPING

    • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugars, salt and cinnamon, cut in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Set aside.

    COFFEE CAKE

    • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    • In the mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until creamy approximately 2 -3 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla, sourdough discard and beat until smooth on medium speed.
    • Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed to combine, add the mix and beat until smooth on medium speed, add the milk and beat until smooth on medium speed.
    • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, sprinkle with the crumb topping and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out with 2-3 crumbs attached. Let cool in pan then remove and serve. Enjoy!

    Notes

    I used a 7 inch cake pan to get a very high cake. 
    Keep the cake tightly wrapped and it will keep well for a few days at room temperature.
    The cake can be frozen whole or in slices. Wrap in plastic then again in foil, place in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 2-3 months in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 7gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 359mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 754IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword cinnamon coffee cake, cinnamon crumb cake, sourdough cinnamon coffee cake, sourdough crumb cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    10 Comments

      1. Hi Cecilia, it’s called coffee cake because it’s a cake that goes well served with coffee. Depending on the recipe, sometimes there will be coffee in the cake as well. For this one, we added sourdough and cinnamon.

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