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.
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.
Table of Contents
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 8 or 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.
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.
Add the eggs, vanilla, sourdough discard, and mix at medium speed until the mixture is smooth.
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.
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.
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.
What else can you make with sourdough discard?
- Cookies: Try my sourdough chocolate chip cookies or lemon ricotta cookies.
- Biscuits and Rolls: Sourdough biscuits, whole wheat buns, and dinner rolls are a great way to use it up!
- Bread: Chocolate babka is a great way to use your starter or try delicious focaccia.
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!
More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
Sourdough Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Ingredients
CRUMB TOPPING
- 1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (total – 170 grams)
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- â…“ 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 8 or 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!
This probably is a dumb question but I’ve never heard sourdough discard. What is it?
Hi Hazel, sourdough discard is a part of the sourdough starter that is removed before feeding. If you have never made sourdough starter before it is all explained here. https://breadsandsweets.com/sourdough-starter/. Have a great week.
Can you please add the grams for each of the cake ingredients? Thank you!
Hi Sheri, sorry I forgot to do that. It’s been added. Thanks 🙂