Plush and velvety with tart cinnamon apples and a crunchy brown sugar streusel, this Sourdough Discard Apple Cake is the most comforting fall bake. Sourdough discard adds flavor and keeps the melt-in-your-mouth crumb moist and tasting fresh for days. You’ll love this easy recipe made with simple ingredients.
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What makes this apple cake special?
This cake is all about the melt-in-your-mouth, velvety crumb. Words really can’t capture the incredible texture of this sourdough apple cake, you’ll just have to make it to experience it for yourself.
The base for this recipe is the same as the Sourdough Coffee Cake from my cookbook Sourdough Everyday. It’s plush, tender, and fluffy with a hint of cinnamon and a crispy brown sugar streusel. Adding tart Granny Smith Apples to this recipe makes it even more comforting and delicious.
This was absolutely delicious! I followed it exactly...My family is begging me to make it again already...Great recipe!
- Sebby
Love apple recipes? Check out my Sourdough Sweet Potato Apple Coffee Cake and Sourdough Apple Pie.
Why I love this recipe
- Unforgettable plush and velvety crumb
- Comforting fall bake with crunchy brown sugar streusel, warm spices, and tart Granny Smith Apples
- Sourdough discard imparts moisture, preserving the cake's softness and freshness for days
- Reverse creaming method makes this cake almost impossible to mess up!
- Made with simple ingredients you already have in your pantry
- Uses a lot of sourdough discard - 113 grams (½ cup)!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Apples: Choose baking apples that won’t break down as they bake. I used Granny Smith Apples here, but Honey Crisp and Golden Delicious are also great choices.
All-purpose flour: Low protein content keeps the cake soft and fluffy. Do not substitute whole wheat flour or your cake will be dense and dry.
Sour cream: Amps up the richness and keeps this cake soft and moist, substitute Greek yogurt or plant-based strained yogurt.
Sourdough discard: Both active starter or discard will work for this recipe. If you don’t have any discard, add 56 grams flour and 56 grams water to your recipe.
Dark brown sugar: I used dark brown sugar to make the streusel, but light brown sugar will work just as well.
See the recipe card for full ingredient amounts.
Baking with Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard adds moisture and flavor to this apple cake. Since you’re not using it as a leavener, your sourdough starter does not need to be activated or fed for it to work in this recipe and you can use it straight from the refrigerator.
Older discard will impart bolder flavors than freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both active starter and sourdough discard will work for this recipe, you’ll get a slightly different flavor but your bake will still be delicious!
Looking for more creative ways to use your starter in recipes other than sourdough bread? Check out my list of sourdough recipes that aren't bread.
Variations
- Top the warm cake with homemade honey butter, fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of glaze.
- This cake is endlessly adaptable, use raspberries, blueberries, pears, or peaches instead of apples.
- Add more spices, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, ginger and all-spice taste great with apples!
What is reverse creaming?
I use a unique method to make this cake called, reverse creaming. It deviates from the conventional way of approach by blending the softened butter with both the sugar and flour, rather than adding the flour in at the end.
This essentially creates a waterproof barrier for the flour. Since gluten is activated when water comes in contact with it, this minimizes gluten development, it's my secret to soft and tender cakes!
I use this method to keep my Sourdough Cornbread and Sourdough Apple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake recipe light and fluffy.
How to Make Sourdough Apple Cake
STEP 1: Make the batter
Toss the apples in cinnamon and make the streusel. Cream the dry ingredients, sugar and butter. Expect the batter to be very thick.
Tip
Reverse creaming evenly coats the dry ingredients in fat. The mixture should resemble a wet, coarse sand.
STEP 2: Bake the cake
Transfer the batter into a lined pan, layer cinnamon apples and streusel on top. Bake at 325 F for 45 to 50 minutes.
Baker's Tips
- Low and slow baking keeps the crust light and the crumb airy.
- Weigh your ingredients and don’t stray from the ingredients list.
- Both active starter and sourdough discard will work in this recipe.
- You’ll need a hand mixer or stand mixer to properly cream the ingredients for this recipe.
- Use apples that won’t break down as they bake, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious are great options.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake bakes, this allows heat to escape rapidly and may cause your cake to sink. This will lead to a gummy and dense center.
- The glaze is optional but highly recommended.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, you’ll miss out on some of the sourdough flavor, but you can just add 56 grams of flour with the dry ingredients and 56 grams of water with the sour cream.
Yes! You can bake this cake in an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
I’ve never tried it but it probably will work just fine! Although, you can always just bake my Sourdough Apple Muffins for a tried and tested recipe.
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Sourdough Apple Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pan
- Parchment paper
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Ingredients
Topping
- 120 grams apple 1 small Granny Smith, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 11 grams cornstarch
- 30 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams brown sugar
- 42 grams unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
Cake Batter
- 113 grams unsalted butter softened
- 210 grams all-purpose flour
- 10 grams baking powder
- 6 grams salt
- 200 grams cane sugar
- 1 egg large
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 170 grams sour cream
Glaze (optional)
- 60 grams powdered sugar
- 14 grams unsalted butter melted
- 14 grams milk plus more if needed
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 325 F with a rack in the middle. Line a 9-inch cake with parchment paper.
- Make the toppings: Toss the apples in cinnamon. Set aside.120 grams apple, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, brown sugar and butter. Rub the butter in until all of the flour is hydrated. Refrigerate the streusel until ready to use.11 grams cornstarch, 30 grams all-purpose flour, 50 grams brown sugar, 42 grams unsalted butter
- Make the batter: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, blend the butter, dry ingredients and sugar together until the mixture resembles coarse, wet sand.210 grams all-purpose flour, 10 grams baking powder, 6 grams salt, 200 grams cane sugar, 113 grams unsalted butter
- Add the egg to the flour mixture. Stir in the sourdough discard and sour cream until fully incorporated.1 egg, 113 grams sourdough discard, 170 grams sour cream
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. The batter should be very thick, spread it to the edges of the cake pan. Spread the apples and then the streusel in an even layer over the batter.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is well-risen and the edges are golden brown. Pull the cake out of the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Make the glaze: Mix the glaze ingredients and stir with a spatula or spoon until smooth and silky. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time if your glaze seems too thick. Drizzle glaze over the cake.60 grams powdered sugar, 14 grams unsalted butter, 14 grams milk
- Serve: Slice and serve cake warm. This cake is best enjoyed on the same day it’s baked but will store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You should refrigerate the cake if you plan to store it for a longer period of time.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- Both active starter and sourdough discard will work in this recipe.
- You’ll need a hand mixer or stand mixer to properly cream the ingredients for this recipe.
- Use apples that won’t break down as they bake, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious are great options.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake bakes, this allows heat to escape rapidly and may cause your cake to sink. This will lead to a gummy and dense center.
Marcy
moist, delicious, easy!!!!!
Hannah Dela Cruz
So happy you loved it!
Melanie
This cake is amazing! I've made it twice in one week and I also plan to make it again for Thanksgiving. I doubled (maybe even tripled) the amount of diced apples on top and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. I use a buttered springform pan and it comes out beautifully.
Hannah Dela Cruz
I'm so thrilled that you loved this recipe, it's one of my absolute favorites!
Saan
Delightful! I mixed it by hand, no mixers and used half coconut oil and half butter for the batter. Only coconut oil for the topping and added chopped almonds. Super moist and just the right amount of sweetness.
Great recipe.
Side note, your quick sourdough bread has been a staple since I need to bake bread every other day with my husband who takes sandwiches for lunch. Prior to your recipe it had become too time consuming to bake every other day.
Hannah Dela Cruz
Glad you loved the apple cake and the bread! Those sound like great substitutions and I'm glad to hear they work.
Sebby
This was absolutely delicious! I followed it exactly but I used a springform pan instead, and I added some vanilla to the icing. My family is begging me to make it again already and I'm thinking of trying it with maybe raspberries instead of apples. Great recipe!
Hannah Dela Cruz
So extremely happy that you and your family loved the recipe! I think raspberries are a great idea for this. You'll have to let me know how the bake turns out.
Emily
Hi Hannah, we love your baking techniques and recipes. I have dried apples that I’d like to use. Would you mix them in the cake batter or keep them on top? Thank you!
Hannah Dela Cruz
Thank you so much! Love that you are loving the recipes. I've never tried this before, although it does sound incredible.
Here are my thoughts:
On top: To be safe you can add them to the streusel since they may weight down the delicate crumb if folded into the batter.
In the cake: Since the dried apples won't add any moisture to the batter as it bakes, it may be ok and won't make your cake gummy! If you're feeling daring you can totally give it a try.
Sorry I don't have anything super definitive! Try it out and let me know how it turns out. I'm very curious!
Hannah
Emily
We mixed the dried apple crumbles into the batter. It worked great. But we wish we’d also put fresh slices on top under the streusel. This recipe was delicious, definitely a sweet dessert. We’re excited to try the sweet potato version. Loved the reverse cream technique. Can that be used anytime instead of creaming eggs and sugar?
Hannah Dela Cruz
So thrilled that you loved the recipe! The fresh apples definitely add to the flavor and textural experience of the cake. Excited to hear what you think when you get to try it next time.
I love reverse creaming as well! It's so easy. I recommend this but with reservations. I tend to always just go for what the recipe creator wants you to do since they've tested the recipe themselves in the way they shared it. But try it and see how it goes, there's a chance that your cake make be flatter which is standard for every cake that uses reverse creaming.
Thanks for visiting!