Any parent of a sourdough starter deals with the discomfort of occasionally having to “discard” some of their growing, microbial, floury mass so it doesn’t take over the fridge.
But despite being called “discard” (harumph!) that extra gloop is super versatile and can be the jumping off point for lots of fun dishes. We’ve previously written about making meals, snacks and quick breads with discard. Go grab a glass of milk or some coffee because today is all about the cakes.
Thanks to the food blogs featured below for sharing images for this post! Have fun using up your sourdough discard!
Sourdough starter chocolate cake
Ellen from Homegrown Happiness writes that this chocolate cake is great for starter that has gotten runny or “split.” That means it’s extra acidic, which is extra good for making a fluffy, moist cake. She says letting it ferment overnight in the fridge will break down the starches, but that’s not required.
Sourdough discard banana cake
How about turning your extra starter and your overripe bananas into a banana cake with a cream cheese frosting? In this double-win for fighting food waste, Audrey from Two Pink Peonies has you covered.
Sourdough discard coffee cake
But Audrey isn’t done yet! On Two Pink Peonies she also has a recipe for Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake. Have any stray nuts that need using up? You can incorporate them into the coffee cake’s brown sugar crumble topping.
Carrot cake sourdough muffins
Kate from Pantry Mama says that sourdough discard contributes a tangy flavor and a tender crumb to these carrot cake muffins. We’re also very much here for the cream cheese frosting!
Gluten-free sourdough chocolate cake
Sourdough discard fed with gluten-free flour can fuel a gluten-free chocolate cake like this one from Shay at What the Fork. She promises it’s just as delicious as a gluten-full cake and also offers ideas on substitutions to make it dairy free.
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What happens when a couple goes into covid shutdown and suddenly has a lot of sourdough discard to use? Check it out! Spoiler alert: They get married in the end 🙂
