Sourdough Apple Cake
Sourdough discard apple cake is soft, moist, and filled with fresh apples and warm fall flavor. An easy sourdough dessert finished with simple icing.
This sourdough discard apple cake is soft, buttery, and packed with fresh apples, a splash of spiced rum, and a simple icing drizzled over the top. It’s an easy, cozy cake that feels perfect for fall!
Discard gives this cake a wonderfully soft and tender crumb and a little extra depth of flavor without making it taste sour. The apple add plenty of sweetness and moisture, while the spiced rum adds a warm flavor that makes the whole thing feel more special.
Serve this as dessert, have a slice with your afternoon coffee, or call it breakfast because it has apples in it. I support whatever choice you make!
Why’ll love this recipe
- Easy discard recipe – No feeding your starter or waiting for anything to rise. Just grab your discard and start baking!
- Soft and tender – sourdough discard and fresh apples give this cake a wonderfully moist, springy crumb.
- Perfectly cozy – Apples, brown sugar, spiced rum and that sweet icing drizzle make this an especially great fall treat.
How to make this cake
Here is a brief overview of how to make this sourdough cake so you know what to expect. For the full set of written directions, including ingredient amounts, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step One: Prepare
Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare an 8″ round cake pan with parchment paper and butter.
Peel and dice the apples.
Step Two: Mix the batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake.
In a separate large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just barely mixed through.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with the diced apples.
Step Three: Bake
Bake the cake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, mix together the icing and drizzle generously on top. Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips:
- Dice the apples fairly small so you get apple in every bite and the pieces cook through while the cake bakes.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Fold the dry ingredients in just until ou don’t see any more streaks of flour to keep the cake soft and tender.
- Use room temperature sourdough discard to ease mixing. Discard that is older will give a more pronounced tang, discard that has been recently fed will be more subtle.
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this recipe, please link to the post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thank you so much for supporting me. XOXO – Jenni
Sourdough Apple Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Prepare a 8” round pan by coating it in butter. Place a parchment paper round in the bottom, and coat that in butter, too.
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Peel and dice the apples.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, spiced rum, and vanilla extract.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just barely combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and top with the diced apples.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan completely.
- When cool, mix together the icing and drizzle over the cake.
