Sourdough Apple Streusel Coffee Cake (with discard)
Sourdough Apple Streusel Coffee Cake is incredibly soft and moist, bursting with delicious apple cider flavor and cinnamon-y streusel crumble in every bite. The best part of all is the salted maple glaze to really top off the flavors + the addition of sourdough discard which adds the perfect amount of tang.
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If you’re looking for a cozy, sweet treat to go with your morning cup of tea or coffee, this Sourdough Apple Coffee Cake is the perfect way to use up your extra sourdough discard. Made with juicy apples, sour cream, and a tender cake batter, it’s a delightful blend of tangy sourdough fermentation and warm apple flavor. Whether you’re using Pink Lady, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious apples, this easy dessert (or breakfast) is a great way to enjoy fall’s bounty.
I’m loving all the flavors of fall and adding sourdough discard is such a great way to enjoy them with a healthier twist. Check out my sourdough pumpkin donuts and sourdough pumpkin cookies!
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Apple Coffee Cake
- Perfect Use of Sourdough Discard: This recipe is one of the best ways to use up leftover sourdough starter, so none of that precious discard goes to waste.
- Juicy Apples: With plenty of fresh apple chunks, each bite of cake is filled with sweet, tart apples, making for an irresistible flavor and texture. I like to go heavy on the apples, but that’s just me. You still will get a ton of apple flavor from the cider in the batter!
- Cinnamon Streusel: I am a huge fan of anything streusel. It adds the perfect sweet/salty flavor + softness. This coffee cake has the best texture broken up with layers of delicious streusel.
- Simple and Versatile: This recipe can be adapted based on the apples you have on hand and can be made in a variety of pans, whether you prefer a square baking pan, spring form or bundt pan.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Great for a special occasion or a weekend brunch, this cake is sure to be a hit! It’s very rich and one pan can serve up a crowd.
Tips and Tricks for Sourdough Coffee Cake
- Room Temperature Ingredients: I always recommend making sure your wet ingredients like eggs, butter, and sour cream are at room temperature. This helps the cake batter come together smoothly.
- Apples: Tart apples such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady work best to balance the sweetness of the cake, but feel free to use what you have, including Golden Delicious or Fuji. For this recipe I typically use Granny Smith! I like to chop half the apples into chunks to add moisture and texture variety. I also create slices for the top of the cake as these look more decorative.
- Add Bourbon for depth of flavor: I’ve made a few renditions of this cake but one of my favorites was to sub out half the apple cider with a good quality bourbon! The alcohol bakes out of the cake and leaves a deliciously complimentary flavor to the salty glaze and tangy apples.
- Pan Prep: I like to use a spring form pan for this recipe. It bakes incredibly evenly and comes free from the pan with no fuss. If you want a slightly more decorative look, try a bundt pan but make you grease it VERY well to avoid sticking.
Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Sourdough discard
- AP flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Apple cider
- Cold butter, grated
- 2-4 apples, chopped and sliced
- Maple syrup
- Confectioners sugar
Supplies
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen aide or hand mixer
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Saucepan
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spring form pan, cake pan, square baking pan or bundt pan
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan or bundt pan.
Step 2: Mix the batter
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the sour cream, sourdough discard, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly mix in the apple cider until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Step 3: Make the Streusel
Next, make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the grated butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to mix the butter into the flour until a crumble forms. TIP: Put your butter in the freezer for a few minutes before grating. This helps it to not get as melty while you grate it.
Step 4: Prepare apples
Peel and chop 2-4 apples. I prefer chopping 3 apples and then thinly slicing one for the top of the cake. You can mix the apples into the batter or add them in layers.
Step 5: Pour the Batter and Bake
Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle chopped apples over the batter (if not mixed in), and sprinkle half the crumble over the apples. Spoon the remaining batter over in an even layer. Top the coffee cake with a layer of sliced apples and the rest of the streusel.
Step 6: Bake the Cake
Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. My oven cooks hot so I usually pull it out right around 45 minutes but for some ovens, it may take up to an hour. Let cool 30 minutes and before removing from the springform pan.
Step 7: Make the Glaze and Serve
Heat butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar, apple cider, and salt. Drizzle the glaze over the cake while it is still hot and let set 10 minutes. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature. Keep cake stored, and covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.
This Sourdough Apple Coffee Cake is a great way to use up extra sourdough starter and enjoy a delicious cake filled with the sweet and tart flavors of fresh apples. Whether for a weekend brunch or a special occasion, this sourdough discard apple cake is bound to become one of your favorite ways to bake with sourdough!
For more great recipes like this, don’t forget to check out the recipe card below. Happy baking!
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Sourdough Apple Streusel Coffee Cake (with discard)
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/3 cup sourdough discard
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup apple cider
Streusel
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, grated
- 2 cups chopped baking apples such as granny smith or pink lady
Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider or bourbon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the sour cream, sourdough discard, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly mix in the apple cider until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Next, make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the grated butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to mix the butter into the flour until a crumble forms. TIP: Put your butter in the freezer for a few minutes before grating. This helps it to not get as melty while you grate it.
- Peel and chop 2-4 apples. I prefer chopping 3 apples and then thinly slicing one for the top of the cake. You can mix the apples into the batter or add them in layers.
- Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle chopped apples over the batter (if not mixed in), and sprinkle half the crumble over the apples. Spoon the remaining batter over in an even layer. Top the coffee cake with a layer of sliced apples and the rest of the streusel.
- Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. My oven cooks hot so I usually pull it out right around 45 minutes but for some ovens, it may take up to an hour. Let cool 30 minutes and before removing it from the springform pan.
Salted Maple Glaze
- Heat butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar, apple cider, and salt. Drizzle the glaze over the cake while it is still hot and let set 10 minutes. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature. Keep cake stored, and covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
- I always recommend making sure your wet ingredients like eggs, butter, and sour cream are at room temperature. This helps the cake batter come together smoothly.
- Tart apples such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady work best to balance the sweetness of the cake, but feel free to use what you have, including Golden Delicious or Fuji. For this recipe I typically use Granny Smith! I like to chop half the apples into chunks to add moisture and texture variety. I also create slices for the top of the cake as these look more decorative.
- I’ve made a few renditions of this cake but one of my favorites was to sub out half the apple cider with a good quality bourbon! The alcohol bakes out of the cake and leaves a deliciously complimentary flavor to the salty glaze and tangy apples.
- I like to use a spring-form pan for this recipe. It bakes incredibly evenly and comes free from the pan with no fuss. If you want a slightly more decorative look, try a bundt pan but make you grease it VERY well to avoid sticking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
