Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This sourdough pumpkin sheet cake is the perfect blend of sweet pumpkin spice and tangy sourdough It’s moist, sweet, and has just the right blend of spices. (And the perfect cream cheese frosting!) It’s one of the best sourdough discard recipes ever.
Sourdough Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups pureed pumpkin 1 (15 ounce) can
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard (unfed is fine)
Frosting
- 10 tablespoons melted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 dash vanilla
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Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place the rack in the middle. Then, coat a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to beat together the canned pumpkin, sugar, and oil until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is fully incorporated and scraping down the bowl as necessary. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Stir in the sourdough starter. Mix in the sourdough starter by hand, making sure it's completely mixed into the batter. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so everything is well combined.
- Bake and cool. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. After 15 minutes, cover the cake with a clean tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
- Make the frosting. Once the cake is completely cooled, prepare the frosting. Blend the melted butter, cream cheese, and vanilla with a mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk to reach the desired consistency.
- Serve. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and serve directly from the pan. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips:
Your sourdough starter doesn’t have to be recently fed. But if it is, mix it to remove the bubbles before measuring it.
Since ovens can differ, check your cake a few minutes before the recommended baking time. Use a toothpick to check the center; it’s ready if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it with a knife for the best texture. Avoid scooping directly from the bag, as this can pack the flour and result in a dense cake.
You can make the cake and frosting ahead of time and assemble them later. Just refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. It will keep well for a day or so.
Be patient! Let the cake cool completely before frosting. The frosting will melt and become runny if it’s even slightly warm.
Key Ingredients and Tools
Here are some key items and why they’re important:
- Sourdough starter discard: This adds a unique tangy flavor and helps keep the cake moist. If you don’t have to discard, you can use an equal amount of plain yogurt instead.
- Pureed pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for the best flavor and texture.
- Jelly roll pan: A 10×15-inch jelly roll pan ensures the cake bakes evenly and is easy to cut into squares for serving.
- Hand mixer: A hand mixer helps quickly and evenly combine the ingredients, ensuring a smooth batter and frosting.
Here are some good ingredient alternatives in this recipe:
- Sourdough starter discard: Use an equal amount of plain yogurt instead.
- Vegetable oil: Melted coconut oil or applesauce are great replacements.
- Pureed pumpkin: Replace with mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash puree.
- Cream cheese: Substitute with a dairy-free cream cheese alternative.
You’ll notice a change in the finished cake with any of these.
I hope you enjoy making this recipe and sharing it with your family and friends. It’s a simple, delicious treat that’s perfect for any occasion.
Whether serving it at a holiday gathering or just as a cozy dessert at home, this cake will surely be a hit.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
I have a trusted recipe for pumpkin bars/cake that I live by. Well, that changed with this recipe. The crumb on this is SUPERB. I did have some batter run over the side of my (not deep enough) pan during the baking process, but the foil on my bottom rack caught it. I cannot say enough how AMAZING this tastes, though! This recipe will be a new staple in our house with all my home processed pumpkin!
Abby thank you so much for letting me know this! i have found that if my starter is at all active i get a little overflow, like you, and sometimes it’s safer to bake it in a 9×13. i’ll add that to the recipe 🙂 and happy to meet a fellow march pumpkin baker… i use pumpkin right up until strawberry season!
I’ve made this cake 3x this fall, and I will die with this being my go to Holiday recipe! Thank you!
This recipe is incredibly good! I left the whole batter to ferment over night and it was the most moist cake I have ever eaten.😍
awesome! i have NEVER fermented this, but now I’m going to try. thanks for letting me know 🙂
I made this cake and followed the idea to ferment overnight. I didn’t add the baking powder and baking soda until the next day before baking. everyone loved it.