Sourdough Apple Cake

5 from 8 votes

A moist apple cake with fall spices and shredded apple, topped with an apple cider cream cheese frosting. A delicious way to use your discard sourdough starter.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

cooling time1

Total Time2 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cake with sourdough starter, sourdough apple cake recipe, sourdough cake recipe

Servings: slices

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Katie

Ingredients

For the cake

½ cup butter unsalted
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup boiled cider
2½ cups flour
1 tablespoon powdered ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 medium apples grated
1 cup sourdough starter discard/ unfed state

For the frosting

4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
6 tablespoons butter melted
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon boiled cider
pinch salt

Instructions

Make the cake

Preheat the oven to 350° with a rack in center. Prepare a 13 x 9 pan with non-stick baking spray.
Beat the butter, oil, sugar, and eggs together with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes in a large mixing bowl, until fluffy and lightened in color. Add the molasses and boiled cider and mix.
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) in a separate large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir by hand or with the mixer on low until just combined. Don't overmix.
Add the grated apple and sourdough starter to the batter and mix by hand until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs. Place pan on cooling rack and allow the cake to cool to room temperature in the pan, for at least an hour.

Make the frosting

Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and whip until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add a pinch of salt and the boiled cider and mix thoroughly.
Frost the cake once cool and serve directly out of the pan. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes

This cake can also be baked as 2 (8 inch) rounds. Or try cutting the recipe in half and baking in a standard sized loaf pan.

The recipes makes just enough icing for the cake. If you prefer a more generous amount, multiply by 1.5.

Nutrition