Sourdough Pumpkin Cake {Discard Option}
You’re going to love this moist and flavorful from-scratch pumpkin cake so much. It’s full of warm traditional fall spices and topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting. This cake is an excellent use of your sourdough discard but you can also use a freshly fed starter too.
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This is a great autumn snack cake “just because” or the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving dinner.
It was inspired by my pumpkin spice bundt cake which is SO good that I knew I needed a sourdough version of pumpkin cake too. I’m always looking for new ways to use up all that excess sourdough starter.
(And this cake uses a standard 9×13 baking dish instead of a bundt pan.)
For more sourdough discard pumpkin recipes, try my pumpkin cinnamon rolls , pumpkin pancakes, oatmeal pumpkin cookies, and my mini acorn-shaped chocolate-dipped pumpkin muffins.
(And check out the Thanksgiving section on my blog for more recipes, crafts, DIYs etc. My smoked turkey and old-fashioned fresh apple cake recipes are two popular holiday favorites.)
Sourdough Discard Explained
What is sourdough discard? It is the extra unfed sourdough starter you have kicking around that is leftover from sourdough baking. Every time you feed your sourdough starter there will be some discard. Instead of throwing this stuff away, which is incredibly wasteful, use the unfed discard to make delicious fermented sourdough recipes like these pancakes.
Sourdough adds another layer of taste to your cakes and baked goods, one that can’t be placed exactly, but it’s there in the background — a slight tang, more depth of flavor.
And if you choose the (preferred) overnight version of this recipe, you’re getting a much healthier pumpkin cake too as the long fermentation does two incredibly important things.
Firstly it weakens the gluten, making for a more moist and tender crumb.
Second, fermentation helps to inhibit some of the antinutrients in grains like wheat flour, making them easier to digest.
Yes, you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge in this recipe and most others.
Ingredients
- sourdough starter (or discard)
- butter, melted
- brown sugar, packed
- white sugar
- pumpkin puree
- applesauce
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- pumpkin pie spice
- cinnamon
- sea salt
See the recipe card for quantities.
Cake Instructions
To make it long fermented, the night before you plan to bake: Mix together the sourdough starter and flour. Thin it as needed with whole milk (or water) until all the flour is incorporated. Do this in tablespoon increments so as not to overdo it but don’t panic or overthink it either. It will be a very thick batter. Cover and allow to ferment for 8-12 hours.
To make it instantly, simply skip the overnight step and follow the instructions exactly the same. It will not be necessary to thin out the flour and starter though.
It’s very easy.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and set it aside.
In a large bowl add the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated. (You can also use your stand mixer)
2. Add eggs to the bowl and mix them in well. Unlike my picture here, it is best practice to beat the eggs first.
4. To the bowl then whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice blend, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined.
.
3. Mix this into your sourdough starter/discard bowl you prepared the night before.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool for 60 minutes on a cooling rack before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- cream cheese, room temperature
- unsalted butter, softened
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- pumpkin pie spice
- milk
- walnuts (for topping, optional)
- sea salt
Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
1. In a large bowl add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer until creamy. (You can use a stand mixer too of course.)
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, pumpkin spice, milk, and salt to the bowl. Mix slowly for 20 seconds and then increase to medium to high speed and mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is thick and fluffy while scraping the sides as needed.
3. Frost the top of the cooled cake, and make sure to spread the frosting evenly. A silicone spatula is the best tool for this job.
4. Place the walnuts in a bag and roll with a rolling pin to create a finer consistency. You can also use a mortar and pestle or chop them roughly with a chef’s knife. Sprinkle the walnuts on top.
Hint: Make your own pumpkin pie spice for optimal flavor and freshness and use it for SO many recipes through the season.
Here’s my pumpkin spice recipe:
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon mace
- 1 green cardamom pod
Go put that mortar and pestle to good use.
You can also buy it too of course, Simply Organic Pumpkin Spice is a good option.
(Use the pumpkin spice in recipes like my nutrient-dense and delicious hot spiced milk. It’s how I start each morning and you can change the flavors up according to your mood.)
Storage
Store this cake in the refrigerator for up to five days. Allow it to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Freeze this cake for up to three months wrapped in cling wrap, allow to defrost in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours, then allow it to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
Mini Sourdough Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Recipes
Keto Pumpkin Cookies {Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free}
The BEST Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
I also recommend my popular Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake Recipe which can be found alongside more desserts and recipes (alongside crafts and DIY’s) in the Thanksgiving section on my blog.
Top Tips
- Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie puree which is heavily sweetened and spiced. My favorite brand is Farmer’s Market Foods Canned Organic Pumpkin Puree.
- Yes, you can use your own homemade pumpkin puree by simply roasting a culinary pumpkin variety (so not the Halloween pumpkins at stores) in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then scooping out the flesh.
- Homemade pumpkin spice is honestly so much better than anything you can buy in the stores, and very easy to make.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cake {Discard Option}
Ingredients
- Cake Ingredients:
- 1 cup sourdough starter or discard
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup butter melted plus more for greasing
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crushed walnuts
Instructions
Cake Directions
- To make it long fermented, the night before you plan to bake: Mix together the sourdough starter and flour. Thin it as needed with whole milk (or water) until all the flour is incorporated. Do this in tablespoon increments so as not to overdo it but don't panic or overthink it either. It will be a very thick batter. Cover and allow to ferment for 8-12 hours.
To make it instantly, simply skip the overnight step and follow the instructions exactly the same. It will not be necessary to thin out the flour and starter though.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with 1 teaspoon of butter and set aside.
- In a large bowl add the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated. (You can also use your stand mixer)
- Add eggs to the bowl and mix them in well. It is best practice to beat the eggs first.
- Mix this into your sourdough starter/discard bowl you prepared the night before.
- To the bowl then whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice blend, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 60 minutes on a cooling rack before frosting.
Frosting Directions
- In a large bowl add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer until creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and salt to the bowl. Mix slowly for 20 seconds and then increase to medium to high speed and mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is thick and fluffy while scraping the sides as needed.
- Frost the top of the cake, while spreading evenly.
- Place the walnuts in a ziplock bag and roll with a rolling pin to create a finer consistency. Sprinkle the walnuts on top.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
-
- If you would like more spice you can add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon more cinnamon or pumpkin spice.
- Heavy cream can be used in the place of milk.
- Store this cake in the refrigerator for up to five days. Allow it to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Freeze this cake for up to three months wrapped in cling wrap, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours, then allow it to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie puree which is heavily sweetened and spiced.
