The Best Spiced Apple Sourdough Cake
‘Tis the season for spiced apple everything! This spiced apple sourdough cake recipe is the absolute best, with the addition of spiced apples elevating it to a cozy fall delight. Made with only simple ingredients, including fresh, in-season apples and your trusty sourdough starter, this cake is not only easy to prepare but also bursting with flavour. Perfect for gatherings or enjoying with a warm cup of tea, this cake is sure to become a favourite as the leaves change and the air turns crisp!
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I’m not the best cake maker, so this easy sourdough cake recipe is always my go-to treat for gatherings or a delightful tea cake at home. It’s wonderfully moist and delicious, packed with deep, spiced flavours that make it a crowd-pleaser. Whether served as a dessert or enjoyed with afternoon tea, this cake is simple to make and always leaves everyone wanting more!
What kind of apples are best to use for this spiced apple sourdough cake?
I’m not an apple connoisseur but as a rule of thumb, I’d say the crispier the apple, the better it is for baking.
Using a softer apple will probably work in a pinch, it just may turn out a bit mushy.
Best Apples For Baking
Granny Smith: Tart and crisp, holds its shape well during baking, and excellent for pies, crisps, and tarts.
Braeburn: Sweet-tart with a complex flavour profile, firm and holds up well when baked and great for pies.
Jonagold: Sweet with a hint of tartness, firm and juicy, ideal for pies, cobblers, and other desserts.
Honeycrisp: Sweet with a slight tartness, very crisp and juicy, good for baking and eating fresh, although they can be quite juicy.
Northern Spy: Rich and tart, firm and holds shape well, excellent for pies and baking, especially in combination with sweeter apples.
Cortland: Sweet-tart, stays firm and resists browning, great for pies and sauces.
Using Whole Grain Flour
In this recipe, whole grain flour is a must! It adds a deep flavour and the bran aids in moisture retention. I stick with whole grains like hard red wheat, hard white wheat, or spelt.
I’d avoid rye, einkorn and kamut for this recipe as they have very different properties and may result in a very different end product. But if you want to experiment, by all means! It will probably still be delicious.
Benefits of Whole Grain Flour
Whole grain flour adds a deep nuttiness to your baked goods and has a number of health benefits. It is rich in vitamins and minerals which are usually lost in commercially processed grains.
As stated in the name, whole grain flour contains the whole grain including the bran, germ, and endosperm. These parts of the grain provide fibre and enzymes that contribute to a robust microbiome and aid digestion.
Sourcing whole grain flour from a mill also means you’re typically getting a product that is free of preservatives or additives, offering a more wholesome ingredient for your recipes. Not to mention, working with whole grains is fun! Each grain offers a different flavour profile, making a whole new product with each grain you experiment with.
Where To Find Whole Grain Flour
If you’re living in a city, you can mostly likely find a bakery or fancy grocery store that sells fresh-milled whole-grain flour. If you’re living in the country and you can source whole-grains, you may want to consider milling your own flour.
You can start without making a large investment by using a powerful coffee grinder or blender that you already own. A step up would be purchasing a KitchenAid grain mill attachment. If you’re really enjoying working with fresh-milled whole-grains and you have a reliable source of grain, you can also consider a Harvest NutriMill which is the one I use and love both for its beauty and practicality.
When you feel ready to invest in a NutriMill, use my discount code BRONSBREAD20 at checkout to get $20 off.
What Is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough “discard” refers to the excess sourdough starter that isn’t at its prime for leavening bread but still holds excellent fermentation capabilities. While it may not be suitable for raising bread, this discard can still ferment and enhance other baked goods. This is why there are so many sourdough discard recipes available online, allowing you to make use of this valuable byproduct.
You can use sourdough discard to make sourdough rhubarb walnut muffins, sourdough einkorn chocolate chip cookies, sourdough honey sweetened banana bread, sourdough rye brownies, rye discard crackers, and even sourdough tortilla shells! The possibilities are literally endless.
You can used active sourdough starter for sourdough discard recipes too. The sourdough starter isn’t the primary leavening agent for “discard” recipes so it doesn’t matter what state its in, really.
Benefits of Long Fermentation
Fermenting grains may seem like an unnecessary step, especially when you need to get a dessert whipped up for an event. However, doing so offers a number of health benefits and is the traditional way grains were prepared for optimizing their nourishment potential.
Fermentation breaks down anti-nutrients like phytic acid, which can inhibit the absorption of essential minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium. This process makes these nutrients more bioavailable. When you skip the fermentation step, phytic acid can bind to minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. This reduces the bioavailability of these essential nutrients and can potentially lead to deficiencies, especially in diets that rely heavily on grains and legumes.
The fermentation process also essentially pre-digests grains, breaking down complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into simpler compounds. This can make fermented grains easier to digest and reduce the likelihood of bloating and indigestion. And for those sensitive to gluten, fermentation can partially break down gluten proteins, potentially making fermented grains more tolerable.
Not to mention, fermentation can improve the taste and texture of grains, making them more enjoyable to eat. The natural sourness from lactic acid bacteria can add a pleasant tang to fermented flour products. Overall, fermenting flour is the way to go, in my opinion. The health benefits and flavour boost the process offers outweighs the convenience of skipping long fermentation.
What You’ll Need To Make Spiced Apple Sourdough Cake
Materials
- Medium-size Mixing Bowl: For mixing your batter.
- Whisk (or a mixer with a whisk attachment): For whipping the wet ingredients.
- Kitchen Scale or Measuring Cups: For weighing ingredients, I prefer a scale. But some beautiful measuring cups and spoons would also suffice.
- Silicone Spatula: For folding the dry ingredients into the wet and spreading out the batter in the dish. Silicone spatulas are priceless in the kitchen.
- 9″ Pie Dish: For baking your cake in. I just like simple and versatile pyrex dishes, no fluff.
Ingredients
Whole Grain Flour: For the nuttiness and fibre. You can experiment with any whole grain you like, the amount is small enough that it won’t change the texture too much. Whole wheat is just fine.
White Flour: All purpose or cake flour for the sweetness and fluffy texture.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and clove: For the spiced apple spices!
Salt: To bring everything together.
Baking Powder: To help with the rise.
Butter: Butter makes everything better.
Sugar: Cane sugar, white sugar or brown sugar. You can experiment with less refined sugars like demerara or sucanat but the end result may be different.
Egg: A good ol’ large chicken egg. To help bind the batter and rise.
Sourdough Discard: Discard or active starter is fine. For the fermenting magic, tangy flavour, and hydration.
Yogurt: Preferably unflavoured but you could use vanilla yogurt and omit the vanilla extract. Yogurt adds some extra moisture and sweet tang.
Vanilla Extract: An essential ingredient to most baked goods.
Apples: I didn’t peel my apples but you can if you prefer.
How to make the best spiced apple sourdough cake
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, sourdough discard, yogurt, and vanilla extract until everything is well incorporated.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the white flour, whole grain flour, apple spices, salt, and baking powder, ensuring there are no clumps remaining in the batter.
Fermentation Option: At this point, you can either let the batter ferment in the fridge overnight (8+ hours) for enhanced flavour and digestive benefits or proceed directly to baking.
Preheat Oven: When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Prepare the Baking Dish: Grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter or lard and lightly flour it to create a non-stick surface.
Pour and Spread Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared dish, spreading it evenly. Be patient, as the batter will be thick.
Top with Sliced Apple (optional): To make it look pretty, you can slice some apples and arrange them pretty and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Bake: Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Enjoy: Enjoy your delicious spiced apple sourdough cake!
Notes
You can pre-sift the dry ingredients before adding to the wet. This ensures there are no clumps. I skip that step sometimes because I’m a dare devil.
The Best Spiced Apple Sourdough Cake
Equipment
- Medium-size Mixing Bowl
- Whisk (or a mixer with a whisk attachment)
- Kitchen Scale or Measuring Cups
- Silicone spatula
- 9″ Pie Dish
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Butter soft 85g
- 1 Cup Sugar 200g
- 1 Egg
- 1 Cup Sourdough Discard 200g
- 1/4 Cup Yogurt 55g
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla 10g
- 3/4 Cup White Flour 100g
- 1/3 Cup Whole Grain Flour 50g
- 1½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Ginger
- 1/4 tsp Allspice
- 1/4 tsp Ground clove
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Apple diced
- 1 Apple thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg, sourdough discard, yogurt, and vanilla extract until everything is well incorporated.
- Gradually add the white flour, whole grain flour, apple spices, salt, and baking powder, ensuring there are no clumps remaining in the batter.
- Fermentation Option: At this point, you can either let the batter ferment in the fridge overnight (8+ hours) for enhanced flavour and digestive benefits or proceed directly to baking.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter or lard and lightly flour it to create a non-stick surface.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish, spreading it evenly. Be patient, as the batter will be thick.
- Top with Sliced Apple (optional): To make it look pretty, you can slice some apples and arrange them pretty and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
- Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Enjoy your delicious spiced apple sourdough cake!
Storage
Best eaten warm, fresh and aromatic. But can stay yummy on the counter covered with a cloth for a couple days.
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