Sourdough Coffee Cake

Written by
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin learned to cook German food while living in Germany for 11 years and has worked in the food industry for many years.
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Jennifer McGavin
Updated 02/25/21
Sourdough Coffee Cake

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Cake needs to rise 1/2 hour: 30 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
240 Calories
9g Fat
38g Carbs
3g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 582mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Protein 3g
Calcium 68mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If you do not have time to bake sourdough every week but have to feed your starter with flour, you might enjoy a recipe that takes only a short rise and is popped right into the oven. Recipes using sourdough starter can be augmented with baking powder, baking soda, or yeast for a little extra rise and to save time.

This streusel covered, sourdough coffee cake is delicious with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

  • Streusel Topping:
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • Cake:
  • 1 cup sourdough starter (fed, see note)
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/3 cup strongly brewed coffee
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (ground)

Steps to Make It

Note: The sourdough starter should be as thick as thick pancake batter, or about 50% flour, 50% water. We usually remove half the starter and feed both halves with equal amounts of flour and water, by weight, then wait for it to bubble up (about 4 hours) then put one jar back in the refrigerator for another week. The extra sourdough starter can be given to a friend or used in a recipe like this one.

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sourdough Coffee Cake ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Mix the streusel topping first by combining flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.

    Mix the streusel topping first by combining flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Then, add the butter and rub the cold butter in with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly and sticks together if you press it between your fingers. You may use a mixer if you wish. Set crumbs aside.

    add butter to the flour mixture

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. To make the cake, place the sourdough starter in a bowl.

    place the sourdough starter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined.

    Add the rest of the ingredients to the starter and stir until combined

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured, 8- or 9-inch square pan or an 8-inch, round, layer cake pan.

    Pour the batter into a buttered and floured pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Smooth top and sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the batter.

    Smooth top and sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the batter

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Preheat oven to 375 F. Let the cake rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place.

    Let the cake rise in a warm place

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until cake is set and the sides begin to pull away from the pan.

    Sourdough Coffee Cake in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack