Go Back
–+ servings
sourdough apple cake

Sourdough Apple Cake Recipe

By McKenna Pulda
Yield: 8 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Sourdough apple cake brings tender, moist crumb, sweet-tart apples, and a hint of rum. Perfect for cozy breakfasts, brunch, or dessert.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound apples, like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp about 3 medium apples
  • 210 grams all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups
  • 8 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
  • 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
  • 226 grams unsalted butter 1 cup
  • 200 grams sugar 1 cup
  • 3 egg yolks about 75 grams
  • 60 grams rum *see substitutions below 4 Tablespoons
  • 120 grams sourdough discard 1/2 cup
  • 8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
  • 40 grams sugar, for topping 3 Tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and line a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Set aside. You can also use a 9-inch cake pan.
  2. Peel and slice the apples into 3/8th inch cubes. Place them in a separate bowl and set aside.
    1 pound apples, like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside as well.
    210 grams all-purpose flour, 8 grams baking powder, 3 grams salt
  4. In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides to ensure that everything is incorporated.
    226 grams unsalted butter, 200 grams sugar
  5. While still mixing on medium speed, add one egg yolk at a time. Scrape the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated as well. The butter mixture should be pale yellow in color.
    3 egg yolks
  6. Add the rum, sourdough discard, and vanilla to the egg mixture and mix on low. If the batter looks curdled, this is okay.
    60 grams rum *see substitutions below, 120 grams sourdough discard, 8 grams vanilla extract
  7. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour into the batter. When there are just a few streaks of flour left, pour in the apple pieces and continue to fold into the batter until all of the flour and apples have been incorporated. The batter will be thick.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it to be an even layer. Finally sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the batter.
    To long-ferment: Cover the batter and place in the fridge overnight. Just before baking, sprinkle the top of the batter with the sugar. Bake as normal.
    40 grams sugar, for topping
  9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the internal temperature is 205 degrees F or a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
    If you substitute the rum for water, apple juice or milk, beginning checking the cake for doneness around 35 minutes. Continue to check every 5 minutes after until fully baked.
  10. Let the cake come to room temperature. Then just before serving, dust powdered sugar on top. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Notes

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. 
  • Butter: If you substitute unsalted butter with salted butter, cut 1 gram (¼ teaspoon) from the cake batter. 
  • Apples: I used tart Granny Smith apples. These and Honeycrisp apples are my favorite apples for this sourdough cake. They're just a bit tart, perfectly balanced by the sugar and stay tender without turning mushy. You could also go for apples like Pink Lady, Gala, or even do a combination of your favorites.
  • Rum:  Since there aren’t any spices in this cake, the rum is what brings that extra warmth and depth of flavor. Don’t worry, the alcohol bakes off, but it leaves behind a sweet, almost spiced taste that pairs so well with the apples. If you’d rather skip the rum, you can use apple juice, milk, or even water. The cake may bake a little faster, so start checking on it early.
  • Sourdough Discard: Fresh, room-temperature discard that’s about 1–2 days old works best for this cake because it keeps the flavor mild and the crumb soft. Discard that’s been sitting in the fridge tastes tangier since the acids keep building up even when the yeast slows down, so the flavor comes through sharper. You can use an active sourdough starter in the exact same amount, but it won’t affect the rise, which is what the baking powder is for.

Tips for Success

  • You can also bake this cake in a cake pan. Use a wire rack to help flip the cake out of the cake pan, then again to place onto your serving dish.
  • Keep the apple pieces as similar as possible. This will ensure that all of the apples are tender, rather than crunchy or mushy.
  • If you bake with apple juice, water or milk, check for doneness around 35 minutes. Continue to check every 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 259mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 834IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!