Lemon Sourdough Discard Cake
A round lemon cake made with mature sourdough discard, butter, and fresh lemon, finished with a powdered-sugar glaze after cooling.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup sourdough discard Mature healthy discard; starter fed equal flour and water weights
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened Make sure it's softened for easier mixing.
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour Lightly spooned and leveled; gluten-free substitution not validated
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest colored peel only
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the pan
- as needed butter or neutral oil for greasing
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan at least 2 inches deep and line the base with parchment.
- Beat softened butter with granulated sugar until pale and airy. Beat in eggs separately, then mix in stirred discard, vanilla, ¼ cup lemon juice, and the measured zest.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Fold into the wet ingredients only until no dry flour remains.
- Spread batter in the prepared pan and bake approximately 30–40 minutes. The center should be set, and a skewer should show dry crumbs without raw batter.
- Leave in the pan 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack and cool roughly 50 minutes more, extending as needed until fully cold.
- Stir powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice into a smooth glaze. Spread over the cooled cake and let set about 15 minutes before cutting into 8 slices.
Notes
Use mature, healthy discard from a starter fed equal flour and water weights. Added zest is measured at 1 tablespoon. This recipe specifies a 9-inch round pan; the retained illustrative image does not supply an alternative loaf method. Cooling may take longer than estimated. Gluten-free swaps are not validated.