Sourdough Gingerbread Coffee Cake
This sourdough gingerbread coffee cake is fluffy, buttery, and warmly spiced. It combines classic coffee cake and spiced gingerbread into a same day holiday sourdough treat.
Ingredients
Sourdough Gingerbread Cake Batter
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick, softened
- 1½ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup sourdough discard or active starter
- ¾ cup molasses do not use blackstrap molasses, use light or dark molasses
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Spiced Sugar Filling & Topping
- 1½ cup brown sugar
- 5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 Tablespoons butter melted
Maple Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ Tablespoon milk or cream
Instructions
Spiced Sugar Filling & Topping
- Stir the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and ground ginger together in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Set aside while you make the batter.
Sourdough Gingerbread Cake Batter
- Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃). Grease or line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl cream together sugar and softened butter. Add vanilla extract, eggs, sourdough discard (or active starter), and molasses. Mix to combine. Add the milk and mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking powder. Mix to combine well. Add the flour ½ cup at a time and mix.
- Pour half of the gingerbread cake batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer half of the spiced sugar filling all over the pan and pour the remaining batter on top. Crumble the remaining spiced sugar mixture on top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375℉ (190℃) until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan before adding glaze and slicing.
Maple Glaze
- When the sourdough gingerbread coffee cake has cooled, make the glaze by mixing up powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk (or cream). Drizzle over cooled cake and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use blackstrap molasses for this recipe or your coffee cake will be bitter. Use light or dark molasses for baking. Grandma's Original Unsulphered Molasses is a good brand to use.
- Make sure you generously grease your baking pan or line it with parchment paper. This recipe has a lot of sugar that can caramelize and stick to the pan.
- Watch the coffee cake carefully as it nears the end of baking so the edges don't burn. Use a toothpick inserted into the center to check doneness. If it needs a few more minutes, only extend baking time 3-4 minutes at a time.