Sourdough Discard Mug Cake [quick sourdough recipe] (2024)

FAQs

Can you add sourdough discard to cake mix? ›

The sourdough starter discard doesn't bring any sourness to this classic cake, but I like including it because the mixture results in a tenderer crumb thanks to the well-fermented flour.

Remember, you can't use the discard from your homemade sourdough starter for the first 7 days. You can use sourdough discard in all kinds of sourdough discard recipes, including these no wait sourdough recipes, overnight sourdough discard recipes and sourdough discard recipes that use up a lot of discard.

Can I use sourdough discard to make a new sourdough starter? Absolutely! You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.

Microwave. Using your microwave to keep your sourdough starter warm is really easy. Most of the time, you can just pop your sourdough starter jar in the microwave and then leave the door ajar to keep the light on. This should generate enough warmth to maintain an active sourdough starter.

Layering ingredients instead of mixing them might look silly and feel counter-productive, but it's the trick to ensuring a crusty, crumbly, buttery top, and a gooey interior. For example, when a recipe calls for sprinkling the dry cake mix over the wet filling, do not mix it.

More Moisture: Adding discard to recipes adds extra moisture to the baked good. This can make for delicious muffins, pancakes, waffles and more! Flavor: Discard has gone through the fermentation cycle and typically has a more sour flavor from the bacteria.

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

When you are ready to bake, remove the discard from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. I recommend keeping sourdough discard for up to one week. If needed, mark the date on the container in your refrigerator. After one week, there is a higher chance of the discard growing bad bacteria or mold.

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this? If you are using it straight from the fridge it may be a little stiff or thick, so you'll need to ensure you mix it really well.

You can reduce the sour flavor by feeding your discard some fresh flour and water. At that point, it's more of an active starter than discard. Your recipe will not only taste less sour but also rise a bit more than usual with the extra yeast in it.

What is the difference between sourdough discard and sourdough starter? ›

I would say the best way to differentiate between discard and active starter is that active starter is starter that has doubled and peaked whereas discard is any starter that is not the main starter and is not being used in an active sourdough recipe as a leavening agent.

You don't have to waste flour on a daily basis if you want to maintain a sourdough starter. By adjusting how much you feed your starter and by choosing discard recipes, you don't have to discard your sourdough starter daily.

Note, the die-off occurs when the actual starter temperature reaches 130F/54C (not the ambient temperature). For example, if you are storing your starter in your oven with the light on and you accidentally turn on your oven to 500F/260C, the starter will not reach that temperature for some time.

Too Hot and Too Cold

Sourdough performs really well anywhere from 74-86 degrees F (optimal 76-80). The goal is to stay within that range for as much time as possible.

Long term lack of feeding at room temperature can absolutely ruin your starter. Contamination: The yeast and bacteria in your sourdough starter are willing and capable of keeping some contamination at bay.

The short answer is yes you can, however the problem with using a boxed mix is you don't really know how much mix to take out - since the flour, sugar etc is all mixed together. In this case, I would add a small amount of sourdough discard (up to 75g) without removing anything from the recipe.

Sourdough discard works well in many baked goods that don't require lively yeast—flat foods like crackers, tortillas and pancakes. Or you can use it to flavor recipes that rely on leavening from other sources, such as active dry yeast, baking soda and baking powder.

You can utilize a cold starter in any sourdough discard recipe. These recipes don't require a sourdough starter for leavening, so you can use your starter directly from the fridge. These recipes offer a fantastic solution for using excess sourdough.

Baking with sourdough discard also adds a great slightly sour flavor and additional lift to your baked goods. When you are baking with sourdough discard, it should always be at room temperature (to help the dough rise), and unfed (i.e. this is the discard, not the fed part of your starter).