A Post about cake. Sourdough cake.

Yes honestly. Cake made with a sourdough starter is fabulous. I made two versions for a fundraising coffee morning today and have been asked to give recipes and starters to three people! (Perhaps I should have asked for a donation for them?)

Debris from what was sourdough cakes (and others)

I really should have taken my photograph before the hungry hoards arrived! However, the cake stand had been filled on both layers with my own lemon cake adaption of the chocolate cake recipe from King Arthur Flour website. You can see the plate of chocolate cake just behind and to the right of the cake stand. The chocolate cake has been declared the ‘best in the world – all of the world’ by my nieces boyfriend and is always popular Chez Hood.

It was only after several batches I decided I was going to have to find an alternative before The Management decided he was bored with it. Truly, I didn’t want to find another recipe as this one is so easy and I have found it pretty much foolproof.So….

If you use the recipe from the link and make the following changes I have made a Lemon cake (declared the best today), and an Apple and Cinnamon version.

Lemon Cake:

• Don’t add the baking cocoa – replace it with flour. Don’t add the espresso powder either.
• Add the grated zest and all the juice from 2 lemons. (Mine were fairly small but gave lots of juice).
• For the icing (I only used 1/2 quantity) leave out the espresso powder and use zest/juice from 1 lemon.

Apple and Cinnamon Cake:

• Don’t add the baking cocoa – replace it with flour. Miss out the espresso option.
• Add 8oz of grated apple (or rough quantity – I used eating rather than cooking apples but either would work), 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 4oz Sultanas if you like them.
• I left the icing plain but you could add cinnamon to it (leaving out the espresso).

I only ever put a half quantity of icing onto the cakes and find that is ample, and I am never patient enough to make the drizzle to go on the top before cutting into the cake!

This cake also freezes beautifully (cut into portions before freezing – you can ‘snap off’ the number of pieces you want to defrost) with the frosting on the top. Please don’t ask how long it lasts – we never have it for long before it is all eaten!

And the fundraiser? We managed to raise just over £200 towards Jess’ target. I’m happy but exhausted.

I think I deserve a cup of tea and a piece of cake.

---