Sourdough Discard Vanilla Pound Cake
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This soft and buttery sourdough discard vanilla pound cake has a tender crumb, rich vanilla flavor, and just the slightest tang from sourdough discard. It is simple to make, incredibly moist thanks to Greek yogurt, and perfect for serving with coffee, fresh berries, or a drizzle of vanilla glaze.
This sourdough discard vanilla pound cake is a lovely way to use up extra sourdough starter! It is a variation of my super popular sourdough lemon pound cake that got millions of views across my Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
I’ve found that so many of you really love those simple recipes, so I wanted to bring it back to basics with my classic sourdough pound cake recipe.
You can enjoy this recipe on its own, or add the vanilla glaze (recipe below), add whipped cream and berries, *or* use it to make a trifle! It’s the perfect cake for trifles because it holds up really well and soaks up the fruit juices beautifully.
This recipe is a unique one in that it doesn’t use as many eggs or butter, but includes one cup of full-fat Greek yogurt, which adds a ton of moisture and makes the cake so very tender.
More Sourdough Desserts!
- sourdough lemon blueberry fritters
- sourdough peach crumble focaccia
- sourdough strawberry cheesecake sweet rolls
- brown butter sourdough cornbread cookies
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract. Add the sourdough discard and Greek yogurt and mix until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no flour remains.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Slice a line through the middle of the loaf with a butter knife.
This helps guide where the cake should crack while it bakes (pound cake notoriously does this, so it’s best to guide it yourself rather than let it go rogue!).
Helpful Tips for the BEST Sourdough Pound Cake
Use room temperature ingredients. Softened butter, room temperature eggs, and Greek yogurt blend together more easily and create a smoother batter and more even crumb.
Don’t rush the creaming step. Beating the butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes incorporates air into the batter, giving the pound cake its signature light yet buttery texture.
Mix the flour in gently. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix only until combined to avoid developing too much gluten, which can make the cake dense or tough.
Measure the flour carefully. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale or spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag.
Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing. A warm cake will cause the glaze to melt and run off instead of setting into a beautiful finish.
Equipment Used
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls (1 medium, 1 large)
- Whisk
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale)
- Wire cooling rack
- Small bowl (for optional glaze)
- Whisk or fork (for glaze)
Storage
Room Temperature: Store the cooled pound cake in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Keep in a cool, dry place.
Refrigerator: For longer freshness, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Glazed Cake Note: If freezing, it’s best to freeze the cake unglazed and add the vanilla glaze after thawing for the best appearance and texture.
Sourdough Discard Vanilla Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Pound Cake
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 8 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt 2 g
- ½ cup salted butter 8 tablespoons, softened to room temperature (113 g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 mL
- ½ cup sourdough starter or sourdough discard 120 g
- 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt room temperature (240 g)
Optional Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar 120 g
- 2-3 tablespoons milk 30–45 mL
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2.5 mL
Instructions
Prepare the Pan and Oven
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to make removal easier.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and noticeably paler in color. This step creates the fine, tender crumb that makes pound cake so delicious, so don’t rush it.
Add the Eggs and Vanilla
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Add the Remaining Wet Ingredients
- Add the sourdough discard and Greek yogurt and mix until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage, which is completely normal.
Add the Dry Ingredients
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed (or by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula–this is what I prefer) just until no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cake dense.
Bake
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tip: use a butter knife to split a line down the middle of the cake batter. Pound cake tends to split down the middle as it bakes, so you may as well help guide it, or else it could make its own decisions on how it would like to split the cake. 😉
- Bake for 52–58 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- If the top begins browning too quickly near the end of baking, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil.
Cool
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before lifting it out using the parchment paper overhang.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely before glazing or slicing.
Optional Vanilla Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- For a thicker glaze, use 2 tablespoons of milk. For a thinner, more pourable glaze, use 3 tablespoons.
- Drizzle over the cooled pound cake and allow the glaze to set for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
This homemade sourdough discard vanilla pound cake recipe is **so** delicious! It’s lovely with whipped cream and berries or to use as part of a berry trifle. Let me know what you think if you make it!