Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This sourdough discard vanilla cake is light, fluffy, and easy to make! Bake it in a 9-inch spring form pan and top it with a decadent vanilla cream cheese frosting. If you’re looking for a simple, sweet cake, this sourdough vanilla cake is right up your alley!

This sourdough discard cake is perfect for you if you’re looking for a birthday cake that is one layer and doesn’t require any wild decorating or if you’re just looking for a good old-fashioned vanilla cake recipe!
I was inspired by a vintage cake recipe I inherited from my great-grandma. It uses egg whites which is ideal for a vanilla cake. The addition of sourdough discard just makes sense because I’m always looking for ways to use it up instead of just throwing it out!
I topped it with a simple vanilla cream cheese frosting, but a chocolate cream cheese frosting would be *amazing* too.
This recipe does call for cake flour, but don’t let not having that stop you! If you have cornstarch and all-purpose flour, you can make a cake flour substitute easily! I detail it down below for you.
*And* if you’re looking for a fun way to use this recipe, it’s the base for the sourdough cake pop recipe I have.
Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe
- It’s simple. We aren’t stacking layers of cake here. If you’re looking for an easy one-layer sourdough cake, this one is it.
- It’s light, fluffy, and sweet. This vanilla cake uses sourdough discard, whole milk, and egg whites to get the classic vanilla cake flavor and look.
- Great for small gatherings. This cake serves about 8 people (16 if we’re cutting skinny slices, but c’mon, let’s not).
Looking for other sourdough discard recipes? Check these out:
- Sourdough Discard Pop Tarts with Strawberry Jam Filling
- Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sourdough Discard Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes

Ingredients to Make This Sourdough Vanilla Cake

- Melted Butter – I use salted butter. You can also use unsalted butter, but add an additional 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients when you combine them.
- Granulated Sugar – This will cream together with the melted butter–it’s perfect for vanilla cakes!
- Egg Whites – Only egg whites are used here. Do not add the egg yolks!
- Vanilla Extract – Because, of course.
- Sourdough Discard – I use my leftover sourdough discard that is unfed and not active. Alternatively, you are free to use your active and bubbly sourdough starter.
- Whole Milk – Use room temperature milk here. If you don’t have whole milk, any other milk will work, but it will change the texture of the cake. Whole milk leads to a cake with richer flavor and a moist crumb. You can also use buttermilk!
- Cake Flour – If you don’t have cake flour (who does?) you can make a substitute easily. For every cup of all-purpose flour you use, remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This recipe calls for 2 cups of cake flour, so you would remove 4 tablespoons of the all-purpose flour, then add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to replace it. Whisk them together and you’ve got cake flour.
- Baking Powder – This helps the cake rise beautifully.
- Salt – This helps balance out the flavor.

For the vanilla cream cheese frosting:
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese blocks are what you’ll want here.
- Butter – I use salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon) to the frosting.
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar – Sifted powdered sugar works best so you’re not stuck with clumps of powdered sugar.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Prepare your ingredients: Measure out all ingredients and ensure your milk and sourdough discard are at room temperature. If you don’t have cake flour, use the substitution: Measure 2 cups of all-purpose flour, remove 4 tablespoons, and replace with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift well. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal. I sprinkle a bit of flour on the parchment paper as well.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until fully incorporated.

Add the egg whites and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is light and slightly frothy.

Alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Pour in half of the milk, mixing gently .Add the remaining dry ingredients, followed by the rest of the milk, stirring just until no dry streaks remain.

Add the sourdough discard: Gently fold in the room temperature sourdough discard, stirring just until incorporated. The batter should be smooth but avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch springform pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake and cool: Bake at 350°F for 38-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then release the springform ring and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar is added, increase to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Frost the cake: Spread an even layer of frosting over the completely cooled cake. If desired, pipe extra frosting around the edges or top with sprinkles for decoration.

Tips for Making This Cake Amazing
- Use room temperature ingredients. Let the eggs, milk, and sourdough discard sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours before baking for the best results.
- Don’t overmix. I prefer whisking cake ingredients by hand over using an electric mixer because I want to control how often I’m mixing the cake batter. This ensures your cake will be soft, moist, and fluffy instead of dense. Mix the ingredients until they are *just* combined.
- Use fresh baking powder. If your baking powder isn’t fresh, your cake will not rise as beautifully. A good rule of thumb is if your baking powder is over 6 months old, it’s time to toss it.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This cake is best enjoyed the day it’s baked, but if you’re looking to save time, you can make it the day ahead.
To make the day ahead: allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. Make the frosting the next day, frost, and serve!

Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups cake flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour minus 4 tbsp, replaced with 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons melted butter salted butter
- 3 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 cup sourdough discard room temperature
For the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup 2 sticks salted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.*If you don't have cake flour use the substitution: Measure 2 cups of all-purpose flour, remove 4 tablespoons, and replace with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift well.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg whites and vanilla extract, whisking until light and frothy.
- Alternate wet and dry ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredients, stir to combine, then mix in half of the milk. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and milk, stirring until just combined.
- Fold in sourdough discard until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 38-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Moist crumbs are just fine, but you don't want any wet batter on the toothpick. Oven time can vary greatly here, so make sure you're keeping an eye on the cake!
- Cool: Let cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then release the springform ring and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting Instructions
- Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes).
- Add vanilla and salt, then gradually mix in sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Beat until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed).
- Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!
This cake is so good and such a great basic, go-to vanilla sourdough cake recipe! If you make it, I’d love to know what you think of it!