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Sourdough Cherry Coffee Cake

5 from 1 vote
This sourdough discard coffee cake is soft, gently tangy, and full of juicy cherries. Made with Greek yogurt and topped with cinnamon crumb, it’s a lighter, German-inspired twist on classic coffee cake — perfect for summer baking, brunch, or cozy coffee breaks.
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A square of sourdough discard cherry coffee cake on a small white plate, in front of a white baking pan with a dark blue rim.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 10 minutes
Servings:16
Calories:376kcal
Equipment
Ingredients

Crumb Mix

  • 130 g all-purpose flour - 1 cup (plain flour*)
  • 130 g brown sugar - ⅔ cup
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 110 g melted butter - ½ cup
  • ⅛ tsp salt

Coffee Cake

  • 170 g butter, at room temperature - ¾ cup
  • 175 g sugar - ¾ cup + 2 tbsp
  • 2 tsp vanilla sugar - (or sub vanilla extract)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 180 g sourdough discard - ¾ cup
  • 150 g Greek yogurt (10%) - ⅔ cup (can use sour cream/crème fraîche for more indulgence)
  • 210 ml milk - ¾ cup + 2 tbsp (can use half-and-half or cream)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 390 g all-purpose flour - 3 cups
  • ~350 g cherries, pitted - 2-2½ cups
  • 1 tsp flour (for coating the cherries)
Instructions

Prepare Crumb Topping and Cherries

  • In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the cinnamon crumb topping. Rub together with your fingers. Sort, rinse and drain fresh cherries. Pit cherries and set aside.

Prepare Sourdough Batter

  • Combine flour, salt and baking powder, and mix well. Set aside.
  • Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, sourdough discard, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and milk, and mix until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed, just until combined. Don’t overmix the batter.

Ferment Batter (Optional)

  • If you want to long ferment the cake batter, cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge overnight or up to 12 hours.

Assemble the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Generously butter a (deep) 9×13 inch baking pan. Toss the cherries with a teaspoon of flour.
  • Spoon half the batter into the baking dish, and top with the floured cherries. Sprinkle over a third of the cinnamon crumb topping evenly.
  • Spread the remaining cake batter on top evenly and sprinkle with the rest of the crumb topping.

Bake

  • Bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
* Standard American all-purpose flour is more absorbent than European plain or all-purpose flour. If the batter seems too thick, add one to two additional teaspoons of milk to reach the right consistency.
  • Don’t overmix the batter. A few, small lumps are better than risking a tough cake from overmixing.
  • If your baking pan is shallow, stick to 2 cups of pitted cherries. If your pan is deeper, you can safely add 2½ cups of pitted cherries.
  • Store in an airtight container for 2-4 days at room temperature. Coffee cake can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, but the crumb will firm up a little.
  • Leftovers can be frozen, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to three months. Let the cake thaw overnight. Reheat in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Author: Sarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen
Calories: 376kcal
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it turned out!