Sourdough Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze is a perfect snack cake. The tangy-sweet buttermilk glaze forms an ultra-thin coating. A little sourdough discard transforms an ordinary cake into an extraordinary treat.

If you don’t have one, you can learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then I can show you how to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter or How to Keep a Small Sourdough Starter.
How to use sourdough discard to make a great Bundt cake:
- To ensure that the cake doesn’t stick, thoroughly butter and flour the pan. I find that works better than pan spray to prevent sticking.
- A ripe unfed starter adds more tangy flavor to the cake. A recently fed starter gives a more mild flavor. I generally use mine after about 1 week without being fed (kept in the refrigerator).
- The discard should be at room temperature just like all the other ingredients.
- Once you add the egg mixture, stir just until combined. Over stirring will develop gluten and toughen the cake.
- Glaze the cake when it is slightly warm. The glaze will melt a little and then set to a smooth finish. If the cake is too hot the glaze will melt. If the cake is completely cool the glaze does not adhere as well.
- Wait for the glaze to set before moving the cake to a serving platter.
- The cake keeps for several days at room temperature.
- Individual slices can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.
Scroll through the process photos to see how to make a Bundt Cake enhanced with sourdough discard:



Since you’ve got your starter fed, peruse the entire list of My Best Sourdough Recipes. Have fun!
I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, you can make this Buttermilk Bundt Cake. You might also like Strawberries & Cream Bundt Cake.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

Sourdough Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
Sourdough Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze is a perfect snack cake. The tangy-sweet buttermilk glaze forms an ultra-thin coating over the melt-in-your-mouth cake.
Ingredients
Sourdough Cake
- 2 large eggs plus 2 yolks, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sourdough discard (100% hydration), room temperature
- 2 cups (9 oz, 252g) cake flour
- 1 1/3 cups (11 oz, 308g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz, 168g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1" chunks
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) buttermilk , room temperature
Buttermilk Glaze
- 2 cups (8 oz, 224g) confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup (2 oz, 60ml) buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.
Make the batter
- Whisk together the eggs, yolks, vanilla and the discard, set aside.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixer bowl. Mix on low speed to combine the dry ingredients. With the mixer running, toss the chunks of butter into the flour mixture.
- Add the buttermilk and increase the speed to medium. Mix on medium high for 2 minutes to aerate the batter. Scrape the bowl and beater.
- Add the egg mixture in 3 batches, scraping the bowl between each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack set over a clean sheet pan. Cool until slightly warm before glazing.
Make the Glaze
- Combine the sugar, vanilla and buttermilk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the glaze over the still slightly warm cake. You can scoop up the glaze from the sheet pan and use it to fill in any gaps in the glaze or leave it with the drips.
- Cool completely and allow the glaze to set. Transfer to a serving plate.
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Liz Austin
Tuesday 16th of February 2021
Can I use Greek yogurt in place of buttermilk?
Eileen Gray
Tuesday 16th of February 2021
Yes, but I suggest you thin the yogurt with water to the consistency of buttermilk.
Aimee Martin
Saturday 16th of January 2021
Can this be made with AP flour instead of cake flour?
Eileen Gray
Saturday 16th of January 2021
For each cup of cake flour you can use 3/4 cup ap flour plus 2 tablespoons of corn starch.
julieann penaskovic
Sunday 10th of January 2021
This was absolutely delicious! I have never made a cake before but I have been looking for discard recipes and this was perfect!
Kirsten
Monday 9th of November 2020
Thanks for an outstanding recipe - I bake a lot and I was really impressed by how easy it was while delivering such a great result. It keeps fresh really well too - I made it the day before serving at a dinner party (with poached pears and ice cream) and stored it in an airtight container. Delicious flavour and moist texture. I'll be making this often.
Liz
Wednesday 8th of July 2020
I love this recipe - I've made it twice now and it comes out perfect. Everyone loves it - delicious!
Eileen Gray
Wednesday 8th of July 2020
Thanks. I love it too.