sourdough pumpkin cake

I have gotten asked if I could make a cake with sourdough.  And I have been craving cake.  But not cake with frosting but what I call an everyday cake.  Where it is a little bit sweet, may be toasted, goes well with tea.  Why not?  

I had some "extra" sourdough starter.  Actually, I took a cup from a pizza dough I was preparing.  I used it in the cake.  It meant I did not need to use baking powder, which I can not stand the taste of!  It also means, depending on the consistency of the starter, I do not need to add any extra milk.  Also, I could use water instead of milk here if I wished too.

By the way, this is one of my current favorite breakfasts.  The cake gets toasted, some butter is smeared, life is good.  It is not as bad for you as you might think.  Olive oil is used instead of butter.  I used white whole wheat flour.  I am getting requested for cake about once a week currently.  It is a good thing I walk over 7 miles most days.

sourdough pumpkin cake

1 cup sourdough

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 14 ounce can of pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

(1/2 cup milk or water)

2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (you can use all purpose here)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspong ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter and flour a loaf pan.  I bought the Vardagen loaf pan from Ikea.  Is is 5.25 inches by 3 inches by 12.75 inches.  It holds 1.9 quarts and works perfectly.

In a large bowl, put the starter.  If the starter is a 100% starter by volume, you will not need to add any extra liquid to the batter.  If the starter is a 100% starter by weight, you will need to add a 1/2 cup of either water or milk later in the process.

Mix in the olive oil and sugar.  It might be a difficult mix depending on the consistency of your starter.  Mix in the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and if you are using a 100% starter by weight, either the water or milk.  Mix well.

Sift in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  I usually have some bran from the flour that needs to be dumped into the compost.  Add the salt.  

Mix well.

Pour into the loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.  It will depend on the consistency of the starting batter.  I start checking at 1 hour with a knife to the base of the cake.  When the knife comes out clean, let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, if not 30.  I always have someone who cannot wait.  If you do not let this cake cool in the pan, it will collapse from its own weight.  Still very edible but there is usually a bit that gets very dense.  Obviously, I did this.  It was a very wonky cake.

An everyday pumpkin cake.  I have not tired of this one yet.  I have a chocolate version as well but so far, this is the one that gets requested the most.