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If you love cinnamon, cozy flavors, and baking with sourdough discard, this sourdough snickerdoodle sheet cake is going to be a new favorite. It’s soft, warmly spiced, and super simple to make! The brown butter cream cheese frosting is creamy, rich, and brings everything together.

Whether you’re baking for a gathering or just want a cozy treat with your coffee, this sheet cake delivers big flavor with minimal fuss.

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Why You’ll Love This Cake

• Full of warm cinnamon-sugar flavor like classic snickerdoodle cookies.

• Easy to make — no layering or special tools required.

• That brown butter cream cheese frosting is irresistible.

More Sourdough Dessert Recipes

• Moist Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Sourdough Banana Snack Cake
• Strawberry Sourdough Scones
• Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Ingredients

For the Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cake:

• Sourdough Discard: Adds a subtle tang, depth of flavor, and natural moisture. It also helps tenderize the crumb.
• All-Purpose Flour: The base of the cake, giving it structure while keeping it soft and fluffy.
• Ground Cinnamon: Delivers that signature snickerdoodle flavor—warm, comforting, and perfectly spiced.
• Baking Powder: Leavens the cake, helping it rise and stay light.
• Baking Soda: Reacts with the acidity in the sourdough discard to give the cake lift and tenderness.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of every other ingredient.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps it brown while adding moisture.
• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and a soft, tender texture.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients, provide structure, and add moisture and richness.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the cake’s flavor and brings out the warm cinnamon notes.
• Whole Milk: Keeps the batter fluid, moistens the crumb, and supports a tender texture.

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Unsalted Butter: Browned for a nutty, toasty flavor that adds richness and depth to the frosting.
• Cream Cheese: The creamy base—adds tanginess, smooth texture, and richness.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and creates a smooth, spreadable consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavor with a warm note.
• Pinch of Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the brown butter and cream cheese flavors.

Tools You’ll Need to Make This Sourdough Snickerdoodle Sheet Cake

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). 

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

3. Mix sourdough starter with baking soda, it will start bubbling.

4. In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.

5. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and sourdough discard with baking soda.

6. Stir in the milk, then fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

7. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.

Step 2: Bake

• Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Step 3: Make the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Place into the fridge for about 15 minutes and don’t forget to stir.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

3. Add the browned butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and spreadable.

4. Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!

Storage Tips

• Store frosted cake in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

• You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months. 

Baking Tips

• This recipe works with fresh or older sourdough discard—both give a nice tang.

• Brown the butter first, then let it cool a bit before mixing into frosting for best flavor and texture.

• For extra “snickerdoodle” flavor, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the batter before baking.

If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out—leave a comment below or tag me @shakanranch on Instagram!

Sourdough Snickerdoodle Sheet Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

This snickerdoodle-inspired sheet cake is soft, spiced with cinnamon, and made extra tender with sourdough discard. It’s topped with a rich brown butter cream cheese frosting that’s fluffy, nutty, and irresistible. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, or cozy weekend baking!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 Cake

Equipment

• Mixing bowls (at least 2 large)
• Whisk and spatula
• Hand or stand mixer
• Saucepan (for browning butter)
• 9×13-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper or nonstick spray
• Toothpick (for doneness check)

Ingredients

  

For the Cake:

• 240 g sourdough discard unfed or recently fed
• 240 g all-purpose flour
• 8 g ground cinnamon about 1 tbsp
• 6 g baking powder about 1½ tsp
• 3 g baking soda about ½ tsp
• 3 g salt about ½ tsp
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 113 g unsalted butter softened
• 150 g eggs about 3 large
• 13 g vanilla extract about 1 tbsp
• 240 g whole milk

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 113 g unsalted butter 1 stick
• 226 g cream cheese softened
• 300 –350g powdered sugar adjust to your sweetness preference
• 5 g vanilla extract about 1 tsp
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

Step 1: Prepare the Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
  240 g all-purpose flour, 8 g ground cinnamon, 6 g baking powder, 3 g salt
• In a small bowl, mix sourdough discard with baking soda until it bubbles.
  240 g sourdough discard, 3 g baking soda
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  113 g unsalted butter, 200 g granulated sugar
• Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and the bubbly sourdough mixture.
  150 g eggs, 13 g vanilla extract
• Pour in the milk, mixing gently. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined — do not overmix.
  240 g whole milk
• Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Step 2: Bake

• Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cake cool completely before frosting.

Step 3: Frost the Cake

• In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden and nutty-smelling. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place in fridge for 15 minutes, stirring halfway.
  113 g unsalted butter
• Beat cream cheese until smooth.
  226 g cream cheese
• Add the browned butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
  300 –350g powdered sugar, 5 g vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
• Spread frosting over cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

• If using salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
  • Brown butter adds a rich, caramel-like flavor to the frosting—don’t skip it!
  • You can chill the frosted cake for firmer slices or serve at room temperature for a softer texture.
  • This recipe is a great way to use up sourdough discard without a strong sour flavor.

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