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!
Servings 1 Cake
Equipment
- Mixing bowls (at least 2 large)
- Whisk and spatula
- Hand or stand mixer
- Saucepan (for browning butter)
- 9x13-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.