I hadn’t made a pound cake in a while, but all of a sudden I got a desire to. But I wanted it to be different. At the time, my sourdough starter was out on my counter top, and I was feeding it regularly. Wanting to do something with it, I began brainstorming about what to do, and I thought of pound cake. I did not know if a sourdough pound cake would be a new invention or not, but I had a hunch that it had already been done. After a bit of research, I found that my hunch rang true. This was helpful because there were a couple recipes I could look at to get a basis for how to start. But I did not want to stop there. Realizing that I wanted more than just a sourdough twist, I turned to nuts. That’s when it hit me: sourdough pecan pound cake. It was going to be tangy and nutty and rich and delicious. And it is! I think this recipe is perfect for anyone looking for a great twist on a classic. It has everything you want from a pound cake and so many extra delicious flavors. I have the idea to add a maple bourbon glaze to it the next time I make it, but for now, I hope you enjoy this recipe!
How do I get my pound cake out of the bundt pan (and in one piece)?
To smoothly and cleanly remove your sourdough pecan pound cake from the pan, you’re going to need butter and flour. Take two tablespoons of butter and mix it with 3 tablespoons of flour. It will become a thick, opaque, paste, and this is exactly what we want. You will then, either using a paper towel or your fingers, rub this paste into every single nook and cranny. I recommend using your fingers for this task, especially if your bundt pan is as intricate as mine is. Don’t worry if you get some bigger globs of the paste in the corners of the pan. This paste will melt as the cake cooks, so there is no risk of it ruining the shape of the final cake. As long as you make sure the entire pan has a good coating of this stuff, I can almost guarantee you that your bundt cake will come out clean, perfect, and in one piece.
Sourdough Pecan Pound Cake
Equipment
- Hand Mixer/Stand Mixer
- Small, Medium and Large Bowls
- Rubber Spatula
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1½ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- ¾ cup Dark Brown Sugar (can substitute for light brown sugar)
- 5 Large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Sourdough Starter
- 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans (can substitute with pecan flour)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of butter with the 3 tablespoons of flour. Using your hands, rub the mixture together until it becomes a paste. Then rub the paste over the entire bundt cake pan, making sure to coat every crevice of the pan.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine your flour, salt, and baking powder together. These are your dry ingredients. Whisk to combine.
- In a clean large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together on high for 3-5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
- One at a time, add the eggs. Beat well after each addition, making sure your mixture stays light and creamy.
- Add in the vanilla and the sourdough starter. Beat 1-2 minutes until everything is light and incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until only a few streaks of flour remain.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the finely chopped pecans, the texture of the pecans should be just a little bit more coarse than a nut flour. Fold the mixture until the nuts are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to rest at least 1 hour until it is cool enough to remove from the pan.
- Enjoy with a cup of coffee in the morning or a scoop of ice cream after dinner!
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