Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Mascarpone Icing

Sourdough vanilla cake layered with a light, refreshing mascarpone icing is a delicious, gut-friendly alternative to commercial cakes.

This sourdough vanilla cake is moist, flavorful, and simple to make. Topped with a delicious light and creamy mascarpone icing, it is easier on the gut and a go-to for birthday celebrations.

 To make your own sourdough starter, follow my easy, step-by-step guide here.

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Perks of Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake

• Layered sourdough vanilla cake is a great way to use up extra sourdough discard.
• The benefits of long-fermented sourdough make sourdough vanilla cake better for gut health and easier to digest than a traditional cake recipe. 
• It’s delicious, what can I say.

The warmth of vanilla paired with the light and creamy mascarpone icing makes for a cake bursting with flavor, with a moist crumb, and without being heavy or overly sweet.

Why Sourdough?

DIGESTIBILITY + PROBIOTICS

Sourdough is a fermented food. This means that it includes beneficial live cultures and wild yeasts. These yeasts allow the bread to rise as well as break down phytates in the wheat grain, making the flour more digestible and less inflammatory. 

Here is an excerpt from the book Real Food for Fertility by Lily Nichols RDN, CDE and Lisa Handrickson-Jack FAE, HRHP:

“In wheat, rye, and barley, the process of traditional sourdough fermentation reduces the level of the protein gluten as well as compounds called phytates, both of which can be irritating to the digestive tract and impair mineral absorption. Sourdough fermentation also changes the structure of starches and increases the levels of organic acids, which contributes to a lower glycemic index of the resulting bread (meaning that sourdough bread typically doesn’t spike your blood sugar as much as regular yeast bread).” pg. 82

• probiotics for gut health
• lower glycemic index
• improved digestibility of grains
• less inflammatory

By using the longer fermentation methods of sourdough baking, delicious baked goods and breads can be a little more digestible, good for gut health, and have a lower glycemic index than other breads. 

FLAVOR 

Next to the delicious flavor, the nutritional benefits of sourdough make it a great grain option to consume over typical commercially produced breads.

Active Starter vs. Sourdough Discard

ACTIVE SOURDOUGH STARTER

An active sourdough starter is a fed starter that reaches its peak bubbliness and fermentation. You can tell a starter is active if it floats in water or has doubled in amount in the jar. 

This is the perfect state of sourdough starter when making an artisan sourdough bread loaf or a recipe where you want a nice rise in your bread.

SOURDOUGH DISCARD

From this point of peak rise of the sourdough starter, it starts to become less bubbly and die down a bit leaving sourdough discard. 

More Sourdough Discard Recipes:

Sourdough discard recipes are a great way to use up extra sourdough discard. 

For more delicious sourdough discard recipes, here are some of our favorites:

• ​Classic Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes {Discard Recipe}
• Double Chocolate Sourdough Muffins
• Sourdough Maple Scones
• Sourdough Blueberry Scones
• ​Sourdough Discard Lemon Berry Muffins

​What if I don’t have buttermilk?

Buttermilk is a delicious addition to this classic recipe that really enhances the rich flavor and contributes to the moist crumb. 

If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can simply use regular whole milk or make homemade buttermilk with a few simple ingredients.

Making Homemade Buttermilk

​What you will need

• Whole milk
• ​Lemon juice (you can also use white vinegar for the acid-base, but I always opt for lemon juice)

1. ​First, add your milk to a small bowl.
2. Then, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. 
3. ​Mix together well.
4. After 10-15 minutes, you will notice the milk has become more sour and slightly curdled. This is your buttermilk!
5. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Ways to Serve Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake

Weddings & Birthdays

Layered sourdough vanilla cake is a beautiful cake to serve for a birthday or as a wedding cake.

Strawberry Shortcake

Use this sourdough cake as the base for strawberry shortcake or as a sweet layer between these mini berry trifles this summer!

Cupcakes

You can find the cupcake version recipe here! Classic Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes

Frosting & Garnishes

Mascarpone Icing (my favorite)

Mascarpone frosting has more of a light, airy, whipped cream texture. This option is less sweet compared to buttercream and very similar to cream cheese frosting yet a little more airy.

Ingredients for Mascarpone Icing

• Mascarpone cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Pure vanilla extract
• Heavy cream

Alternative Icing Ideas

Cream Cheese Icing

Cream cheese frosting is rich, decadent, and has a slight tang to it. This frosting is very similar to mascarpone icing. 

Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream frosting is a butter-based icing that is sweet, thick, and rich in flavor. This frosting is easy to make beautiful designs with because of its heavier texture.

Decorations & Garnishes for Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake

For decorating, you can really choose your own adventure!

Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is a great way to garnish sourdough vanilla cake. Berries add a nice colorful touch and a burst of fresh fruit flavor that pairs well with mascarpone icing.

Sprinkles

My children love sprinkles of any kind. I always opt for naturally dyed sprinkles or just plain clear sanding sugar sprinkles for garnishes to avoid unnecessary chemicals from artificial dyes.

Edible Decorations

My children love themed birthday treats.

For ease in decorating, I will often garnish cakes with edible decorations. The last birthday, we decorated with these butterflies for my daughter’s cake. 

Tools for Making Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake

• 2, 8-inch round cake pans– I opt for stainless steel to avoid the chemicals that are often found in non-stick bakeware
• Large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer
• Hand mixer or stand mixer paddle attachment 
• 2 Medium bowls (1 for whipping the egg whites, 1 for the frosting)
• Large sifter/sieve– using a sifter for the dry ingredients helps to break apart any clumps, adding more air to the batter, which results in those beautiful bakery-style muffins we are looking for.
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Icing spatula
• Plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or tea towel
• Parchment Paper
• Wire cooling rack
• Kitchen scale– a kitchen scale is nice for baking and working with sourdough for the most accurate and consistent results
• Piping bag + tips (optional)
• Serrated knife or cake leveler for leveling the cakes before layering
• Revolving cake stand (optional) for easy icing

Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Mascarpone Icing Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 35-40 minutes

Makes: 2, 8-inch round cakes

For longer fermentation (optional): Up to 48 hours of fermentation time in the refrigerator after prepping the batter

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour (340 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (9 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard (100 grams)
• 1 cup softened salted butter (227 grams); add 1/4 tsp more salt if using unsalted butter
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar (450 grams)
• 3/4 cups buttermilk (6 fluid ounces)
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Mascarpone Icing

Yields: Enough icing to layer and frost 2, 8-inch round cakes

• 16 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream (14 fluid ounces)
• 1 2/3 cup powdered sugar (150 grams)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (5 grams)

Step-by-Step Baking Instructions

Step 1:

First, in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and sourdough starter.

Then, with the stand mixer on low, cream in one egg yolk at a time until fully combined.

Next, incorporate the buttermilk and vanilla until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Step 2:

Using a fine sieve, sift in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the creamed batter mixture.

Then mix until well incorporated and no dry parts remain. There may be a few clumps in the batter from the buttermilk, this is fine.

Step 3:

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. It’s possible to do this with a hand whisk but I prefer to use an electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment for ease.

After you have reached stiff peaks, fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in the stand mixer. Be careful not to overmix.

For longer fermentation…

For longer fermentation, cover the bowl with an airtight lid and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure the oven fully reaches temperature before putting the cakes in.

While waiting for the oven to come to temp, use one of the cake pans to draw and cut out a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of each pan. This helps the cake to easily be removed from the pan without chunks getting stuck and ruining the overall appearance of the cake. I highly recommend not skipping this step.

Additionally, generously butter your cake pans around the edges for extra ease.

baking

Next, add the cake batter to the pans, distributing evenly between the two round pans. (or pour all of the batter into 1 rectangular 9×13 baking dish if you do not wish to layer.)

Place cake pans in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick or baking tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. The tops will be a golden color.

Cool + Decorate

Once the cake tops are golden and baked through, remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. 

Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack until fully cooled before removing from the pans.

Once the cakes are fully cooled, use a butter knife to loosen the cakes from the edges of the cake pans.

Very carefully, use a plate or flat surface to place on top of the cake pan and flip upside down to gently remove the cake from the pans.

If the top of your cakes are not fairly flat, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to flatten the tops before frosting and stacking.

Place the cakes in the refrigerator for at least 15-30 minutes before frosting.

For the Best Mascarpone Frosting:

To a medium bowl, add the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, vanilla, and sifted powdered sugar.

Then, using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, whisk ingredients at medium speed.

Continue whisking the icing until stiff peaks form.

After stiff peaks have formed, use a 1/4″ layer of icing on top of one of the cake rounds. This will be the bottom layer of your layered sourdough vanilla cake.

I also added in a few slices of strawberries to incorporate some of my garnish throughout the cake.

Next, place the second cake round on top of the layer of icing.

Then, use a frosting knife to spread the icing over the rest of the cake.

If you want more intricate designs, an icing bag may be preferred for more control over the icing design.

Storing Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake

Store the frosted layered sourdough vanilla cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 days on a covered cake plate or airtight container. Remove garnishes before storing. (if using buttercream frosting, this cake will be fine stored on the counter in an airtight container for 2-3 days)

Enjoy! Happy baking!

Tips & FAQs for Layered Sourdough Vanilla Cake

What if my cake tops are not flat?

Use a cake leveler for easy flattening on your cake tops. If you do not have a cake leveler, a long serrated knife will work to remove the mounded top.

How much icing do I put in the middle layer?

A layer of icing between the two cakes helps keep the top layer in place. I have found that using at least a 1/4″ of icing works and looks best when slicing and serving.

I like to add some berries into the middle layer for additional flavor and garnish.

What is the best way to frost a layered cake?

Use a cake decorating turntable or rotating cake stand for easy icing of your layered cake. Additionally, an icing spatula helps spread the icing while turning the cake stand.

What if I don’t want to layer my cake or don’t have round pans?

For a basic rectangle cake, skip the layering and use a 9×13 rectangular baking dish. Keep the bake time the same.

How do I make my own sourdough starter?

 To make your own sourdough starter follow my easy, step-by-step guide here.

​Did you make sourdough vanilla cake? Which frosting is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!