Yes, you can use your discard to make a cherry coffee cake! The cake uses baking powder as well as the sourdough discard/starter, so, even if your starter isn't mature, you won't have a problem with the rise. I leave my coffee cake batter on the counter for 4-6 hours before baking it, which means that the yeast in the starter/discard causes the cake batter to rise a bit before baking. The cherries and topping will sink into the batter as the cake bakes. If you want the topping on the top of the cake--it is a "topping"!--go ahead and bake the batter immediately after you mix it up. I leave my batter on the counter so that the sourdough flavor develops, because the cake is good with the cherries and topping baked inside, and because I like to wait to turn my oven on until I have other things to cook at the same time. Either way you choose to bake the coffee cake, it will be good! The discard/starter adds a yeasty flavor to the cake, and the tart cherries cut the sweetness a bit. This is a great coffee cake to serve for dessert with ice cream or whipped cream. It's also good for breakfast or as an afternoon treat with tea or coffee.
Sourdough Cherry Coffee Cake -- Makes a 9-inch cake
1 cup of discard/starter
2 eggs
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
1 1/4 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 15-ounce can of tart cherries
Topping
3/4 cup of flour
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/2 teaspoons of water, as needed, if the topping seems a bit dry
3-4 tablespoons of chopped, toasted almonds (optional but good)
Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray (the kind with flour in it). In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, eggs, oil, sugar, milk, and extracts until everything is blended and the batter is smooth. Gently whisk in the flour, salt, and baking powder until well incorporated. Pour the batter into the baking pan. Drain the cherries very well, setting aside the juice for another use (you can use 2-3 tablespoons of juice and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar to make a glaze for the cake after it has baked, if you like). Sprinkle the cherries evenly over the batter. Mix together the topping ingredients until combined and big and little crumbs form (you can use the same bowl you used for the cake batter, no need to wash it). Sprinkle the crumbs over the cherries/batter. Bake the cake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
