My Sourdough Discard Lemon Snack Cake is soft, buttery, and full of bright, fresh lemon flavor. The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness, while the lemon buttercream makes it feel extra special and indulgent.
It’s the kind of simple, comforting cake that works for everything from spring gatherings to slow afternoons at home. With its tender crumb and silky lemon frosting, every bite is light, citrusy, and completely irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses sourdough discard for added flavor depth.
- Soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days.
- Bright lemon flavor from both zest and juice.
- Creamy lemon buttercream for a bakery-style finish.
- Simple 8x8 snack cake with no layering or decorating stress.
This is one of those recipes that feels special but is actually very low effort. Everything comes together quickly, and the combination of lemon and sourdough gives it a bright, elevated flavor without complicating the process.
Best seasons, holidays, and occasions
This cake is especially perfect in spring and early summer when citrus desserts feel fresh, light, and inviting. It fits beautifully on Easter dessert tables, Mother’s Day brunch spreads, baby showers, or any gathering where you want something soft and bright.
At the same time, it’s simple enough to bake just because. It pairs perfectly with coffee or tea and works as an everyday cake that still feels a little special.
I love to whip up a good snack cake when I have company coming over just to have something sweet on hand!
Some of my other favorites are my spiced zucchini snack cake and my sourdough carrot snack cake. Try those if you're looking for more recipes to try!
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Ingredients
Lemon Snack Cake
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- lemon zest
- unsalted butter
- neutral oil
- large eggs
- sourdough discard
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- fresh lemon juice
- vanilla extract
Lemon Buttercream
- unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
- fresh lemon juice
- lemon zest
- vanilla extract
- fine sea salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient notes
Sourdough discard:
Use unfed discard straight from the fridge. It adds moisture and a very subtle tang that enhances the lemon flavor rather than overpowering it. If your discard is older (7–10 days), it will have a slightly stronger flavor but still works beautifully in this cake.
Lemon zest:
This is where the majority of the lemon flavor comes from. Zesting directly into the sugar and rubbing it in releases the oils, giving the cake a much more pronounced citrus flavor without making it too acidic.
Fresh lemon juice:
Fresh juice is highly recommended here. Bottled juice can taste slightly flat or bitter compared to the brightness of freshly squeezed lemons.
Sour cream or Greek yogurt:
This adds richness and helps create a soft, tender crumb. Greek yogurt works as a perfect substitute and gives a slightly lighter texture.
Oil + butter combination:
Butter adds flavor, while oil ensures the cake stays moist even after refrigeration. This combination gives you the best of both worlds.
Lemon buttercream:
The buttercream adds richness and sweetness to balance the tangy cake. The lemon juice and zest keep it from feeling too heavy or overly sweet.
Four-Step Overview
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Make the batter: Mix lemon sugar, wet ingredients, and dry ingredients until smooth.
Step 2: Bake: Pour into an 8x8 pan and bake for 30 mins or until lightly golden and set.
Step 3: Cool: Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Step 4: Frost: Spread with lemon buttercream and slice into squares.
Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.
Substitutions
- Sour cream: Use plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Butter: Replace with all oil for an extra moist texture.
- Lemon juice: Bottled juice can work in a pinch, but fresh is best.
- Sourdough discard: Active starter can be used instead of discard.
Variations
- Lemon Blueberry: Fold in 120g (¾ cup) blueberries into the batter.
- Lemon Poppy Seed: Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds to the batter.
- Lemon Coconut: Add 50g (½ cup) shredded coconut for extra texture and flavor.
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan
- kitchen scale
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- hand or stand mixer
- microplane zester
- offset spatula
Storage
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Let the cake sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving if refrigerated.
- Freeze slices tightly wrapped for up to 2 months.
Audrey's Tip
Rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
This releases the natural oils and gives the cake a much stronger, more vibrant lemon flavor without adding extra liquid.
FAQ
No, it adds a light tang that enhances the lemon flavor.
Yes, both work well in this recipe.
Yes, the cake is delicious plain or with a simple glaze.
Yes, both work well in this recipe.
Yes, bake in a 9x13 pan and increase bake time slightly.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Sourdough Discard Lemon Snack Cake
Equipment
- 8×8 baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Hand or stand mixer
- microplane zester
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Lemon Cake
- 180 g all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups
- 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup
- 6 g baking powder 1 ½ tsp
- 1 g baking soda ¼ tsp
- 3 g fine sea salt ½ tsp
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 85 g unsalted butter melted (6 tbsp)
- 30 g neutral oil 2 tbsp
- 100 g large eggs 2 eggs
- 120 g sourdough discard ½ cup
- 120 g sour cream or Greek yogurt ½ cup
- 30 g fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp
- 5 g vanilla extract 1 tsp
Lemon Buttercream
- 113 g unsalted butter softened (½ cup)
- 240 g powdered sugar 2 cups
- 15–30 g fresh lemon juice 1–2 tbsp
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 g vanilla extract ½ tsp
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make lemon sugar: Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar until fragrant.
- Add wet ingredients: Whisk in the melted butter, oil, eggs, sourdough discard, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine: Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Bake: Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make buttercream: Beat butter until smooth, add powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and salt, and beat until fluffy.
- Frost: Spread buttercream over the cooled cake and slice.
Notes
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Because of the buttercream, it’s best to refrigerate it if keeping longer than that.
- In the refrigerator, the cake will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens.
- To freeze, wrap individual slices tightly and store for up to 2 months.
This releases the natural oils and gives the cake a much stronger, more vibrant lemon flavor without adding extra liquid.
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