Sourdough Strawberry Cake Bars – Tangy Pink Dessert with Discard and Berries

Your New Favorite Way to Use Sourdough Discard

Hey friends, Beau here! Let’s be real for a second. Is there anything more magical than the moment a humble ingredient transforms into something truly spectacular? I live for those kitchen moments, and today, we’re turning your sourdough discard—that tangy, often-overlooked hero in the back of your fridge—into the most delightful, pretty-in-pink dessert you’ve ever tasted.

These Sourdough Strawberry Cake Bars are my latest obsession. Imagine a soft, tender cake bar, blushed a gorgeous pink from real strawberries, with a subtle tang that makes you go, “Hmm, what is that wonderful flavor?” They’re not too sweet, incredibly easy to make, and they look like they just waltzed out of a fancy bakery. Whether you’re prepping for a Galentine’s party, need a show-stopping treat for your Valentine’s dessert tray, or just want to brighten up a regular Tuesday afternoon, these bars are your answer. They’re the edible equivalent of a warm, happy hug.

So, if you’ve been staring at your jar of discard wondering if it’s destined for anything more than the compost bin, I’m here to tell you it’s time for a celebration. Grab your favorite mixing bowl, and let’s create some sweet, tangy magic together. This is feel-good food at its finest, and I can’t wait for you to try it.

A Strawberry Field Memory

This recipe takes me right back to the sprawling strawberry fields just outside the town where I grew up. Every June, my family would wake up at the crack of dawn, pull on our rattiest clothes, and spend the morning hunched over, searching for the perfect, sun-warmed berries. The air smelled like sweet earth and promise. My sister and I would have a contest to see who could find the most giant, misshapen berry—the kind that looks like it’s giving you a thumbs-up. We’d eat almost as many as we put in our baskets, our hands and faces stained sticky-red.

My mom would always make a simple strawberry shortcake that night, but the memory of that pure, concentrated strawberry flavor stuck with me. That’s the magic I wanted to capture in a bake that wasn’t dependent on the short summer season. Using freeze-dried strawberries gives us that intense, nostalgic berry punch year-round, and when you pair it with the tangy depth of sourdough, it creates a flavor story that’s both new and wonderfully familiar. It’s a little taste of my childhood, with a fun, fermented twist.

Gathering Your Ingredients

This is where the fun begins! The ingredient list is beautifully simple, and each one plays a starring role. Here’s what you’ll need and why it matters:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened – This is the base of our rich, tender crumb. Using unsalted lets you control the salt level. Chef’s Tip: True “softened” butter should leave a slight indent when you press it, but shouldn’t be greasy or melted. If you forget to take it out, you can gently warm it for a few seconds in the microwave, but be careful! We want cream-able butter, not a puddle.
• ¾ cup granulated sugar – The perfect amount of sweetness to balance the tang from the sourdough and the tartness of the strawberries.
• 1 large egg – Our binding agent, bringing everything together and adding structure.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – The classic flavor enhancer. It rounds out the flavors and makes everything taste more, well, like itself.
• ½ cup sourdough discard (unfed) – The star of the show! This adds a wonderful, subtle tang and makes the bars incredibly moist. Don’t worry about it being “old”—as long as it doesn’t have mold, it’s perfect for baking. The acidity also tenderizes the gluten, giving us a super-soft texture.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour – The foundation. I use regular all-purpose here for a reliable, light structure.
• ½ teaspoon baking powder – Our leavening agent, giving these bars a gentle lift so they’re cakey, not dense.
• ¼ teaspoon salt – Never, ever skip the salt! It’s the flavor amplifier that makes the strawberry and sweetness pop.
• ½ cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries – This is our secret weapon for that vibrant pink color and intense, natural strawberry flavor without adding extra moisture. You can find these in the snack or dried fruit aisle. Substitution Tip: In a pinch, you can use a quality strawberry powder.
• Optional: powdered sugar or Valentine sprinkles for topping – This is the finishing touch! A dusting of powdered sugar is elegantly simple, while fun sprinkles make them a party.

Let’s Bake! Your Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to see some magic happen? Follow these steps, and you’ll be a sourdough dessert pro in no time. I’ve sprinkled in my favorite chef hacks to make sure your bars turn out perfectly.

1. Preheat and Prep: Fire up your oven to 350°F (175°C). This gives it time to reach the perfect, steady temperature. Then, line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides. Chef’s Hack: This creates a “sling” that makes it a breeze to lift the entire baked square out of the pan for clean, easy cutting. No more wrestling with your dessert!
2. Creaming is Key: In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar. Now, don’t rush this! Beat it with a hand mixer or stand mixer for a good 2-3 minutes, until it becomes pale, fluffy, and light. This step incorporates air into the batter, which is crucial for that soft, cakey texture we’re after.
3. Combine the Wet Team: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until everything is smooth and well-incorporated. Now, for the main event: add your sourdough discard. It might look a little curdled or separated at first—don’t panic! Just keep mixing until it all comes together into a smooth, if slightly thick, batter.
4. Whisk the Dry Crew: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and your crushed freeze-dried strawberries. Chef’s Hack: Whisking the dried strawberries with the flour helps coat them, which prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the bars during baking. We want that beautiful color and flavor distributed throughout!
5. The Grand Union: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Now, use a spatula and mix gently, just until the last streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix! Overworking the batter develops gluten and can lead to tough bars. A few tiny lumps are totally fine.
6. Pan and Spread: Pour the beautiful pink batter into your prepared pan. Use your spatula to spread it into an even layer, making sure to get it into all the corners. The batter will be thick, which is exactly what we want.
7. Bake to Perfection: Slide the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are just barely starting to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs—not wet batter.
8. The Most Important Step: Cool! I know it’s tempting, but you must let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This allows the structure to set. If you try to cut them warm, they’ll be gummy. Once cool, use your parchment sling to lift them out, dust with powdered sugar or sprinkles, and cut into squares.

How to Serve These Beauties

Presentation is part of the joy! These bars are stunning all on their own, but a little flair never hurt. For a casual family treat, I love cutting them into generous squares and piling them high on a rustic wooden board. The pink against the wood is just gorgeous.

If you’re serving them for a special occasion, like a Valentine’s Day dinner or a bridal shower, get a little fancy. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to press a shape into the top of each bar before dusting with powdered sugar. When you lift the cutter, you’ll have a perfect, pink heart revealed on a snowy white background. It’s a total showstopper with almost zero effort.

And let’s talk pairings! A cup of hot coffee or a glass of cold milk is the classic choice. But for the adults, a glass of prosecco or a rosé champagne turns this into a truly decadent dessert. The bubbles cut through the sweetness and tang beautifully.

Get Creative! Fun Recipe Twists

Once you’ve mastered the base recipe, the world is your oyster! Here are a few of my favorite ways to mix it up:

• Lemon-Berry Bliss: Add the zest of one lemon to the wet ingredients. The bright, zesty lemon paired with the strawberry and sourdough tang is an absolute flavor explosion.
• Chocolate-Dipped Delight: Melt some white or dark chocolate and dip one half of each cooled bar. Let them set on parchment paper for a bakery-style finish that’s both pretty and delicious.
• “Neapolitan” Style: Love all the flavors? Swirl 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips into the batter right before pouring it into the pan. You’ll get hints of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla all in one bar.
• Gluten-Free Friendly: You can easily swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. The texture might be a touch more crumbly, but it’s just as delicious.
• Mixed Berry Bonanza: Out of strawberry powder? Use freeze-dried raspberries or a mix of berries for a different, but equally vibrant, flavor and color profile.

A Few More Thoughts from My Kitchen

This recipe has become a real workhorse in my kitchen. It started as a simple “what if?” experiment one Saturday morning when I had a particularly hungry-looking jar of discard. The first batch was good, but a bit dense. I realized I was overmixing! The moment I started folding the dry ingredients in gently, the texture transformed into this cloud-soft, perfect cake bar.

It’s also a recipe that loves a good story. I once brought these to a neighborhood potluck, and no one could guess the “secret ingredient.” The look of surprise when I told them it was sourdough was priceless. It’s a fantastic conversation starter and a brilliant way to introduce skeptical friends to the wonders of baking with discard. Remember, cooking is about joy and a little bit of friendly mischief!

Your Questions, Answered

I know baking can come with questions, so let’s tackle a few common ones head-on.

• My batter is really thick. Is that normal? Absolutely! This is a thick, scoopable batter, not a pourable cake batter. The thickness is what gives us those dense, soft, and cakey bars. If you’re struggling to spread it, just wet your spatula or fingertips with a little water to prevent sticking.
• Can I use fresh or frozen strawberries instead? I don’t recommend it for this specific recipe. Fresh or frozen berries add a lot of extra water, which can make the bars soggy and prevent them from baking through properly. The intense, dry powder from the freeze-dried fruit is key for both flavor and texture.
• My bars are gummy in the middle. What happened? This usually points to two things: either the bars needed a few more minutes in the oven (the toothpick test is your best friend!), or they were cut before they were completely cool. Patience is a virtue in baking!
• How should I store these? Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully! Just wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and pop them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Sourdough Strawberry Cake Bars : Tangy, Pretty-in-Pink Dessert Squares

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• Author: BeauCollier

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Description

Turn your sourdough discard into a soft, tangy, and gorgeous pink dessert! These cake bars are tender, lightly sweet, and perfect for a snack, party, or dessert tray.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ cup sourdough discard (unfed)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries

• Optional: powdered sugar or sprinkles for topping

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Instructions

• Preheat Oven: 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang for easy lifting.

• Cream Butter & Sugar: Beat butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.

• Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in egg and vanilla, then fold in sourdough discard until smooth.

• Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and crushed freeze-dried strawberries in a separate bowl.

• Combine: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

• Bake: Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 25–28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

• Cool & Serve: Let bars cool completely before lifting from pan and cutting. Dust with powdered sugar or sprinkles if desired.

Notes

• Batter Thickness: Thick batter is normal; wet your spatula to help spread.

• Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Key for color and flavor; fresh/frozen berries add too much moisture.

• Cut After Cooling: Cutting too early can make bars gummy.

• Storage: Airtight at room temp up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutritional Information (Because We’re Curious!)

While I’m all about indulgence, I also believe in knowing what you’re eating. Here’s a rough nutritional breakdown per bar (based on 12 bars, without optional toppings). Remember, this is an estimate and can vary based on your specific ingredients.

• Calories: ~150
• Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 19g
• Protein: 2g
• Sugar: 10g

These bars are a lovely treat because they’re satisfying without being overly heavy. The use of real fruit and the tang from the sourdough means you can enjoy a delicious dessert that feels a little more thoughtful and a little less like a sugar bomb.

Final Thoughts from My Kitchen to Yours

Well, there you have it! My go-to recipe for turning a simple jar of sourdough discard into a stunning, delicious, and conversation-starting dessert. This recipe embodies everything I love about Feastical: it’s approachable, soulful, and brings a little bit of special into the everyday.

Baking, for me, has always been about connection. It’s about sharing a story, a memory, and a plate of something made with love. I hope these Sourdough Strawberry Cake Bars find a place in your kitchen, your recipe box, and your heart. They’re a reminder that the most wonderful creations often come from the most unexpected places.

So, give them a try! And if you do, I’d love to hear about it. Tag me on social @Feastical or @BeauCollier so I can see your beautiful bakes. Now, go preheat that oven—your next favorite dessert is waiting for you.

Happy Baking,

Beau