• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cake pan with parchment paper or generously grease it.
• Cream together the butter, sourdough discard, molasses, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and baking soda and mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.
• Gradually fold in the dry mixture to the wet until just combined. Be careful not to overmix here.
• Stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth and pour into the cake pan.
• Bake the sourdough gingerbread cake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring.

How to make the whipped cream

• In a mixing bowl, pour in the cold heavy cream. Make sure the heavy cream is well-chilled for optimal results.
• Begin whipping the cream using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Start at a low speed to avoid splattering and gradually increase the speed as the cream thickens.
• Once the cream begins to thicken and soft peaks form, add the powdered sugar and a dash of vanilla extract.
• Keep whipping the cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Stiff peaks mean that the whipped cream holds its shape, and you can turn off the mixer when the cream is smooth and thick, and forms peaks that stand upright. It took me about 8 minutes.
• Sourdough gingerbread cake lasts 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

How to serve sourdough gingerbread cake

• If topping with the homemade whipped cream, I recommend allowing the cake to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
• You can cut each piece into a square and I use an ice cream scooper to top with the whipped cream or you can simply spread the whipped cream over the entire cake.
• Feel free to sprinkle with some chopped walnuts and sift cinnamon over the top for extra texture and flavor.