On the recipe for carrot cake, it does not specifically say "fed sourdough starter." It just says "sourdough starter." But, is it a rule of thumb that, unless is says right from the refrigerator, like the waffle overnight sponge recipe, it MEANS "fed sourdough starter"? Barbara, most sourdough recipes should tell you whether the starter should be a "fed" starter or not. Bread recipes should either tell you to use "fed" starter; or they call for you to take the starter and combine it with some flour and water, then let it "work" for several hours. This takes the place of the pre-feeding. (But don't forget, you still need to feed your "mother" starter whenever you remove some to bake with.) In cakes, the sourdough doesn't need to be fed, as it's either combined with other ingredients and allowed to rest for a couple of hours; or it's there not for its yeast, but for its acidity. Unfed starter (acid) combined with baking soda (base) in a recipe produces some nice leavening power. - PJH

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