I'm teaching a sourdough class through our local community college and was playing around with extra "throw out" starter and decided to make a "coffee cake"; didn't use yeast at all, but did add about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon baking soda to my cake; 1 cup starter, scant cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 3/4 cup very soft butter, 1/2 tsp. soda and enough flour to make a very soft dough - thicker than pourable batter, but not thick enough to knead -- I beat starter, sugar, salt & butter together very well by hand, then beat in the soda, then the flour. Spread it in a well buttered 8-inch glass pan, sprinkled top with slivered almonds and raw sugar, then covered with plastic wrap and let "rise" for about 30-40 minutes until kind of puffy then baked at 350F until done. This turned out surprisingly well; didn't brown a lot, but I thing the soda did help with the browning - also using butter to coat the pan and baking in a glass dish. I've been eating it split and toasted with butter and jam. Reminds me a little of the kuchen my grandma used to make. Sort of a riff on brioche dough with out the eggs.

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