Sourdough Brazilian Feijão Preto Black Bean and Garlic Savory Cake

Name: Sourdough Brazilian Feijão Preto Black Bean and Garlic Savory Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) active sourdough starter (unfed, at peak), bubbly and at peak (roughly doubled after feeding); 1½ cups (360 g) cooked black beans, drained, rinsed if canned; about 375 g (1 can) or 150 g dried beans cooked; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, minced very fine; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt; 1½ tsp (3 g) dried oregano; ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic savory cake combining tangy sourdough with creamy black beans, roasted garlic, and warm oregano. The sourdough adds depth and a subtle fermented tang that complements the earthiness of feijão preto, while a crispy golden crust gives way to a tender, moist crumb studded with whole beans. Perfect sliced warm with a drizzle of green olive oil.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 35 min
Makes: 1 cake (8 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Have your sourdough starter at peak (doubled after feeding, bubbly, ready to use).
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) 30 minutes before baking.
Cook black beans from dried or use canned; if canned, drain and rinse.
Mince garlic and measure all dry ingredients ahead.

1
Toast garlic in oil
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden but not brown.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant and pale gold, oil is infused
Tip: Watch carefully—garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Remove from heat while still light in color.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, dried oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Spices are evenly distributed throughout
3
Combine wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the active sourdough starter, eggs, remaining 4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil, and whole milk until smooth.
- Fold in the cooled garlic and infused oil.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and garlic is evenly dispersed
Tip: Don't overmix at this stage; a few lumps are fine and will disappear in the next step.
4
Fold in dry and beans
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a wooden spoon, stirring until just combined—do not overmix.
- The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Fold in the drained black beans, stirring gently until distributed throughout the batter.
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Ready when: Batter is combined; beans are scattered throughout
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough. Mix until just barely combined; the batter will look slightly shaggy.
5
Prepare pan and pour batter
- Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan or 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
- The batter should reach about three-quarters up the sides.
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Ready when: Batter fills pan evenly
Tip: Don't overfill; the cake will rise slightly during baking. If your pan is smaller, you may have leftover batter—divide between two smaller pans or discard.
6
Bake until golden and setOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the cake in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- The edges should pull slightly away from the sides of the pan.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 25 minutes.
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Ready when: Top is golden; skewer shows only a few moist crumbs; edges pull from pan
Tip: Sourdough batters rise more slowly than regular cakes. Don't open the oven door before 35 minutes or the cake may not rise evenly. Use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperature.
7
Cool in pan, then turn out
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan.
- Invert onto a wire rack or serve directly from the pan, cut into wedges.
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Ready when: Cake is firm enough to handle but still warm
Tip: If the cake sticks, place a warm damp cloth under the pan for a few seconds to help release it. Alternatively, serve from the pan—it's equally delicious.

Good to know

Tips

Sourdough starter should be at its peak—doubled in volume, bubbly, and starting to recede slightly. If it's past peak, the cake won't rise as well.
Toast the garlic in oil to develop deep flavor that balances the earthiness of black beans and the tang of sourdough.
Don't overmix the batter. Fold ingredients together gently; lumps are fine and will smooth out during baking. Overmixing makes the cake tough and heavy.
This cake is best served warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of good olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and perhaps a dusting of fleur de sel. It also makes a great savory accompaniment to soups or stews.

Make ahead

Bake the cake up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or the refrigerator. Warm slices gently before serving if desired.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (covered, 3–4 days); refrigerator (airtight container, up to 5 days); freezer (wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, up to 2 months). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes before serving.

Substitutions

active sourdough starter (unfed, at peak) → 2 tablespoons (30 g) additional flour + 1/2 cup (120 ml) plain yogurt or sour cream at room temperature. You'll lose the sourdough tang but gain a similar moist crumb. Reduce total flour by 2 tablespoons to compensate for the yogurt's moisture.
cooked black beans → Red beans, pinto beans, or white beans in the same quantity. Black beans are traditional in feijão preto, but other cooked beans work. White beans will make the cake lighter in color.
dried oregano → 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped (add with garlic). Cilantro adds a Brazilian twist and pairs beautifully with black beans.
all-purpose flour → Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend (same quantity). The cake will be slightly denser but gluten-free. Ensure your baking powder is also gluten-free.