with a Sausage Cheddar Crumble and a Caramelized Bacon Ribbon. Drizzled with a homemade hot honey.

A bold new take on breakfast for those who prefer savory over sweet. This reimagined coffee cake combines rich layers of flavor, from tangy sourdough to the smoky sweet bacon ribbon and cheesy sausage crumble. All enhanced with a drizzle of spicy honey. Perfect for food lovers who crave depth and complexity rather than traditional morning sweetness.

Ingredients

For the Sourdough Base

– 150g active sourdough starter

– 380g all-purpose flour

– 160g whole milk, lukewarm

– 130g sour cream

– 2 large eggs, room temp

– 65g unsalted butter, softened

– 50g honey

– 8g salt

– 2 tsp baking powder

– 1/2tsp baking soda

– 1 tsp dried sage

For the Caramelized Bacon Herb Ribbon

– 200g thick-cut bacon, finely diced and cooked until crispy, drain fat leaving approx 2 TBS

-30g brown sugar

– 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

– 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

– 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

– 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

For the Savory Crumble Topping

– 175g breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled

– 150g sharp cheddar cheese(I preferred smoked) grated

– 100g all-purpose flour

– 70 g cold butter, grated

– 50g grated Parmesan cheese

– 1/2 tsp black pepper

– 1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary

– 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Same Day Bake Option

Begin 5 hours before you would like to bake.

Make the Sourdough Base

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, lukewarm milk, sour cream, eggs, and honey. Whisk until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sage.

3. Add the softened butter to the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined – do not overmix. The batter should be thick but still soft, more like a cake batter than a bread dough.

5. Place the batter in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let ferment at room temperature for 4 hours

6. Slip over the long fermention instructions and Continue below to create the bacon ribbon and sausage crumble and final baking instructions.

Long Fermentation option

The night before baking,

Make the Sourdough Base

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, lukewarm milk, sour cream, eggs, and honey. Whisk until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sage.

3. Add the softened butter to the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Using the paddle attachment, Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined – do not overmix. The batter should be thick but still soft, more like a cake batter than a bread dough.

5. Place the batter in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and put in the fridge overnight(6-8 hours)

6. The next morning 2 hours before baking, pull the dough out and stick in the oven with the oven light on for about 2 hours to assist in bringing back to room temperature and a slight proof.

7. While that is happening prepare the ribbon and crumble.

Prepare the Bacon Herb Ribbon

1. Cook the finely diced bacon in a skillet until almost crispy.

2. Add the herbs and let Cook an additional minute. The heat will help release the flavors from the dried herbs

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle the brown sugar over the bacon. Stir constantly until the sugar melts and creates a glossy coating on the bacon pieces (about 2 minutes).

4. Remove from heat and immediately stir in black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.

5. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain briefly – you want to keep some of the sticky glaze. Let cool completely.

Prepare the Sausage and Cheese Crumble

1. Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until fully browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels and let cool.

2. In a large bowl, sausage, flour, grated cheddar, Parmesan, black pepper, rosemary, thyme and red pepper flakes.

3. Gently add cold grated butter and work them into the dry ingredients using your fingers or a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 365°

1. Grease a 9” x 9” baking pan and line with parchment paper.

2. Now that the batter has come to room temperature, gently stir it just to deflate slightly, then divide in half.

3. Spread half the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan pushing to the edges.

4. Spread the cooled bacon herb ribbon mixture evenly over this layer.

5. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon, sealing the edges to edge of the pan to contain the filling.

6. Sprinkle the sausage and cheese crumble generously over the top

7. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top would become too brown, add aluminum foil over top.

8. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and serve warm with your hot honey.

Spiced Hot Honey Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup (170g) honey
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

Instructions

Pour the honey into a small saucepan.
Add the red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper.
Heat over low heat until the honey just begins to warm.
Stir gently to distribute the spices evenly.
Remove from heat and let steep for 10-15 minutes.
Add the salt if using (enhances flavor without adding saltiness).
For a smoother texture, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the red pepper flakes. For maximum flavor and visual appeal, leave the flakes in.
Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a clean jar.