Yeast Cakes

This is how people made bread rise before commercial yeast came in packets at the grocery store. These yeast cakes capture wild yeast from hops water and potato starch, forming small dried cakes you can store and crumble into dough whenever you need leavening. It’s heritage baking at its most fundamental.

Cascade hops get simmered in water to create a bitter, antibacterial liquid that encourages good yeast growth while discouraging unwanted bacteria. Potato water provides the starch that feeds the yeast and gives the cakes structure. Mix the two hot liquids into flour and cornmeal to form a stiff paste, roll into small cakes, and dry them for several days on a wire rack.

The drying is critical. These cakes must be bone-dry before storage, or they’ll mold instead of keeping. Turn them daily and be patient.

Chef Tips

• Simmer the hops with the lid on to prevent too much evaporation. You need ⅓ cup of concentrated hops water, so losing liquid to steam will throw off the recipe.
• Boil the potato until very soft. The starchier the potato water, the better the yeast cakes will perform as leavening.
• Roll cakes to a consistent size (about 2 tablespoons each) so they dry evenly. Thicker cakes take longer and may stay damp inside.
• Store fully dried cakes in a cool, dry place or the refrigerator. They can be used immediately if needed, but dried cakes have much longer shelf life.

Variations

• Different hops: Any brewing hops variety works. Cascade has a floral, citrusy character, but traditional recipes often used whatever hops were locally available.
• Sourdough starter alternative: Use these cakes as a sourdough-like starter by crumbling one into warm water with a pinch of sugar and letting it activate for a few hours before adding to bread dough.