Grace and Crumbs

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šŸ¤ Teaching sourdough in an accessible and easy way
šŸ¤ Certified Baking as Lifestyle Medicine Teacher
šŸ¤ Chef/Lecturer at Steynā€™s Culinary School
šŸ“ Workshops: Hatfield, Pretoria

20/08/2026

Iā€™m a sourdough baker who really, like REALLY loves chocolate cake.

I donā€™t think we have to choose between the two.

Some days I want the long fermentation, whole grains and high-fibre loaf. Other days I want something deeply chocolatey, rich and completely indulgent.

Thereā€™s room for both.

So hereā€™s a very good, very chocolatey cake for those days.

Deep Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
230g cake flour
64 g cocoa powder
350 g granulated sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp espresso powder (optional but worth it)
113 g vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
240 g/ml buttermilk, room temperature
240 g/ml freshly brewed strong hot coffee or hot water

Method
Preheat the oven to 175Ā°C. Grease and line your cake tins with baking paper.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder, if using. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour in the hot coffee or water and whisk until everything is completely combined. The batter will be quite thin. Donā€™t stress.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (fan assisted oven), or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in their tins on a cooling rack until completely cool.

Dark Chocolate Ganache
452 g dark chocolate
452 g cream
Small pinch of salt

Heat cream until simmering. Pour over finely chopped chocolate and leave for 2 minutes.
Gently stir from the centre outward until smooth and glossy. Cool and whip. Use to fill and coat the cooled cake.

Pour over a mirror glaze for that something extra šŸ˜‰

And if youā€™re a sourdough baker too, stay tuned. Iā€™m sharing a sourdough chocolate cake version soon.

Because sourdough for real life means thereā€™s room for the nourishing loaf and the chocolate cake.

No guilt. No rules. Just good baking.

Credit to for her amazing chocolate cake that inspired this one ā¤ļø

Motherā€™s Day 2021.I decided to bake myself a gift.My first sourdough loaf.I had no idea where this little loaf would tak...
11/08/2026

Motherā€™s Day 2021.

I decided to bake myself a gift.
My first sourdough loaf.

I had no idea where this little loaf would take me.
It wasnā€™t perfect.
But it was the beginning.

And every good sourdough story starts somewhere.

Jx!

02/08/2026

When you buy handmade sourdough,

youā€™re not paying for flour, water and salt.

Youā€™re paying for the knowledge of when the dough needs another fold, when to leave it alone, when itā€™s ready,

and ALL the mistakes it took to learn the difference.

21/07/2026

The longer I bake sourdough, the simpler it becomes.

When I first started, I thought I needed all the gadgets, the perfect recipe and a loaf with a dramatic ear every single time.
Now, I pay attention to different things.

I've stopped comparing my bread to what I see online and started enjoying the process a whole lot more.

Don't get me wrong, I still love a beautiful loaf. But I've realised that a loaf doesn't have to be perfect to be worth sharing. Some of my favourite bakes have had uneven ears, a flatter shape or a crumb that wasn't exactly how I'd imaginedā€”and they were still enjoyed around the table.

Sourdough has taught me that baking isn't about getting everything right. It's about learning, adjusting and baking again.

07/07/2026

Unpopular opinion perhaps?
Your sourdough starter doesnā€™t need CONSTANT attention to thrive. šŸ¤

One of the biggest sourdough myths is that your starter needs daily feeds on the kitchen counter to stay healthy.

Mine spends most of its life... in the fridge. When I tell people this, I am always met with a question mark on their face.

Keeping your starter refrigerated simply slows down fermentation. It doesnā€™t harm itā€”it gives it a chance to rest between bakes. When Iā€™m ready to bake, I take it out, give it one or two feeds, let it become bubbly and active, and itā€™s ready to raise beautiful loaves again.

Especially here in South Africa, where our kitchens can get surprisingly warm (yes, even in winter!), leaving a starter on the counter often means feeding it far more frequently than most home bakers have time for.

Healthy starters donā€™t need constant attention.
They need good STONEGROUND flour, good old tap water, and a rhythm that works for your baking schedule.

Less guilt.
Less waste.
More bread.

Because sourdough should fit into your lifeā€”not the other way around.

Do you keep your starter in the fridge or on the counter? šŸ‘‡

Few things are more disappointing than cutting into a loaf youā€™ve spent hours making, only to find a dense crumb.Most of...
07/07/2026

Few things are more disappointing than cutting into a loaf youā€™ve spent hours making, only to find a dense crumb.

Most of the time, there is a reason. Whether itā€™s fermentation, gluten development or your starter, your dough is usually giving you clues about what happened.

Thatā€™s why I encourage people to watch their dough instead of the clock. Fermentation isnā€™t the same from one kitchen to the next, or even from one day to the next. Learning to recognise when your dough is ready will take you much further than following a timetable.

Which of these have you struggled with? Let me know in the comments. If your loaf isnā€™t behaving the way you expected, tell me what happened and Iā€™ll do my best to help you troubleshoot.

Jx!

25/06/2026

POV: You want your family to eat more wholegrains, but life is already full.

This loaf is proof that sourdough doesnā€™t have to take over your day. It takes just a few minutes of hands-on timeā€”mix, let time do the work, bake, and enjoy.

āœ”ļø 100% wholegrain
āœ”ļø Naturally fermented
āœ”ļø High in fibre
āœ”ļø Perfect for busy families

500g Wholegrain flour
150g Rye starter
350g Water
15g Rooibos stokkies
10g Salt

Mix, ferment until double, bake.

Thank you, , for teaching such a beautifully simple approach to baking sourdough that fits into real family life. ā¤ļø

Address

Faerie Glen
Pretoria
0081

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 13:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 13:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 13:00
Friday 09:00 - 15:00

Telephone

+27824661265

Website

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