Fresh Cake vs Active Dry Yeast in Bread Baking

I've always wondered what the difference would be, but quite recently my local market started stocking fresh cake yeast, the first time I've ever tried using it in my home bread baking!

I must say, I find it totally better than active dry. I always felt active dry added just too much of a yeasty flavor to breads. Don't get me wrong, I like the yeasty smell from bread, but often I felt that it was just too overpowering with active dry.

Does anyone else have this or another opinion?

I'm a particular fan of the dry yeast.

I tried the fresh yeast in my sourdough, and it just didn't seem to rise the same. It tasted the same, but it didn't give me as many internal bubbles as the dry yeast.


I've been told that you can mix water and flour (maybe a dash or two of salt), and on the hot and humid days it'll pull/attract the yeast out of the air. Never tried it, but there's a shop a few towns over that's had the same starter since they opened, and the yeast is of the area. Anyone ever try it?