This decadent and rich chocolate sourdough cake recipe is a showstopping dessert!
This dark chocolate cake is lightly topped with creamy cheese frosting. And it is everything a cake should be – rich, moist, so decadent. Cut this cake thin, guys. And don’t even bother serving ice cream with it – you seriously don’t need it. Or will be able to eat it. No one I served this cake to was able to finish their piece, but not because they didn’t want to. It’s so delicious you want to force yourself to eat it all, but you just can’t. This cake totally calls for a stand mixer, though – don’t even think about attempting it by hand, or killing your hand mixer with it. You need to slowly mix it with a stand mixer until you don’t see any white specs of your starter.
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Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Isn’t it amazing what your sourdough starter can do? This sourdough chocolate cake is one of my favorite ways to use my sourdough discard. I mean, who doesn’t love cake?!
Can sourdough starter make a good cake?
Yes! It can! You don’t really taste the “sour” tang here. Instead, if helps develop the rich and decadent flavor. If you have heard of adding espresso or coffee to your chocolate cake, or even mayonnaise – its the same concept! It helps to add to the depth of flavor.
How to make sourdough chocolate cake
This cake is fun because its like half sourdough bread and half cake. With a little bit of a ferment time, its different enough from a regular cake recipe to make it worthwhile to try! Also, its chocolate cake, and a good one at that.
*Recipe Note: Do NOT attempt you mix this cake by hand or with a hand-mixer. This recipe needs a stand mixer – the batter is really thick and strong. You will basically die if you do this by hand. I am warning you.
- Mix together the starter, flour and mix and allow the “dough” to ferment for 2 or 3 hors on hte counter. It won’t really bubble, but it will expand a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Prepare three 9″ cake pans with parchment paper, butter, and flour.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa and espresso powder. The mixture will be grainy and look weird. That is ok!
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Gently combine the flour/starter mixture into the chocolate mixture, stirring until smooth. It will be really goopy at first, but it will smooth out, trust me! It will end up looking like a thick quick bread or thick brownie batter.
- Equally distribute between the 3 prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Allow to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool to room temperature.
- Frost and enjoy!
You might notice that my cake is leaning a little… I ended up being about 1/2 a cup of powdered sugar short, so my frosting was a little loose. I was going to put it in the fridge to set up a bit, but as it turns out a 3 layer cake on my tallest cake stand does not actually fit in my refrigerator… The only option was to place it in my pantry and hope it didn’t fall (or that a mouse wouldn’t happen to make its way into my pantry at that moment…what can I say, I live in a 100 year old house, I wouldn’t be surprised!) Luckily, the cake didn’t topple over, there were no unwanted visitors to the pantry, and the cake was completely gone in less than 24 hours.
Love Sourdough? Check out over 60 great sourdough recipes, including other fun dessert sourdough recipes:
- Sourdough Coffee Cake with Blueberries – This sourdough coffee cake recipe is an easy way to use sourdough discard, and a great way to have breakfast! The subtle sourdough flavor and juicy blueberries combine well in this tender and moist cake.
- Cinnamon Spice Sourdough Biscotti – This lovely spicy biscotti recipe is a fun way to use your sourdough discard!
- Sourdough Beignets – These pillows of doughs have a slight sourdough tang that works perfect here, and the texture is awesome. Pillowy and soft, with a slight chew.
- Sourdough Kolaches – these yeasted thumbprint cookie with pumpkin butter and topped with a streusel are a fun sourdough dessert recipe to make
- White Chocolate Cranberry Sourdough Blondies – This starbucks copycat recipe is a fun winter bar recipe to make with your sourdough starter.
- Mega Chocolate Sourdough Brownies – These sourdough brownies are ultra fudgey, and rich. They are easy and quick to make, so you can enjoy them whenever you have sourdough discard to use. A great recipe to use your sourdough starter!
Yield: 3- 9″ cake rounds
Chocolate Sourdough Cake Recipe
This decadent and rich sourdough cake recipe is a showstopping dessert!
Prep Time
4 hours
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
4 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder, optional
- 2 large eggs
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 (8oz) bricks cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- In a large bowl mix together the starter, milk and flour.
- Cover and allow to sit for 2-3 hours (it won't bubble but will expand a tiny bit).
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Trace 3 cake pan circles onto parchment paper.
- Grease 3- 9" round cake pans with butter, lay a parchment circle in the bottom, grease that and then tap a layer of flour in.
- In a medium bowl, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa and espresso powder (the mixture will be grainy).
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Gently combine the chocolate mixture with the starter-flour mixture, stirring until smooth (this will be really goopy at first, but as you continue to beat it, the batter will smooth out).
- Equally distribute the batter among the three cake pans.
- Bake 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Turn the cakes out onto the wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.
- Slowly begin adding in the powdered sugar, mixing until all the sugar is added and combined..
- (If the frosting is too thin, add more sugar - if too thick, add a tsp or two of water).
Notes
+Note: This cake totally calls for a stand mixer. Don't even attempt to kill your arms by mixing it by hand, or using a hand mixer. Then batter is very thick and strong. Use a stand mixer!+
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 750Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 604mgCarbohydrates: 108gFiber: 2gSugar: 79gProtein: 7g
(slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour and Gimme Some Oven)
Glad to see I wasn't the only one with frosting troubles :-). Nice job on the cake though – it certainly looks yummy!
I've never had a sourdough cake — it sounds interesting and looks really delicious!
Wow!!! This looks insanely delicious!
Thanks!
That looks heavenly! I love sourdough chocolate cake!
This is the ultimate and it looks soooo pretty. I just want to swipe my finger across that frosting! Great job!!
Thanks! It was hard to resist a frosting swipe! Luckily I made enough I could lick the bowl after… LOL
Awesome! I saw this recipe through KA, but wasn't sure if it was for me. I'm really, really happy to see that it worked out for you, and it looks decandently divine. Yum! 🙂
So glad to be baking with you through Sourdough Surprises.
Hi~ I used this same recipe from King Arthur and thought it was a great recipe! Your cake looks delicious:) Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines Irish Cream Chocolate Sourdough Cake~
Now THAT is a cake! It looks so beautiful with those swoops of white icing & deep dark sponge. Aw, yum. I'm pinning this.
Thanks Suz! For some reason I can't comment on your blog, but I think your ginger cake looks delicious! I would definitely trade you for a piece of that!
I love that you switched the oil for butter – I bet it was absolutely delicious. And it looks so pretty, leaning or not. YUM!
One word: YUM. I could murder a piece of that right now! I love your cake stand, too.
Haha Thanks! It was my grandmother's cake stand! 🙂
I truly love this cake! spectacular looking and the ingredients for the dough are just a few, the way I prefer it. and chocolate!!! my cake was also leaning, loose filling and 6 mini layers, of course 🙂 ciao, Barbara
What a showpiece! What was I thinking, looking at this first thing in the morning?
Oh, my! I would love to just dive into that, mouth open!
I'm so enjoying being a part of Sourdough Surprises-thanks! Chocolate and cream cheese…sounds like a perfect combination!
Hi was wondering when you mix the sourdoigh starter flour and milk together, what consistency it should be, mine is a sticky dough like ball, but was thinking it should be more of a wet consistency…let me know thanks!
Hi Nicole! Sorry it took me a few days to get back to you, I've been moving and had limited internet access. It is not thin like a normal cake batter, but shouldn't be a ball either. It should be more of a thick brownie or quick bread batter consistency.
Thank you so much for the recipe! This seriously the best, most moist chocolate cake I have ever tried! We made it just one layer and substituted yogurt for the milk and everyone was mind-blown. This is my main chocolate cake recipe from now onwards. Thanks!!
I have been eyeballing this recipe for quite some time now, and finally decided to give it a try for a small family party. It was absolutely delicious (I say "was" because we ate the whole thing for dessert). Not sour at all, perfectly chocolaty, flavorful, with a very moist, soft, tight crumb. Definitely my new go to chocolate cake recipe now. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Delicious! I love chocolate cake that has a deep rich flavor.
I have never had sourdough cake but girl, I KNOW this recipe is so delicious! Just look at that cake! I can not wait to try this cake out! YUM!
I had never made a cake by using sourdough, I followed your suggestions and I got an outstanding cake
Thank you so much!
Oh, this is my kind of cake! I love dark chocolate and won’t say no to it. And that frosting sounds so fingerlickingood!
I don’t have espresso powder but want that flavour! Is it possible to sub half milk for half brewed coffee?
Hmm – I would maybe try brewing the coffee grounds in the milk? Then let it cool back down again before using – I think that would give you the best flavor! Let me know how it works!
Have you ever made this into cupcakes? I am terrible with frosting cakes, but am good with cupcakes. LOL
Yes! You can definitely make them into cupcakes! Just adjust the baking time!
Jenni, this was great with a couple modifications as I wasn’t into the fancy layers and just did a 9×12 pan (35 min. baking). I’m sure my sourdough start is older than you, but everything worked well. I’m turning in my Rita Davenport cake recipe for this one. Deep dark chocolate moist cake with a little sourdough ting. Grand kids already love my thin sourdough pancakes, so they are gonna go nuts for this.
Thank You.
John