If there was one thing I always asked for on my birthday, it was chocolate cake with chocolate icing. I've always been a chocolate fiend, so when it was time to create a sourdough version, I needed to get it just right.
This sourdough chocolate cake is the perfect balance of light but fudgy. It’s truly the best cake I’ve ever made. And the best part? You don’t need any fancy equipment. Just one bowl and a spatula.
Sponsored by Imperial Sugar: I'm truly grateful for your support of the brands that help make Make It Dough possible. I want to assure you that all the recommendations and opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Made this today, it was a big hit! I loved the seep chocolate flavor and although by looking at the cake I thought it was going to be dense, it was very light.
- Stacy Allen
Ingredients and Substitutions
Milk: I used whole milk for this recipe, but feel free to substitute your favorite plant-based milk
Sourdough discard: Adds a delicious tang and extra moisture to this chocolate cake, you can use your discard directly from the fridge for this recipe.
Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar and Imperial Sugar Dark Brown Sugar: White sugar adds structure and sweetness while brown sugar adds a nice molasses flavor and added moisture to the cake
All-purpose flour: Don't substitute another type of flour for this recipe or your cake will turn out gummy.
For my fellow chocolate fiends
If you love chocolate as much as I do, you'd know that the quality of the chocolate you get matters. Although I've been known to snack on a candy bar here and there...
When I bake I always get the highest quality to get the best results. This recipe uses Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is alkalized, don't use natural cocoa powder which is more acidic or it will change the texture of your cake.
I also used dark baking chocolate (don’t use chocolate chips as manufacturers use a chemical that makes it harder for them to melt). I’ve had great results with 60% Chocolate (Semisweet) or 70% Chocolate (Bittersweet).
Once you have the good stuff in your pantry you can always pull it out to make my sourdough brownies, sourdough chocolate muffins, and sourdough chocolate cookies to satisfy those cravings.
Step-by-step Instructions
- Bloom cocoa powder in espresso
- Melt the butter and chocolate together
- Make the batter
- Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes
- Make the ganache
- Let the cake cool completely and frost
A few more tips to help you make the best chocolate cake!
- Fold the sourdough discard thoroughly into the batter or you may end up with rubbery spots in your cake.
- Don’t open the oven door while the cake is baking. This lets heat escape, the sudden change in temperature could cause your cake to sink and turn out gummy!
- Don’t over bake your cake, aside from turning out dry the chocolate will lose its rich flavor and will taste a little chalky.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting. Otherwise your ganache will just melt off the cake.
If you love chocolate as much as I do, try my chocolate date caramel tart and sourdough brownies.
Want to make this in advance?
I love this recipe because it freezes very well so you can make it ahead of time. So useful for when you're prepping lots of dishes for a special occasion.
To freeze:
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack
- Wrapping it in plastic wrap. (It can be frozen for up to a month.)
- Once ready to use, leave the wrapped cake at room temperature until completely defrosted.
Did this recipe rise to the occasion?
★★★★★
Please leave a star rating and a comment. Your feedback helps me create more delicious sourdough recipes. I read and truly appreciate every message.
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Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 8-inch cake tin
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Ingredients
Cake batter
- 40 g cocoa powder
- 113 g brewed coffee
- 56 g unsalted butter
- 113 g semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 2 eggs large
- 75 g whole milk
- 8 g vanilla extract
- 75 g sourdough discard
- 200 g Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 50 g Imperial Sugar Light Brown Sugar
- 56 g vegetable oil
- 90 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 4 g salt
Frosting
- 226 g milk chocolate chopped
- 226 g heavy cream
- 28 g sour cream
- 30 g Imperial Sugar Powdered Sugar
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F/177 C. Grease one 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, grease the parchment to prevent it from getting stuck to the cake and dust the pan with cocoa powder.
- Bloom cocoa: Pour hot coffee over cocoa powder. Set aside.
- Melt butter and chocolate: Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add chopped chocolate and stir constantly until fully melted. Remove from heat and move to a large heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Make batter: Stir in sourdough discard, milk, sugars, oil and vanilla into the butter mixture. Beat eggs in one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the rest of the ingredients. Fold in the flour mixture. Pour the hot coffee and cocoa powder mixture into the batter (reheat the mixture if it has cooled down). Stir until just combined, do not over mix or your cake may turn out tough and rubbery.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan against your kitchen counter to pop air bubbles in the batter. Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Let the cake cool for at least 1 hour before frosting.
- Make the ganache: While your cake bakes, set a large heat-proof bowl over a small saucepan with an inch of simmering water. Heat heavy cream and chopped milk chocolate in the mixing bowl stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and cover the ganache with plastic wrap (the plastic wrap should make contact with the ganache to prevent it from forming a skin). Allow the ganache to cool completely before proceeding.
- Make frosting: Fold the sour cream and powdered sugar into the cooled ganache. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the mixture until fluffy and appears lighter in color, about 2 to 3 minutes (don’t over whip or your frosting will seize and become grainy).
- Assemble the cake: Spread a generous layer of frosting on top of the cake, frost the sides or leave bare for a more rustic look. Sprinkle chocolate shavings or cocoa powder on top.
- Enjoy and store: Serve the cake immediately after frosting. Store any leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cake will become deliciously dense and fudgy as it cools. If you want to restore the cake’s spongy texture, let it come to room temperature before enjoying.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- This cake can also be baked in a 9-inch round cake pan, it will be thinner and will require less baking time, begin checking the cake at 30 minutes
- Fold the sourdough discard thoroughly into the batter until fully incorporated or you may end up with rubbery spots in your cake
- Don’t be tempted to open the oven door too soon or your cake will sink and may end up dense
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Stacy Allen says
Made this today, it was a big hit! I loved the seep chocolate flavor and although by looking at the cake I thought it was going to be dense, it was very light.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
I'm so thrilled that you loved it! This is one of my favorite recipes too!
Alejandra Velasco says
Hi! Hello from México! I made this recipe for my son’s 6th birthday. It sunk in the center, I think my oven was too hot, cuz it looked a little burnt. It was delicious and I want to give it another try, any suggestions on how to find the best temperature?
Thanks
Ky says
Hi Hannah, I'm excited to try this recipe, I just have a question. We aren't coffee drinkers so how necessary is the brewed coffee for this recipe?
Hannah Dela Cruz says
It's for moisture and flavor! If you don't want to add coffee you can totally use hot water or even black tea.
Marina says
Hello, Hanna. Greetings from México. I´ve done this recipe two o three times now I´ve always had the same problem when I bake it. The cake rises so beautifully in the oven but once it´s done and I turn off the oven it deflates and sinks in the center. Do you have any idea why would that be? The flavor is delicious, but it frustrates me how that turns out at the end. Thank you
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and that is super frustrating. There are a few things that could be happening here:
1. You're baking at a higher altitude - this presents a lot of challenges, especially for cake baking.
2. Your oven may run a little colder than mine and your cake could be under baked when you're pulling it out of the oven, causing it to sink.
Let me know if this helps!
Jean says
This is a great cake, probably the best cake I’ve made, and I’ve made many cakes! I took one bite and I knew it was a yes, hours later my husband did the same, a day later my son stopped by, took one bite and said ‘oh yes’ too! I need to work on it some more. The 8 in pan doesn’t work for me, the batter overflowed and made a mess. It was a delicious mess and I’m happy to make some adjustments. Thanks for this one.
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
I'm so happy you loved it! I'm so sorry about the mess. Perhaps a 9-inch would be better. Thank you for the feedback.
La Posies says
How much tasty this cake is showing in its look. I must try it once!
Lisa Mae ❤️ says
Sounds excellent!