Sour cream chocolate cake boasting a rich, velvety texture and deep, delectable chocolate flavor. The addition of sour cream adds extra fat, resulting in an incredibly moist and tender crumb. Topped with homemade frosting that perfectly balances tangy and sweet, this cake is a true treat.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Updated on Jul. 15, 2024
Sour cream chocolate cake will soon become your favorite dessert with its rich, velvety texture and deep, delicious chocolate flavor. The extra fat content from sour cream makes this cake super-moist and rich, creating a more tender cake crumb. The homemade frosting strikes the perfect balance between tangy and sweet. Keep reading to find out how to make the best sour cream chocolate cake.
Ingredients for Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
- Baking cocoa: This helps give this cake its intense chocolate flavor and dark color.
- Boiling water: Boiling (not lukewarm) water boosts the richness of the baking cocoa.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can better control the overall flavor.
- Sugar: Sugar does more than add sweetness; it helps create a cake’s structure.
- Eggs: Eggs help to bring the batter together.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract helps to enhance all the other flavors of this cake.
- Cake flour: Cake flour gives this cake its light, fluffy texture.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Baking soda and baking powder help to cake to rise and lift, giving it its shape.
- Salt: Salt elevates the sweetness of this cake.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream for optimal richness.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: Semisweet chips are the ideal combo of bitter and sweet.
- Butter: Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature before using.
- Sour cream: Sour cream does a great job of cutting the sweetness with a slight tanginess.
- Vanilla extract: This adds a lovely vanilla note to the frosting.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Confectioners’ sugar dissolves easily at room temperature, giving this frosting its silky-smooth texture.
- (Optional) Gold sprinkles: Sprinkles are a colorful addition to this cake, but feel free to add whatever topping you’d like.
Directions
Step 1: Make the batter
Dissolve the cocoa in boiling water and let cool. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about five to seven minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream, beating well after each addition. Add the cocoa mixture and mix well.
Step 2: Bake the cake
Pour the cake mixture into three greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 30 to 35 minutes). Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 3: Do the frosting
In a microwave, melt the chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool for five minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, decorate with sprinkles.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Recipe Variations
- Add espresso: A teaspoon or so of espresso powder makes this chocolate cake even more chocolatey.
- Decorate the cake: Add sprinkles, fresh fruit, cookie crumbs or whatever other toppings you’d like.
How to Store Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Store chocolate sour cream cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last for up to three days.
Can I make sour cream chocolate cake in advance?
Yes. You could make this cake a full day in advance. Bake and let it cool, then frost it and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Keep it in the fridge until about an hour before you want to serve it.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Recipe Tips
What does sour cream do to this cake?
Sour cream does the work of cutting the richness of chocolate cake and also provides moisture, body and rise.
How can I make sure my sour cream chocolate cake has the right texture?
Work with room-temperature ingredients (to ensure they blend well) and follow the recipe to a tee.
Can I double this recipe for sour cream chocolate cake?
Technically yes, though we’d recommend treating it as two separate batches rather than attempting to make a bigger cake.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Prep Time
35 min
Cook Time
30 min
Yield
16 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup baking cocoa
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2-1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- FROSTING:
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter, cubed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4-1/2 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar
- Assorted gold sprinkles, optional
Directions
- Dissolve cocoa in boiling water; cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa mixture and mix well.
- Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, decorate with sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
1 slice: 692 calories, 30g fat (18g saturated fat), 119mg cholesterol, 451mg sodium, 102g carbohydrate (75g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
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Impressive to look at but easy to make, this cake is a good old-fashioned "Sunday supper" dessert that melts in your mouth. —Marsha Lawson, Pflugerville, Texas
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