The Best Sourdough Chocolate Cake Recipe - Home Grown Happiness (2024)

This sourdough discard chocolate cake is the perfect recipe for using your excess sourdough starter! It’s a rich chocolate layer cake and makes a wonderful birthday cake or cake for any occasion.

The great thing aboutsourdough discard recipesis that you can save up all the starter discard in a jar in the fridge and use it when you want. Other sourdough starters discard recipes includepuff pastryandovernight sourdough pancakes.

Thissourdough cake recipedoesn’t rely on the yeast in the starter the way that sourdough breaddoes. It uses the acid produced by the Lactobacillus bacteria in the starter.

This starter hasn’t been fed in a while or passed its peak and is now very acidic. That’s not good forsourdough bread, but it’s great for this sourdough chocolate cake (orred velvet cake!) Don’t have a starter yet? Learn to make your own starter with thissourdough starter recipe.

Ingredients

The actual amounts of the ingredients for this tender chocolate cake recipe are written in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you need.

• Sugar – There’s a mixture of granulated and brown sugar for sweetness and moisture.
• Large eggs – Eggs act as a binding agent, providing structure and stability. They also add moisture and fat.
• Vanilla paste or good-quality vanilla extract – Vanilla adds depth of flavor, enhancing the chocolate.
• Discard sourdough starter – The sourdough discard contributes a unique, slightly tangy flavor, balancing the sweetness of the cake. The acid in the starter creates a tender cake.
• Vegetable oil. Oil creates a really moist cake. You could use light olive oil, liquid coconut oil, or neutral-tasting vegetable oil.
• Salt – Enhances all the flavors.
• All-purpose flour – The base of the cake.
• Whole milk – Loosens the batter.
• Cocoa powder (this can be natural cocoa powder or dutch processed cocoa powder)
• Baking powder and baking soda – The leavening agents in the cake.
• Hot coffee. I use instant espresso powder dissolved in boiling water. If you’re not a fan of coffee, don’t worry, you won’t taste it. The coffee helps to strengthen the chocolate flavor. If you want to leave it out, it can be substituted for hot water.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and set it aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, eggs, vanilla, oil, milk, and sugars.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold gently for a minute before pouring over the hot coffee.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients briskly together but don’t over mix the batter.

Frosting

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter until light and creamy.

Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and salt to the butter.

Whisk on low speed to incorporate them, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.Once incorporated, switch to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for another 1-2 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.

Assembling

Switch to a rubber spatula and stir the buttercream in a spreading motion to smooth out some bubbles.

Spread ¼ of the buttercream on one cake round so it reaches the edges. Add the second cake round on top. Top this round with another ¼ buttercream and spread it out with an offset spatula.

Use the remaining buttercream to cover the edges of the cake, and use a dough scraper to smooth it out.

The ganache topping is optional but adds a real decadent touch to the chocolate cake and it’s perfect for chocolate lovers.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just simmering. Take it off the heat and add in chopped chocolate. Let them melt, then stir them together until glossy.

Leave the ganache to cool and thicken before pouring it on the cake so it can spread in a thick layer.

Why use sourdough in a chocolate cake?

Sourdough starter adds a subtle tanginess to the cake, making the chocolate flavor more complex. Plus, it helps to leaven the cake, making it light and tender.

Can I use unfed sourdough discard for this cake?

Yes, unfed sourdough discard works perfectly for this recipe. It’s a great way to use up, discard and minimize waste.

How long can I store the cake?

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days or, in the fridge for about a week. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just make sure to wrap it well to prevent it from drying out.