Sourdough Chocolate Cake (With Sourdough Discard)

Sourdough Chocolate Cake has the most amazing texture and is the best way for all chocolate lovers to use sourdough starter discard. Rich and decadent, this chocolate cake is so good it should be forbidden!

I’m presenting this as a sourdough chocolate bundt cake, but you can bake it using a sheet pan or round cake pans for a layer cake. I’ve tried all of them and all 3 versions gave me great results.

Don’t have a sourdough starter yet? I can teach you how to make a wild yeast culture!

Why bake a cake with sourdough discard?

Adding sourdough discard to a cake can sound a bit strange at first, but I promise you: totally worth it.

In a cake, sourdough discard:

• Gives more flavor (don’t worry: your cake won’t have a sour taste);

• Makes a tender crust and extra-soft interior; and

• Prevents a dry cake - this is an extra-moist chocolate cake!

Ingredients and substitutions

Flour. I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you want to add more fiber, you can substitute ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour.

Sourdough discard. This recipe asks for a full cup of discard. You can also use active sourdough starter, but it won’t really make a difference.

Dutch cocoa powder. Stick with dutch cocoa powder: it gives a richer chocolate flavor and a better-tasting chocolate cake.

Sugar. I use granulate white sugar for this recipe.

Baking powder. Always check if your baking powder is still active: add ½ teaspoon in a bowl and pour ¼ cup of boiling water over it. If not expired, it should bubble up right away. Baking powder to be active for this recipe, as it is the main responsible for the cake’s rise.

Salt. Adding salt even when making sweets is important, as this ingredient also plays a role in flavor.

Vegetable oil. You can use vegetable or canola oil, or substitute for refined melted coconut oil.

Eggs. Use large eggs. I opt for organic and cage-free eggs whenever possible.

Vanilla extract. Another ingredient responsible for flavor in this recipe.

Freshly brewed hot coffee. Use fresh and hot coffee for this recipe. Coffee brings out the chocolate flavor. When used hot, it enhances it even more. You don't need to brew a strong cup of coffee, though.

How to make it

This chocolate cake is super simple to make. No need for any fancy equipment here: 2 bowls and a wooden spoon are enough for you to put the batter together.

• Start by preheating the oven to 350°F.

• Mix all dry ingredients until well combined. Use a large bowl, and a whisker or wooden spoon.

• Combine eggs, oil, vanilla extract and sourdough starter. I like to mix them together until well combined and only then pour into the dry mixture. Use room temperature ingredients.

• Pour combined wet ingredients over dry mixture and stir until batter forms. It will be thick before adding the coffee.

• Pour hot coffee over the chocolate cake batter and stir until the ingredient is fully combined into it. It should be a thin, liquid cake batter.

• Grease the pan you’ll be using and coat it with granulated sugar.

• Pour batter into pan, and bake until cake is ready.

For a bundt cake, it takes from 45 to 50 minutes. If using a sheet cake pan, it takes from 25 to 30 minutes. If using 3 small round pans, it takes from 20 to 25 minutes.

The pan you’re using, its material, how hot is the oven you’re using and even using cold ingredients can influence baking time. When making a sourdough chocolate bundt cake, I check it after 40 minutes, and then from 5 to 5 minutes.

Signs your cake is done:

• It pulls away from the edges,
• Springs back when pressed lightly;
• Toothpick comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs sticking into it.

Tips for success

Don’t overmix the batter! Mix just until every ingredient looks incorporated.

To avoid lumps, add brewed coffee slowly: pour a quarter of a cup, mix until incorporated, half a cup, mix again, and then pour the rest. It makes it easier to get a smoother, lump-free batter.

Some small lumps AFTER adding the coffee are totally ok, though. So don’t sweat it!

This batter is more liquid: check the video to see how mine looks.

Use room temperature ingredients! Eggs and sourdough discard should rest in a counter for at least 30 minutes to get to room temperature.

How to prevent a bundt cake from sticking

There’s nothing more frustrating than to turn the pan over and have only half the cake coming out of the pan. If you suffer from this problem, follow these tips and have your cake coming out perfectly:

#1 If possible, use a non-stick pan;

#2 Grease every inch of the bundt pan - specially if the pan has a lot of nooks and crannies. Don’t forget about the center of the pan: it also needs to be greased!

#3 Use cooking spray or vegetable oil and avoid greasing with butter.

#4 Grease the pan just prior to adding the cake batter to it. Don’t grease it before starting the recipe!

#5 Coat the pan with sugar. After I started coating with sugar instead of flour, my bundt cakes never stuck to the pan again!

#6 Remove from pan while the cake is still hot. For this recipe, I let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn it over on a cooling rack. If you wait until cake gets to room temperature, it might stick to the pan - specially if you coated with sugar.

Toppings

My favorite topping for this recipe is a brigadeiro topping. If you’re not into condensed milk, here are a few alternatives for topping this sourdough cake:

• Chocolate glaze;
• Buttercream topping; and
• Chocolate ganache.

Storing and freezing

Store this cake away from direct sunlight, in a cake keeper or airtight container to prevent it from drying out.

You can freeze this cake after baking. For that, wait for cake to cool completely, then slice it and place slices into a freezer-safe bag. Seal it and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When freezing this cake, I recommend doing so with the cake free of any topping.