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!
You can bake this recipe using a bundt cake pan, a sheet baking pan, or round cake pans for a layer cake. I’ve tried all of them and all 3 pans gave me great results. The only difference in the recipe when changing pans is the baking time.
Don’t have a sourdough starter yet? I can teach you how to make a wild yeast culture in an easy, uncomplicated way.
Why bake a cake with sourdough discard?
Adding sourdough discard to recipes like cake might sound a bit strange at first, but I promise you: it is totally worth it.
In a cake, sourdough discard:
- Gives more flavor - but don’t worry, your cake won’t have a sour taste!
- Makes a tender crust and extra-soft interior;
- Prevents a dry cake - this recipe makes 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 with whole wheat flour.
Sourdough discard. This recipe calls for a full cup of discard. You can also use active sourdough starter, but it won’t really make a difference.
Dutch cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder gives a richer chocolate flavor, a darker color, and a better-tasting chocolate cake.
Sugar. I use granulated white sugar for this recipe, but caster sugar can be used instead.
Baking powder. Always check if your baking powder is still active: add ½ teaspoon to a bowl and pour ¼ cup of boiling water over it. If not expired, it should bubble up right away.
Baking powder needs to be active for this recipe, as it is 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 with refined coconut oil.
Eggs. Use large eggs. I opt for organic and cage-free eggs whenever possible.
Vanilla extract. I like to use vanilla extract when making chocolate baked goods.
If you like to experiment with extracts, Earl Grey extract gives a delicious and subtle taste to chocolate cakes. Lavender extract is also a good substitute for vanilla in this recipe.
Freshly brewed hot coffee. Use fresh and hot coffee for this recipe. Coffee brings out the chocolate flavor, and 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.
If you're looking for an even more chocolatey flavor, try using a chocolate sourdough starter to make this cake. You can use either a bubbly starter or its discard.
Step 01. Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Mix all dry ingredients until well combined. Use a large bowl, and a whisk or wooden spoon.
Step 02. Combine eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard. I like to mix them together until well combined and only then pour into the dry mixture. Use room temperature ingredients.
Step 03. Pour combined wet ingredients over the dry mixture and stir until batter forms. It will be thick before adding the coffee.
Step 04. 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.
Step 05. Grease the pan you’ll be using and coat it with granulated sugar. Pour batter into the pan, and bake until cake is ready.
For a bundt cake pan, it takes from 45 to 50 minutes. If using a sheet cake pan, it takes from 25 to 30 minutes. If using 2 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 every 5 minutes.
Signs your cake is done:
- It pulls away from the edges,
- Springs back when pressed lightly;
- A toothpick comes out clean or with only a few crumbs sticking to it.
Tips for success
Don’t overmix the batter. When making cakes, we want to avoid gluten development. Mix just until every ingredient is incorporated.
To avoid lumps, add brewed coffee slowly. Pour a quarter of a cup, mix until incorporated, then add 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 on the recipe card to see how mine looks.
Use room temperature ingredients! Eggs and sourdough discard (if stored in the fridge) should rest on the 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 the tips below and have your cake coming out perfectly!
#1 If possible, use a non-stick pan;
#2 Grease every inch of the bundt pan, especially 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, especially if you coated it with sugar.
Toppings
My favorite topping for this recipe is a brigadeiro topping. If you’re not a fan of condensed milk, here are a few alternatives for topping this sourdough cake:
- My brazilian carrot cake has a delicious chocolate glaze;
- Buttercream topping is also a tasty alternative; and
- Everybody loves a good chocolate ganache!
- You can also try serving it with a dollop of whipped cream. I have an Earl Grey and a lavender whipped cream that pair beautifully with chocolate.
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. To do that, wait for cake to cool completely, then slice it and place slices into a freezer-safe bag. Seal it and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When freezing this cake, I recommend doing so with the cake free of any topping.
More delicious Sourdough Discard goods
If you tried this Sourdough Chocolate Cake Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating to help me out and let me know how it goes in the comments below!
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Chocolate Cake (with Sourdough Discard)
Equipment
- Bundt cake pan
Ingredients
Sourdough Chocolate Cake
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup dutch cocoa powder
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup coffee freshly brewed and hot
Brigadeiro Topping
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoon dutch cocoa powder
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and dutch coca powder. Stir until well combined using a whisk or wooden spoon.
- In a small bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla extract and sourdough starter. Whisk them together until well combined. Don’t forget to use room temperature ingredients.
- Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir until the batter is formed. It will be a thick batter before adding hot coffee.
- Pour hot coffee over the chocolate cake batter. Stir until it’s fully combined into the batter. You should have a thin, liquid cake batter by the end.
- Grease the pan you’ll be using with cooking spray or oil. Coat it with granulated sugar. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake the cake in the middle shelf, from 45 to 50 minutes. Cake is done when it pulls away from the edges, bounces back when pressed, and a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbles clinging into it.
- Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then place a cooling rack over the top of the cake and turn it over. Give a little nudge if cake has not fallen into the cooling rack when turning.
- Wait for the cake to cool before topping it.
- For the brigadeiro topping, in a medium saucepan, add sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter. Using a large burner on medium-high heat and stirring constantly so it won’t burn, cook the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it starts to thicken.
- Lower the heat and add the heavy creamy, stirring constantly. Cook for another 3 minutes, or until the topping is no longer runny.
- Pour over the cake while hot. This brigadeiro topping tickers as it cools.
Video
Notes
- It pulls away from the edges,
- Springs back when pressed lightly,
- A toothpick comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs sticking to it.
Sara
The cake didn’t come out that moist which was disappointing but the topping is divine and helps the cake. Followed the recipe exactly, not sure why it’s a bit on the dry side.
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Sara,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I’m really glad to hear you loved the topping, it’s definitely one of my favorite parts too. As for the cake being a bit on the dry side, there could be a few reasons, even if you followed the recipe exactly:
Cocoa Powder Type – If you used unsweetened natural cocoa instead of Dutch-processed cocoa, that can affect both flavor and texture. Natural cocoa is more acidic and can change how the leavening works, sometimes leading to a drier crumb if the recipe wasn’t adjusted for it (like with baking soda).
Measuring Flour – Even a little too much flour (especially if scooped instead of spooned and leveled) can dry out a cake. It’s surprisingly easy to overdo it when using cups.
Baking Time – Ovens can vary, and even a few extra minutes in the oven can dry a cake out. If your cake tested done too late or the oven runs hot, that could be the culprit.
I really appreciate your feedback — if you ever remake it, I’d love to help tweak it to your liking! Cheers!
Mary G
Hi! Looking at making these for teacher gifts! Can you bake in mini loaf pans?
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Mary,
That's lovely! You can, but baking time will be shorter. Depending on the size you choose, start checking for doneness after 15-20 minutes. Cheers!
Kiki
Delicious, it was inhaled by my family, makes a big cake so next time I need to use a bigger Bundt pan!
Cheryl
Hi I haven't made yet, I was just wondering if subbing in AP flour for cake flour is ok? I have some from a different cake
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Cheryl,
I never tried this recipe with cake flour, but I usually avoid using it in recipes with cocoa, as it never gave me a good result. Let me know it you try! Cheers
Renee Hyzy
This was so fun to make and allows for flexibility! It came out just like your picture! I used Hazelnut coffee. Next time, I might try Earl Gray tea! There will definately be a next time! Thank you!
Tatiana Kamakura
I'm so glad you had fun making it! Hazelnut coffee sounds like an amazing twist, and Earl Grey tea would be such a unique flavor to try next. Cheers!
Arianna
Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of dutch? If so what would I need to alter in the recipe??
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Arianna, I've succesfully replaced one for the other with no adjusting made, but some people might get a drier cake if following the same baking time. Hope that helps! Cheers!
Sherry Heeter
Hi! I’m reading that if I use unsweetened cocoa instead of Dutch that I need baking soda to balance the acidity?
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Sherry!
From what I understand, natural (unsweetened) cocoa is more acidic, while Dutch-processed cocoa is neutral. So if a recipe calls for Dutch and you swap in natural, you usually need to adjust the leavening (like adding baking soda) to help balance the acidity and get the texture right. That said, I actually tried this recipe using natural cocoa without making any other changes (just baked it a few minutes less), and I still got good result. Using Dutch, though, will give you a moister and darker chocolate cake. Hope that helps!