Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
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Sour Cream Chocolate Cake — a ridiculously fluffy and moist chocolate cake made with dark cocoa powder and sour cream.
This Sour Cream Chocolate Cake recipe beats out all other chocolate cakes. It is definitely the moistest cake I have ever had. The crumb is soft and fluffy with the perfect amount of bounce. It’s one of my favorite cakes to make and there isn’t a person who had it who would disagree.
Frosting recipes
This chocolate cake tastes wonderful with any type of frosting. I topped the cake in the photos with yummy Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting but it would be amazing with Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream, Chocolate Buttercream, or Almond Cream Cheese Frosting!
Sour cream chocolate cake ingredients
All-purpose flour
Dutch-processed cocoa– I use Hershey’s Special Dark 100% cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor but any dutch processed cocoa will work.
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Sugar
Butter
Canola oil
Eggs
Sour cream
Whole milk
Cake pan prep and sizes
Prepare your cake pan with butter and flour or use my tutorial for lining cake pans with parchment paper. For this cake, I just butter my sheet cake because I didn’t want to risk the bottom of the cake being dusty looking. This batter will render:
1 9×13
2 9” cakes for double layers
3 8” cakes for triple layers
2 dozen cupcakes
Chocolate cake instructions
This cake is as easy as pie. It does require that all of the ingredients be at room temperature, so you will need to set them out in advance.Start by beating the the butter until fluffy followed by the sugar, canola oil, then eggs until smooth.
Next, sift into the butter, the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. This can be done in a separate bowl or directly into the batter as demonstrated. Either way, you will beat the dry mix into the butter on medium speed until crumbly before adding the milk.
Once smooth, fold in the sour cream. Folding helps to avoid over-mixing the batter with the machine.
Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan and bake for 22-28 minutes in a preheated 350° oven.
Use a toothpick to check for doneness (I used a butterknife; whatever works).
Cool the cake completely before frosting. The instructions for the frosting are in the recipe card below.
This recipe was edited on 7/16/18 and again on 12/2/2020 for improved recipe and content. It was first published on 12/8/2017.
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Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour (210 grams)
- 3/4 c Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cocoa Powder (60 grams)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 c sugar
- 1 c unsalted butter softened at room temp
- 1/2 c canola oil
- 2 eggs room temp
- 1 1/3 c sour cream
- 2/3 c whole milk warm
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 1/2 c heavy cream cold
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Beat the softened butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and canola oil until creamy. Then, beat in both eggs until smooth.
- Next, sift into the butter, the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into the creamed butter. Beat on medium speed to combine partially then add the milk.
- Once smooth, fold in the sour cream. Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan and bake for 22-28 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Cool the cake completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a stand mixer using a balloon whisk attachment, whip the softened cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Turn off the machine and scrape the bowl down. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Set the machine to low speed to incorporate.
- Once the sugar is mixed in well, adjust the speed to medium-high. Begin to slowly pour the remaining cup of heavy cream into the bowl. Run the machine for 2-3 minutes to fluff the heavy cream. It should be firm enough to hold shape on the tip of the whisk. Refrigerate until ready to use.
If you use two 9 inch round cake pans, do you bake them at the same time for the same amount of time (22-28 minutes)?
I would start checking it around 18 minutes, similarly to cupcakes. This batter bakes fairly quick.
This was an amazing cake, and just as you described. Thank you for the great step by step directions. It was easy to make and turned out perfectly! I usually am not a good cake maker, and this cake was perfection- moist, chocolatey, light in texture (bouncy). I highly recommend. This will be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on. I didn’t have enough sour cream so I substituted with half yogurt, and I also added a tsp of almond extract. My daughter made a cream cheese frosting for it and added almond extract to that too. It took a little longer to bake than your recommended time but that’s probably my oven. I used 11 x 13 glass lasagna pan. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
So glad you enjoy it!
Thank you for this recipe! I made HALF the recipe a couple hours ago. I used two 6″x2″ square aluminum Wilton pans and made a layer cake, and they baked in 26 minutes. This is honestly the moistest cake I’ve ever made. It has good flavor and the right amount of salt. I did add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. I didn’t use your frosting recipe. https://i.imgur.com/YYhsP0m.jpg
Glad you enjoyed it!
What temperature do you bake this cake at?
350°. Sorry about that, updated now.