Cake is such a staple at any celebration. However, this homemade sourdough chocolate cake recipe that uses sourdough starter has a delightful kick that will soon become a family favorite! Chocolate cake is great for parties and the holidays, but it's also a nice Sunday night dessert. Make it with einkorn or any wheat!
Are you a little new to sourdough starter? No worries! Check out this Art of Sourdough Course.
How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake is not only moist, decadent, and delicious, but it also sets up beautifully! I make a birthday cake for my husband every year, and this recipe is sure to please.
Though you can choose to use any icing you want on this chocolate cake, I highly recommend using the honey sweetened buttercream recipe located on the recipe card below! A simple, light icing allows the rich chocolate cake to really shine. :-)
Chocolate Cake Instructions:
STEP ONE
Combine the sourdough starter, milk, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let rest at room temp for 2 to 3 hours.
STEP TWO
Preheat the oven to 350°, grease and flour 2 8-inch round pans or 1 9x13” pan.
STEP THREE
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. The mix will be grainy.
STEP FOUR
Add eggs one at a time to sugar/butter mix.
STEP FIVE
Combine chocolate and flour mix, gently stirring until smooth.
STEP SIX
Pour batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
STEP SEVEN
Let cakes cool before removing from pan, apply icing as desired.
Icing Instructions:
STEP ONE
Gently heat water just enough to dissolve gelatin. Stir well, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
STEP TWO
Beat butter until creamy and smooth, add honey. Slowly add water/gelatin mix and beat until light and fluffy.
You will need to scrape down the sides often, and I have found that if I turn up the mixer to high and shield the edges with a towel (to avoid splashing) it takes about 5 minutes to incorporate the water. Keep at room temperature to pipe. This icing pipes really well!
MORE RECIPES TO TRY: Isn't cake great? With strawberry season just around the corner, try this Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake Recipe. Also, if you want to try out a different chocolate cake, celebrate a simpler time, and take a taste of this 1930's Einkorn Chocolate Cake!
Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 1 cup sourdough starter (ripe or discarded) (265g)
- 1 cup milk (234g)
- 2 cups flour (we use Einkorn flour) (228g)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (288g)
- 1 cup butter, melted and cooled (224g)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup cocoa or cacao
Honey Sweetened Butter Cream Icing:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature (224g)
- 1/2 cup water, room temperature (110g)
- 1/4 cup honey (or to taste) (84g)
- 1 tsp gelatin (we use grass-fed)
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Combine the sourdough starter, milk, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let rest at room temp for 2 to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, grease and flour 2 8-inch round pans or 1 9x13” pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. The mix will be grainy.
- Add eggs one at a time to sugar/butter mix.
- Combine chocolate and flour mix, gently stirring until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool before removing from the pan, apply icing as desired.
Icing
- Gently heat water just enough to dissolve gelatin. Stir well, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Beat butter until creamy and smooth, and then add honey. Slowly add water/gelatin mix and beat until light and fluffy. Note: You will need to scrape down the sides often, and I have found that if I turn up the mixer to high and shield the edges with a towel (to avoid splashing) it takes about 5 minutes to incorporate the water. Keep at room temperature to pipe. This icing pipes really well!
Notes
Nutrition
PIN THIS FOR LATER
This cake is amazing! I used a 9×13 pan and decorated with white icing and strawberries and blueberries to look like an American flag for July 4th. Such a hit! The cake is light, not too sugary and super moist. I’ll definitely be making again and again!
Well that sounds AMAZING!!! Thank you for sharing Rachel! <3
Could i substitute ap flour? I do nit have einkorn
my batter was super this when i went to fold in my cocoa mixture to my sds. Is that to be expected? It was almost like a wet bread dough rather than a thinner cake mix
Hi Kelsey!
Not sure if you’ve baked yet (probably have), but if not, you could add a few extra tablespoons (2-3) of milk to loosen the batter. It is a thicker than cake batter though, so it might be fine even without the extra milk!
Hi Kelsey, sorry I’m just seeing this! I don’t get online much on the weekends.
Yes, you can substitute “regular” wheat, but the liquid also may need to be increased. Which it seems like what may have happened. It’s not ALWAYS needed, so I didn’t note it, but when the batter is “too thick” then a few extra tablespoons of milk really help. Hopefully it was delicious still!
I made this cake to take to work with me and they all loved it!! One lady who used to bake cakes for a restaurant rated it 9.5!! She send adding some espresso powder would make it a 10 so I think I’ll try that next time!! The icing gave me some problems but I’m sure it was because I thought it was warm enough and it obviously wasn’t but after working with it a bit, it turned out amazing!! :))
That’s so amazing!! Yes, I do think that adding some espresso or coffee would deepen the flavor quite nicely! Tell her thank you!!