A deliciously moist sour cream chocolate cake with a tender crumb. It’s topped with a not too sweet sour cream and chocolate ganache icing. The sour cream not only adds flavour, but acts as the perfect foil for all that rich chocolate. Works as well served as dessert as it does for afternoon tea.
This recipe came from an American friend who was so impressed with the cake she’d had in Port Townsend WA that she asked the chef for the recipe. He duly sent it to her and once she’d read my blog, she subsequently passed it on to me.
It sounded really interesting with its use of sour cream and vinegar. Neither of which I’d ever used in cake baking before. Of course, I’m an old hand now and have tried many more exciting things than these two ingredients. But back then it was a different story.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
I didn’t want to make quite such a large cake and also had to work out American conversions. The result is that my measurements are actually rather different to the original recipe. I also used wholemeal flour.
As the original chef emphasised the importance of creaming the butter and sugar in this recipe, I tried to overcome my reluctance and give my least preferred method of cake making a go – deep sigh. I do this from time to time to see if it really does make that much of a difference.
To be honest, I’m not convinced that it’s really worth the effort involved. True, if the butter is nice and soft, it isn’t really that much work, it’s just the butter always seems to be rock hard, either because our house is so cold there is no where to warm it up, or I fail to get it out of the fridge early enough to soften it. My bad!
I have to say I am very impressed with this cake. Maybe all that creaming paid off after all – oh no! The cake is both moist and light as well as tasting great. The sour cream icing is fantastic, not sweet but highly flavoursome and an excellent foil for the rich chocolate.
You can decorate the cake as you like. Chocolate curls or shavings are very stylish, but I used Minstrels (shiny chocolate buttons. I wanted to use contrasting coloured sugar flowers, but I didn’t have any.
What would you decorate your sour cream chocolate cake with?
Other Chocolate Cake Recipes You Might Like
- Chilli chocolate cake
- Chocolate fudge cake
- Chocolate treacle cake
- Chocolate yoghurt cake
- Scandinavian chocolate cake
- Triple chocolate cake
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this sour cream chocolate cake, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like even more chocolate cake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake. PIN IT.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake – The Recipe
Sour Cream Chocolate cake
Ingredients
- 6 oz wholemeal flour (I used 4 oz wholemeal + 2 oz gluten free flour)
- 2 oz cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz soft brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 fl oz warm water
- 6 fl oz sour cream
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 oz 70% dark chocolate
- 4 oz sour cream
Instructions
- Sieve the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Alternatively whisk to combine.6 oz wholemeal flour, 2 oz cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ½ tsp sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Cream (and cream and cream) the butter, sugar and salt together until very light and fluffy.4 oz unsalted butter, 8 oz soft brown sugar
- Add the eggs one by one alternately with some of the flour and cocoa mix. This helps prevent the mixture curdling.2 large eggs
- Stir in the vanilla, vinegar and water alternately with the remainder of the flour.1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 4 fl oz warm water
- Finally stir in the sour cream.6 fl oz sour cream
- Spoon the batter into a 9 inch (23 cm) round silicone cake pan or lined tin and bake on the middle shelf for 35 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool for ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the ganache icing.
Ganache Icing
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water. Allow it to cool a little, then gently stir in the sour cream. Spoon the ganache immediately onto the cooled cake.4 oz 70% dark chocolate, 4 oz sour cream
- Decorate with chocolate curls, or as I did with Minstrels (shiny chocolate buttons) and allow to set before serving.
Jacqui says
Such a creative and inspiring recipe! May need to veganize this one at some point.
Choclette says
Oh, I reckon it would be pretty easy to veganise Jacqui. I have a long list of cakes to do that for. Let me know if you do.
nancy says
i’ve never baked with sour cream before but i think it is my new favourite ingredient ! Pinned!
Choclette says
Thanks Nancy. Glad to have introduced you to it. Sour cream works really well in many bakes.
Savannah says
This chocolate cake is incredibly rich and moist–just how it should be. I love baking with sour cream!
Choclette says
So pleased you like it Savannah. Thanks for letting me know.
Natalie says
Rich, delicious chocolate cake! My girls and I love to bake and this is one of our favorites, thanks!
Choclette says
That’s good to hear. I loved baking when I was young and as you can see I still love doing it now. So glad you all like this cake.
Lucas says
This cake is so soft and delicious, I love the sour cream idea and it’s now my favourite version of chocolate cake!
Choclette says
Hahaha, you sound like me Lucas. My lates chocolate bake is always my favourite. Glad you like it though.
Ashley says
This sounds like a delicious sour cream and chocolate cake! I can’t wait to try it out.
Choclette says
We reckon it’s a good one. Would love to know what you think.
Sandra Amos says
Can I ask you what purpose is the cider vinegar used for? Have seen this in some other cake recipes and not too clear.
Thanks
Sandra
Choclette says
Hi Sandra. It reacts with the bicarbonate of soda which then helps the cake to rise. You can use any vinegar, I just prefer cider vinegar as it’s a bit milder and it’s good for you too.