Moist Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Sourdough Discard

This Moist Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Sourdough Discard has a tender texture, rich chocolate taste and rises so nice! Perfect for the chocolate lovers.

I feel as if chocolate cake is a staple in the old-fashioned American kitchen and the modern. Perfect for celebrating something special like a birthday or anniversary or just as a treat. This Moist Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Sourdough Discard has a tender texture, rich chocolate taste and rises so nice! Perfect for the chocolate lovers.

Not only is it delicious, but it is also simple to make. You don’t have to use boiling water or anything; just mix together and pop it in the oven. The biggest thing? Make sure your sourdough starter discard is well incorporated. I have some tips below on how to make sure it is!

Let’s get right into the process of making this moist sourdough chocolate cake…oh and did I mention I have the best frosting recipe to pair with it. I could go on and on about how wonderful Brown Sugar Frosting is…but I will spare you and just share the wonderful recipe. Be sure to check it out!

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The Ingredients for the Sourdough Chocolate Cake Recipe:

All Purpose Flou: A good quality flour is best. No need for bread flour in this recipe.
The Sugars: I like using both white and brown sugar for this recipe. There is a sweetness to the cake but not a lot. This way the frosting of choice can add a sweetness without being overly sweet when paired together.
Salt: I just use regular table salt in this recipe, but you can use sea salt as well.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder: To make it lofty and soft the baking soda and powder do a great job at creating a fluffy cake.
Baking Cocoa – The Chocolate: Here is where the rich chocolate flavor comes from. Cocoa powder is a pantry staple and so simple to add in with the other dry ingredients.
Buttermilk: One of my favorite ingredients to use when you want a moist and flavorful end product.
Canola Oil (our your choice of oil): Any light cooking oil should work. I usually use canola oil, but you can use whichever light oil you prefer.
Eggs: Adding to the richness of the cake is 3 large eggs at room temperature.
Pure Vanilla Extract: I always try to use pure vanilla extract when possible.
Sourdough Starter Discard: If you make sourdough bread then you probably have sourdough starter discard. This is the best chocolate cake to use up some of your sourdough discard. It has a whole cup or 250 grams of sourdough starter discard.

Don’t Have a Sourdough Starter yet but would like one?

Agnes would love to teach you how to make your own starter! Check out Learning Sourdough with Agnes.

How to get the Sourdough Starter Well Incorporated:

This is probably the hardest part of this recipe. Here are a few tips to get it well incorporated so that you don’t end up with chunks of sourdough discard in your final baked cake.

Use room temperature starter- this makes it much easier to incorporate with the other wet ingredients.
Also use a whisk to incorporate the wet ingredients before adding them to the dry ingredients; and take your time doing it! Make sure you get it well incorporated.

How to Know When the Cake is Done:

You want to make sure that you don’t overbake the cake. It can become dry if you do. I’ll list a few ways below to help you know when your cake is done.

Always check your cake 5 minutes before it is supposed to be done. Ovens all bake at such different temperatures. You want to make sure your cake isn’t done before the time is up.
Use the toothpick method to check your cake doneness. You can also use a cake tester if you have one.
- Toothpick Method: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake if you pull it out and it is clean the cake is done. If there is still uncooked batter on the toothpick then you should bake for another 3 minutes and check again.
I like to use my finger to test the doneness of the cake. Just gently press on the center of the cake…if it seems to spring back it is done!

Baking in What Pan?

This cake could also be baked in cupcake liners just reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes. I haven’t tried it in a 9”x13” pan but I do think it may be too much batter for that. You could always make some of the batter into a few cupcakes if you wanted a 9”x13” cake.

I would like to try this recipe using round cake pans and will update when and if I do! I love the look of a beautiful round layer cake. Especially for special occasions. I think you probably would get 3 – 9in cakes from this chocolate sourdough cake recipe.

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Moist Sourdough Chocolate Cake: A Recipe from the Farm

2 ¼ (300g) cups all-purpose flour
1 (200g) cup granulated sugar
½ (100g) cup brown sugar
1 (6g) tsp salt
2 (8g) tsp baking powder
2 (11g) tsp baking soda
1 (85g) cup baking cocoa
1 ½ (310g) cup buttermilk
1/2 (120g) cup vegetable or canola oil
3 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp (6g) pure vanilla extract
1 cup (250g) sourdough starter discard, room temperature
Brown Sugar Frosting or Frosting of Choice

The Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
First, in a large mixing bowl, or in a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Next, in a separate medium mixing bowl add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, pure vanilla extract, and sourdough starter discard.
Make sure to mix this well. You want the sourdough starter to be well combined with the other wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined and no dry spots are left, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. Make sure to not overmix as this will leave you with tough cake.

Baking the Cake

Grease well with cooking spray, a half baking sheet (18”x13”). Making sure to get the sides of the pan. Then pour the cake batter into the pan.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful NOT to overbake.
Let the cake cool on a cooling rack and then frost or ice cake with this Brown Sugar Frosting or frosting of choice.
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Makes 1 half sheet pan (18”x13”) cake

FAQ’s:

Why is my cake dry?

This could be for a couple of reasons but the most likely is that it was overbaked. Chocolate cakes can be a bit of a challenge to tell when they are done.
Either insert a toothpick to see if any gooeyness comes out or press gently on the top of the cake and if it springs back it is done. If it doesn’t leave it in the oven for a few minutes and try again.

Moist Sourdough Chocolate Cake: A Recipe from the Farm

A moist and chocolatey sourdough discard cake. Simple to mix together and perfect with brown sugar frosting on top!

By: Mariah Nienhuis

Serving Size: 15 people

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Ingredients

2 ¼ cups 300g all-purpose flour
1 cup 200g granulated sugar
½ cup 100g brown sugar
1 tsp 6g salt
2 tsp 8g baking powder
2 tsp 11g baking soda
1 cup 85g baking cocoa
1 ½ cup 310g buttermilk
1/2 cup 120g vegetable or canola oil
3 eggs room temperature
2 tsp 6g pure vanilla extract
1 cup 250g sourdough starter discard, room temperature

Brown Sugar Frosting or Frosting of Choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
First, in a large mixing bowl, or in a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Next, in a separate medium mixing bowl add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, pure vanilla, and sourdough starter discard.
Make sure to mix this well. You want the sourdough starter to be well combined with the other wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined and no dry spots are left, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. Make sure to not overmix as this will leave you with tough cake.
Grease well with cooking spray, a half baking sheet (18”x13”). Make sure to get the sides of the pan. Then pour the cake batter into the pan.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful NOT to overbake the cake.
Let the cake cool on a cooling rack and then frost or ice cake with Brown Sugar Frosting or frosting of choice.

Notes

Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Makes 1 half sheet pan (18”x13”) cake

This cake and frosting pairing are a staple in our family. I hope you love it and enjoy making it for your friends and family. Let me know below if you have any comments or questions. Thanks for stopping by!

Sincerely,

Mariah Nienhuis | TheFarmChicken