How to Make the Ultimate Sourdough Chocolate Cake

The ultimate sourdough chocolate cake is rich in flavor and complex in texture. There’s coffee in the batter and the icing which decadently complements the dark chocolate, and the chocolate chunks spread throughout make this a cake that can transform even the most mundane occasions into something special.

My daughter loves Little Bear. This might seem off topic, but…bear with me. Throughout the show, the characters consistently talk about a few specific things they love to eat, and Mother Bear’s chocolate cake is at the top of that list. So in my attempt to recreate the food from the show, this chocolate cake was born.

Honey as a sweetener in the batter is the biggest giveaway that this is a bear inspired recipe, but there are a few other surprising ingredients as well. I added olive oil as the fat of choice which may seem confusing at first, but the taste of the oil does not come through at all. What it does bring to the cake is a texture that is similar to that of a brownie. The edges are almost crunchy, and the interior is near fudgy.

And to bring it all together, this is a recipe that uses sourdough discard, so the richness of the dark chocolate is perfectly balanced by the tanginess of the starter. I served this with some hot green tea sweetened with just a touch of honey, and it made for a delicious and luxurious dessert.

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Tools you’ll need

Hand mixer

Two cake pans

Parchment paper

Wire rack

Get started making this sourdough chocolate cake

The first step is brewing a cup of coffee. I start this process in the morning because that’s when I’m having my coffee, of course. I like to use it when it’s hot because it can easily dissolve the cocoa powder. Thoroughly mix the coffee and the cocoa in a large bowl with a whisk or fork and cover with plastic wrap to cool.

Prepare the pans

While that’s cooling, it’s a perfect time to prepare the baking pans, so they are ready when you need to pour the batter and bake.

I like to line the inside of both pans with softened butter and parchment paper to ensure there is absolutely no sticking when the cakes are removed.

To cut a parchment round that will perfectly line the inside of your cake pan start by cutting a piece that is about the width of the pan. Fold in half then fold in half again. At this point, you’ll fold in half a third time using the bottom left corner as the center. Fold in half one last time on that corner to reveal a shape like the one below.

Take the point of that shape and line it up with the center of the cake pan. Finally, use scissors to cut the parchment where the edge of the cake pan lines up with the paper. Your finished product will be able to fit nicely into the bottom of the pan. If you unfold it and find that it doesn’t quite fit right, you can fold it back up and trim as needed. Press the paper onto the butter to flatten any air pockets underneath, and it’s ready to bake!

Are you a visual learner and need a step by step tutorial? This video might help.

Mix the sourdough chocolate cake batter

At this point, the cocoa coffee mixture should be sufficiently cooled. I like to add all the wet ingredients to that same bowl except for the eggs which I save for later.

Beat with a hand mixer or whisk until it’s smooth and glossy.

When all the wet ingredients are thoroughly incorporated together, beat or whisk in the granulated sugar. Then it’s time to add the eggs.

Afterwards, and this may be controversial, but I just add the dry ingredients to the same bowl. I know traditionally with cake baking there’s usually a wet/dry separation until the end, but I really find no difference when I do it this way as long as the cakes go into the oven immediately. The trick here is to not let the batter sit for too long after the flour and baking powder are incorporated.

Finally, gently fold in chopped up dark chocolate chunks. I like to use two 72% Ghirardelli bars and cut them up myself, but about a cup and a half of chocolate chips would work here too.

Bake the sourdough chocolate cake

Transfer the batter to the baking dishes in equal parts and bake at 375F or 190C for about 45 minutes.

The time of baking is only approximate. This will entirely depend on your oven, so around the 40 minute mark check it with a toothpick down the center. You’ll know it’s fully baked when it comes out clean with no residual batter lingering on the toothpick, and your kitchen is permeated with the smell of rich chocolate. It should also have a bit of a rise and a nice fissure on the top.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Flip the cakes out of the pans by putting a wide enough plate on top, and placing upside down so they easily transfer. Don’t forget to peel the parchment paper off the bottom!

Finally, place a wire rack on top and flip once more revealing the top of the cake, and allow to cool completely before applying the icing.

Trim the top

I used a serrated knife to trim the dome off the top. This ensures that the two cakes stack neatly on top of one another.

Make the icing

While the cake continues to fully cool, mix the icing. I start by beating together room temperature cream cheese and butter together with a hand mixer.

Pro-tip: Set out the butter and cream cheese on the counter the night before to make sure that both are fully at room temperature before making the icing.

Once the cream cheese and butter are blended together, mix in the powdered sugar. I prefer to beat the sugar in a half cup at a time to avoid a huge cloud and powdered mess all over my kitchen. Afterwards, simply mix in the rest of the ingredients, and the icing is finished! It should have a thick, creamy texture.

Time to assemble your sourdough chocolate cake

After the cakes have COMPLETELY cooled, they are ready to be iced and topped. Grab whatever plate or stand you are going to serve your cake on and dollop just a bit of icing in the middle. This helps keep the cake in place as you ice it.

Place one of the cakes upside down on the plate so that the exposed interior is on the bottom. Cover the top (which is the bottom of the cake that’s now facing upward) with a thick layer of icing. Subsequently place the second cake on top of that with the exposed interior side facing downward again.

Use the rest of the icing to to cover the top and the sides generously. Optionally, I like to slice a few strawberries to use as toppings. The tartness of the strawberries is a refreshing contrast to the richness of the chocolate. When the cake is finished, it should look something like this:

Did you make this recipe? Comment below with your thoughts or any variations you’ve tried!

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