Sourdough chocolate cake is about to become your NEW FAVORITE way to use up that sourdough discard! The sourdough starter adds this incredible depth of flavor and keeps the cake tender for DAYS. You can’t really taste the sourdough. It just makes the chocolate flavor more complex and amazing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This cake is INCREDIBLY moist – like, stays-fresh-for-a-week moist! The sourdough discard adds subtle tanginess that makes the chocolate flavor POP without tasting sour. It’s a fantastic way to reduce waste (fellow sourdough bakers, you know the struggle!).
The texture is PERFECT – not too dense, not too light, just absolutely ideal. And can we talk about how EASY this is? No mixer needed, just mix everything in one bowl! Plus, people will be AMAZED when you tell them there’s sourdough in it. It’s such a cool conversation starter!
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Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 slices
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
The moistest chocolate cake made with sourdough discard! Uses up sourdough starter for zero waste. Rich, tender, and absolutely delicious. The best sourdough discard recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed, straight from fridge)
- 1 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans really well and line bottoms with parchment paper. Dust with cocoa powder instead of flour to keep outside dark!
2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk really well to break up any cocoa lumps.
3. In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together sourdough discard, hot coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. If discard is super thick, stir it first to loosen up.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until JUST combined. Batter will be THIN – like really thin! Don’t panic! It’s almost pourable like thick hot chocolate. This thin batter makes incredibly moist cake!
5. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans (about 24 oz per pan). Give them gentle tap on counter to release air bubbles.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes (25-30 for 9×13 pan) until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake!
7. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Must be completely cool before frosting!
8. Once cool, frost with your favorite frosting – chocolate buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or chocolate ganache!
Notes
Batter will be THIN – don’t add more flour! Thin batter creates moist cake.
HOT coffee is crucial for blooming cocoa – needs to be hot for deep chocolate flavor.
Sourdough discard can be any age – fresh, old, fed, unfed – doesn’t matter!
Add teaspoon of espresso powder to dry ingredients for extra chocolate intensity.
Make sure eggs and buttermilk are room temperature for better mixing.
Line pans with parchment for easy removal – saves stuck cake disasters!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process is amazing here!)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge is perfect!)
- 1 cup hot coffee (or hot water if you prefer)
- 1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Don’t have buttermilk? No problem! Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and let sit 5 minutes!
Why These Ingredients Work
The sourdough discard adds moisture, tanginess, and helps the cake stay fresh FOREVER (okay, maybe not forever, but seriously, this cake keeps!).
The combination of baking soda and baking powder with the acidic discard and buttermilk creates the perfect rise.
Dutch-process cocoa gives you deeper, richer chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa works too! That HOT COFFEE? It blooms the cocoa powder and intensifies the chocolate flavor – you won’t taste coffee, just AMAZING chocolate!
The oil keeps everything moist and tender, and the buttermilk adds extra tang that plays beautifully with the chocolate.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Two 9-inch round cake pans (or one 9×13-inch pan)
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling racks
- Toothpick for testing doneness
How To Make Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Step 1: Prep Your Pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your cake pans really well and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. This ensures your cakes come out PERFECTLY every time!
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In your large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl (or a large measuring cup), whisk together the sourdough discard, hot coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. The discard should mix in smoothly
Step 4: Mix It All Together
Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until JUST combined. The batter will be THIN – like, really thin! Don’t panic! That’s exactly what you want. It’s almost pourable, like thick hot chocolate. This thin batter makes an incredibly moist cake!
Step 5: Divide and Bake
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. Give them a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes (25-30 for a 9×13 pan) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake!
Step 6: Cool Completely
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Step 7: Frost and Enjoy!
Once cool, frost with your favorite frosting! I love chocolate buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or even just a simple chocolate ganache.
You Must Know
The batter will be THIN – don’t add more flour! Thin batter = moist cake. Also, the HOT coffee is crucial – it needs to be hot to properly bloom the cocoa. Room temp coffee won’t give you the same deep chocolate flavor.
And here’s something IMPORTANT: your sourdough discard can be any age – fresh, old, fed, unfed, doesn’t matter! This is the PERFECT recipe for that discard you’ve been collecting in the fridge for weeks!
Personal Secret: I add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients for even MORE chocolate intensity! Also, I always make sure my eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature – they mix more smoothly and create better texture.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Perfect layers: Weigh your batter for even layers – about 24 oz per pan!
- Extra moist: Brush layers with simple syrup before frosting!
- Easier cutting: Chill the frosted cake before slicing for clean cuts!
- No buttermilk? Use regular milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice!
- Darker chocolate: Use dark cocoa powder for deeper flavor!
- Mix-ins: Fold in chocolate chips for extra indulgence!
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Mocha Version: Replace half the coffee with espresso – SO good!
Chocolate Cherry: Add 1 cup chopped cherries to the batter!
Mint Chocolate: Add ½ teaspoon mint extract and frost with mint buttercream!
Mexican Chocolate: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon cayenne!
Triple Chocolate: Fold in ½ cup each milk and dark chocolate chips!
Make-Ahead Options
Cake Layers: Bake up to 2 days ahead, wrap tightly, and refrigerate!
Freeze Unfrosted: Wrap layers individually and freeze up to 3 months!
Frosted Cake: Frost the whole cake, then freeze! Thaw in fridge overnight.
Batter: Can be refrigerated overnight – just give it a good stir before baking!
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- This cake stays moist for up to 5 days at room temperature!
- The sourdough flavor is very subtle – just adds depth!
- Don’t skip the hot coffee – it makes the chocolate SING!
- Thin batter is normal – resist adding more flour!
- Works with fed OR unfed discard – use what you have!
Serving Suggestions
This is PERFECT for birthdays, celebrations, or just because you deserve chocolate cake! Serve it with vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, or whipped cream. It’s also amazing with a glass of cold milk or hot coffee. For fancy presentation, dust with powdered sugar or top with fresh raspberries!
How to Store Your Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Room Temperature: Cover and store for up to 5 days! It stays incredibly moist.
Refrigerator: Frosted cake keeps for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Freezer: Wrap individual slices or whole cake tightly, freeze up to 3 months!
Tip: This cake actually gets MORE moist after a day or two!
Allergy Information
Contains: Gluten (flour, sourdough), dairy (buttermilk), eggs
Gluten-Free: Use GF flour blend AND GF sourdough starter!
Dairy-Free: Use plant-based milk with vinegar instead of buttermilk!
Egg-Free: Use flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water)!
Vegan: Use all the above substitutions – it works!
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I really use old, unfed sourdough discard?
YES! In fact, that’s the PERFECT use for it! The older it is, the more tangy flavor it adds (though you won’t really taste it in the chocolate)!
What if I don’t have coffee?
Hot water works fine! The coffee just intensifies the chocolate flavor, but it’s not essential. You won’t taste coffee either way!
Why is my batter so thin?
That’s NORMAL and PERFECT! The thin batter creates an incredibly moist cake. Don’t add more flour!
Can I make cupcakes instead?
Absolutely! This makes about 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes!
Do I have to use both baking soda AND baking powder?
Yes! They work together with the acidic ingredients for perfect rise and texture!
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! What frosting did you use? Did you try any variations? Share your sourdough chocolate cake creations!
