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This sour cream chocolate cake is moist, fudgy, completely delicious and so easy to make. It’s the perfect old-fashioned chocolate cake recipe that everyone will love and enjoy at every party!
Who here loves cake?! We are big fans, and if you love it too, you’ll want to check out some of our favorites, including: Chocolate Sheet Cake, Vanilla Cake, and our Neiman Marcus Cake.
YEs, sour cream!
If you’re looking for an easy chocolate cake that’s super moist and fudgy – then this sour cream chocolate cake is for you. It isn’t much harder than using a box mix, and it turns out perfect every time. Plus, can you really go wrong with chocolate cake and chocolate frosting?
For the longest time, I was a little unsure about adding sour cream to a chocolate cake. I was worried that it would make the cake taste funny. But you actually don’t taste the sour cream at all. Instead the sour cream makes it super moist and fudgy with the softest cake crumb.
Now, all sour cream doubt has disappeared, and I’m in love with this recipe!
How to Make Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
This recipe uses simple, everyday ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, including: butter, cocoa, water, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, salt and sour cream. Here are the easy instructions:
First we add the butter, cocoa and water to a sauce pan to melt everything together and dissolve the cocoa powder. Then remove it from the heat and cool slightly.
Mix in the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract – followed by the flour, baking soda and salt. Last but not least, mix in the sour cream. Bake for 35 minutes.
Let cake cool and make frosting and top with sprinkles.
Frosting + Storing
Feel free to frost the cake with whatever frosting you prefer. I’ve included one of my absolute favorite chocolate frosting recipes. It’s a simple recipe and there’s enough for a thin layer of creamy, chocolate frosting goodness. You could also top each slice with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce if you prefer, or even just a light sprinkle of powdered sugar instead.
You’ll love this sour cream chocolate cake because of its moist texture and delicious chocolate flavor. It’s not too sweet or too rich, but still filled with chocolate. So if you’re looking for an easy chocolate cake recipe – this one is definitely for you!
Leftover cake can be STORED in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. To store leftovers in the freezer you’ll want to flash freeze the cake by placing the pieces on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once solid wrap each piece with plastic wrap and again with foil freeze for up to 3 months.
For more great chocolate cake recipes, check out:
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Best Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Zucchini Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Mug Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sour cream
Chocolate Frosting
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 tbsp milk
Instructions
Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Add the butter, cocoa powder and water to a medium saucepan over low-medium heat.
- Melt everything together while gently whisking until the cocoa powder is dissolved and the butter is melted. Remove from the heat.
- Pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
- Mix in the sugar, followed by the eggs and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low beat in the flour, baking soda and salt. Then mix in the sour cream.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (I usually start checking around 30 minutes just in case).
Chocolate Frosting
- Melt together the butter and cocoa powder in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a mixing bowl to cool slightly.
- Beat in the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with a tablespoon of the milk/cream until the desired consistency and sweetness is reached.
- Frost the cooled cake, and optionally decorate with sprinkles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
After 3 attempts I nailed it. Different timing helped. 160 Celcius for 50 minutes. Its amazing. Can’t sleep I’m so excited.
Haha I’m so glad to hear you are excited! And happy to hear that you were able to find just the right timing. Every oven is different and location/weather/humidity can make a difference too, so I’m excited for you too! 🙂
I followed the directions perfectly and at 30 minutes it is still liquid in middle! Any suggestions?
Every oven bakes a little differently, even if set at the same temp/time. It sounds like it still needs to bake a little longer. Try putting it back into the oven and cover tightly in tin foil. The tin foil will trap the heat and help to cook the inside of your cake. Bake for another 10-15 minutes and check after 5-7 mins to make sure it’s working. Insert a toothpick into the center and when it comes out clean, it’s ready!
YUMMY! It almost tastes like a brownie cake. I made exactly like the directions said. It was fantastic! I’d make the cake again for Hot Fudge Cake. Ice cream between the layers of cake the hot fudge, whip cream. I loved that I had all the things on hand to make it. If you’re serving this to a large crowd, you better make 2. LOL
Yay!! So glad to hear you enjoyed the cake! It’s a good one!
Superb🎂🌰🧁😋
Thank you! I’m so happy you liked the recipe! 🙂
Re: Just made a comment a few minutes ago.
I just found my recipe for the Excelle Heart-shaped pan for Pound Cake Heart, (for the Sour Cream Chocolate Cake) so I’ll use the equivalent of eggs butter, sour cream, flour. Ingredients might work unless you have another suggestion?
Thanks,
Fran
Question: Can I use the Sour Cream Chocolate cake in a heart-shaped pan? It is 9″ on the widest part and 2″ deep. I may not bother with frosting and just serve with ice cream, but more important want to know about the pan. (Wilton)
Thank you,
Fran
That sounds perfect! I personally haven’t tried, so I wouldn’t know for sure. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Literally one of the best chocolate cake recipes I’ve had. Dense, rich and moist. The frosting is so so good too!
I am glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Do you happen to have a recipe like this one except for a 11×7 pan or a 8×8 or 9×9 pan?
Sounds delicious. Thank you.
Here is the link to all my cakes…https://lilluna.com/category/recipes/desserts-recipes/cakes-cupcakes/. You can really customize any cake to the size you need, either by doubling, halving, whatever you need.
Can this be made as a Bundt cake and if so, what adjustment would I make in cooking time?
Can’t wait to try it!
I haven’t made it in a bundt pan, so I’m not sure what baking time adjustments would need to be made. Since, it is thicker, it might need a little more time.
I would like to know this also
I haven’t tried baking in a bundt pan, but if you did, I would just advise to not overfill the pan. Make sure to leave room for the cake to rise. As far as baking time goes, just consistently check it. I’d follow the directions and start checking around 30-35 minutes with the chance it may take a bit longer too.
I substituted cream cheese for the frosting and used a little less sugar in batter and frosting. So delicious!!
Glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing what you did 🙂