Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Cake is a favorite at birthday parties, but there’s no need to make it an annual treat.

This Chocolate Sour Cream Cake is tender, soft and rich in chocolate flavor!

The secret ingredient is coffee! Coffee is to chocolate what vanilla is to pudding. It offers richness and depth, intensifying the best qualities of chocolate without overwhelming it.

If you don’t like coffee, don’t worry. There is no coffee flavor in this cake – just chocolate.

And if you don’t consume caffeine, don’t worry. You can easily replace regular coffee with decaf.

The best pan size

This Chocolate Sour Cream Cake is designed for a 9″ x 13″ cake pan, but you can just as easily bake and layer it in two rounds or in muffin tins for cupcakes. It will make your mouth happy however you shape it.

Round cakes and cupcakes don’t need to bake as long as 9×13. For cupcakes after 20 minutes and around 30 minutes, start checking the center with toothpicks. They’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The best frosting

The choice of frosting is up to you, but these two are favorites. Try this Extra-Rich Chocolate Frosting for a double dose of chocolate. Or if you prefer a study in contrast and want white frosting, this cream cheese frosting is easy to make and always a hit.

Just make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting.

Make the cake ahead of time

You can prepare the cake a day in advance: bake, let cool, glaze, cover with cling film or aluminum foil and refrigerate. Take out of the fridge an hour before serving.

Such cakes should always be served at room temperature.

How to freeze this cake

Wrap the unfrozen cake at least twice in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw, freeze and serve.

More great cakes to slice and share

Triple apple snack cake
German chocolate snack cake
Lemon poppy seed ring cake
Vanilla Pound Cake
Vanilla Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake

preparation time
20 minutes

cooking time
55 minutes

total time
75 minutes

portions
10
up to 12 servings

Be sure to let the cake cool completely before coating the top with icing.

2 cups (250G) all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups (360G) sugar
3/4 cup (70G) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 big eggs
1 Cup sour cream
3/4 Cup rapeseed oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup intensely boiling hot Coffee
1 batch (1 1/2 cups) chocolate or cream cheese glaze

Preheat the oven:

up to 300°F. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Put aside.
Sift the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Stir in the kosher salt.
Whisk together the wet ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, canola oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients:

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a stiff spatula. The dough will be thick like icing.
Add coffee:

Pour in the boiling hot coffee. The batter will look like mud pies in a muddy lake. Continue stirring until all the liquid is incorporated and a homogenized cake batter forms.
Bake the cake:

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake:

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After about 30 minutes spread the frosting on top.

Slice and serve straight from the pan like it’s 1983, and you’ll be rocking your favorite yellow stripe knee socks. Oh yeah!