Chocolate Sour Cream Cake Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/28/22
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Chocolate Sour Cream Cake slices on plates, next to a baking dish with cake

The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Cool Time: 20 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 12 to 20 servings

This chocolate sour cream cake is easy to make and doesn't even require a mixer. Just combine the ingredients, pour the batter into the prepared rectangular pan, and bake! You can make the batter with hot, freshly brewed coffee or hot water. Coffee has a way of intensifying chocolate flavor, but the cake is excellent with or without it.

The frosting is easy as well. It's a rich, silky chocolate frosting with enough sour cream to give it a tangy flavor that complements the cake perfectly. The recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups of frosting, enough to make a generous layer on this delicious chocolate sour cream cake.

A one-layer cake is excellent for taking along to a party, potluck, or office event because there's no need to take it out of the pan, fuss with layers, or finish it with elaborate decorations. It is perfect as it is!

“This chocolate cake is perfect for a party since it's a one pan wonder - but the rich and decadent sour cream frosting really makes the cake stand out. Make sure to allow the chocolate to cool so when you whip it in the electric mixer, the frosting whips right up!” —Tracy Wilk 

chocolate cake/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil, more for the pan

  • 2 cups (255 grams) all-purpose flour, more for the pan

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup very hot brewed coffee, or very hot water

For the Frosting:

  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

  • 6 tablespoons (3-ounces) unsalted butter

  • 2/3 cup sour cream

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

  • 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, or as needed

Steps to Make It

Make Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

  1. Gather ingredients for the cake.

    Chocolate cake ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

    Prepared baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir to combine.

    Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.

    Eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  5. Stir the egg and sour cream mixture into the flour-cocoa mixture until blended. Add the hot coffee or water and stir until the batter is smooth.

    Chocolate cake batter in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

    Chocolate cake batter in a baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  7. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake to a rack and cool completely while you make the frosting.

    Baked chocolate cake in a baking dish, on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Make Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

  1. Gather the frosting ingredients.

    Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  2. Put about 1-inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat.

    Water in a saucepan on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  3. Place the chocolate chips and butter in a heat-safe large bowl and place it over the simmering water (make sure the bowl is not touching the water).

    Chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  4. Stir until the mixture is melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.

    Melted chocolate and butter mixture in a double boiler

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  5. Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk the sour cream, vanilla, and salt into the melted chocolate mixture.

    Chocolate mixture with sour cream, vanilla, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  6. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the chocolate-sour cream mixture and beat with an electric mixer until creamy, adding more sifted confectioners' sugar as needed until the mixture is thick but easily spreadable.

    Chocolate frosting in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  7. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, slice and serve.

    Chocolate Sour Cream Cake in a baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Tips

  • This recipe calls for natural cocoa, not Dutch-process. The acidity of the natural cocoa and the acidic buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to make the cake rise. If all you have is alkalized Dutch-process cocoa, try replacing about 3/4 teaspoon of the baking soda with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.
  • Choose full-fat sour cream for this recipe. The extra fat in the sour cream adds moisture and richness and results in a tender crumb.
  • Use a neutral flavor oil in this recipe, such as canola oil, corn oil, safflower, or plain vegetable oil.

Recipe Variations

  • 2-Layer Chocolate Sour Cream Cake: Prepare the cake and pour the batter into two greased and floured 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake the layers at 350 F for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For the frosting and filling, increase the ingredients as follows: 2 cups chocolate chips, 8 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of sour cream, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, a scant 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 4 1/2 to 5 cups of confectioners' sugar.
  • Instead of frosting, serve the cake with a dollop of whipped cream or dust it with confectioners' sugar or cocoa.
  • Another kind of frosting may be used on the cake. Try classic buttercream, chocolate buttercream, or chocolate buttermilk frosting.


How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftover chocolate sour cream cake with the sour cream frosting for up to 1 week.
  • If unfrosted or frosted with buttercream, store the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or cover and keep the cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • To freeze individual slices, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Wrap each piece with plastic wrap and put them in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
423 Calories
20g Fat
60g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 20
Amount per serving
Calories 423
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 39mg 13%
Sodium 248mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 47g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 101mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)