SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE
This Chocolate Cake is moist and delicious! It’s a fantastic way to use sour cream and you would never know it’s actually in this cake.
If you love chocolate like we do, you will definitely want to try out these amazing Lunch Lady Brownies! They have so many 5 star reviews and they are a classic for a reason.
Table of contents
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
This cake is easy to make and it’s perfect for a potluck, birthday, holiday etc. The frosting is amazing and everyone loves it. It’s the best frosting and it’s so good on this chocolate cake! We top it with walnuts, but you could easily add pecans or leave both off. Add sprinkles for a birthday!
🍴KEY INGREDIENTS
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa
- Soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Vanilla
Classic Chocolate Frosting Ingredients in the recipe card below!
SWAPS
You can add one cup of chocolate chips to this cake if you want to make it double the chocolate. You can use the nuts or leave them off and add sprinkles to the top for a birthday cake!
🍽️HOW TO MAKE
This cake is simple to make and the ingredients you probably have on hand!
COOKING STEPS
Step 1
Beat eggs; add sour cream. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan.
Step 2
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until cake tests done with a toothpick. Note: You can add 1 cup of chocolate chips to this recipe if you want to make it double chocolate.
Step 3 – Chocolate Frosting
Put the softened butter in mixing bowl and beat on high until very smooth and creamy. Stir in powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla and milk (or water). Beat again until the frosting is spreadable. You may need a little more milk. If so, add 1 tablespoon at a time. Sprinkle nuts on top.
⭐TIP
We like to use full fat sour cream since you are using this sour cream really in the place of milk. I think if you use low fat it may affect the moisture level of the cake, but you can always give it a try.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
SERVE THIS WITH
This cake is wonderful on it’s own however if you want to make this one a birthday cake, it goes amazing with ice cream!
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The sour cream is used in the place of milk in this recipe, so we like to use full fat. You can always try it but we have only made it with full fat sour cream.
I think it would be good with any frosting!
STORING
We store this cake in a cake container and it keeps for a few days.
💕MORE POPULAR RECIPES TO ENJOY
SERVING SIZE
This cake is made in a 9X13 so it has quite a few servings. It’s going to depend on the size but it will be 15 normal slices.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 eggs well beaten
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
CLASSIC CHOCOLATE FROSTING
- 1 stick butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 tablespoons milk or water
- 1 cup walnuts chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Beat eggs; add sour cream. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until cake tests done with a toothpick. Note: You can add 1 cup of chocolate chips to this recipe if you want to make it double chocolate.
CLASSIC CHOCOLATE FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS
- Can use any kind of nuts you like.Put the softened butter in mixing bowl and beat on high until very smooth and creamy. Stir in powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla and milk (or water). Beat again until the frosting is spreadable. You may need a little more milk. If so, add 1 tablespoon at a time. Sprinkle nuts on top.
Join 1000’s of others and subscribe today!
A lifestyle magazine that inspires you to create a life you love.. Discover the simple joys that fill our lives with gratitude and inspire a deeper connection to what truly matters.
© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
Can’t wait to try this, but did have one question – what is the measurement on “1 stick of butter”? Some sticks come in 1/2 cup or 1 cup measurements. Thanks so much!
1 stick of butter is 1/2 cup.
Made this when we were having six friends over for dinner making your beef and barley soup which is delicious but this cake is the best chocolate cake but the icing is the best I’ve ever had. It was a winner!!!
Shared the leftovers with neighbors and they all wanted the recipe.
Everything I make of yours is always a hit.
Thank you.
YAY!! I am so glad to hear this! We love this cake too and totally agree about the icing.
My cake didn’t rise up to the top of the pan. Is this normal for this receip.
You can see from the photos how much the cake filled the pan after we frosted it.
This sounds wonderful, but I have a question? Do you grease the baking pan?
Hi Janet, yes I would grease the pan. Thank you for bringing that to my attention, I’ve updated the recipe!
Thank You!
I’ve been going through my Mom’s recipes, organizing and copying for the younger generation. I found her Sour Cream Cake recipe and was concerned that maybe some of the ingredients were missing from the recipe.
Got on-line, started searching, and FOUND YOUR RECIPE!! I have confirmation, it’s just like my mom’s, so nothing is missing! YAY
Thank you again for the very important work you both do. You are literally archiving history!
You’re so welcome! We’re both so glad our site was able to help you!
Sounds really good! The recipe mentions cream cheese chocolate frosting but I do not see any cream cheese in the ingredient listing am I missing it?
No, it was a typo. It has been changed. Thanks for letting us know!
WONDERFUL!!!
No butter or oil??
None!
you have some very nice recipes,and i will try them. i have a blond brownie called chewies,and they are to dye for. if u would like it i will be happy to share. sincerley sandy graham. another thing the account is in my husbands name todd graham.
Sure Sandy, we always like shared recipes.
Yummy recipes!
Can’t beat chocolate cake with sour cream. Great recipe. Thanks
one word….YUMMY!
Thanks for adding a PDF option. Still gonna split it in half and bake in an 8X8 pan with no frosting for us diabetics. Cut into SMALL pieces too so it lasts over 5 minutes.. LOL
This looks and sounds delish, going to make it today or tomorrow.
This looks delicious. How can you beat a sour cream chocolate cake?
My grandma used to make this cake but I never had the recipe. It was such a moist cake; I loved when she would make it! I had completely forgotten about her making this when I was just a girl, thank you for posting such a wonderful dessert!