Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is a simple, classic cake that can be frosted or dusted with powdered sugar. It’s dense and chocolatey – a cross between a gooey brownie and a piece of cake!
I am going to show you something. Something I should NOT be showing you. Ever. Like everrrrrr.
Consider this a PSA for anyone whoever even THOUGHT about starting a food blog. My advice is always…just do it. Actually, that is my advice to anyone who wants to try anything. Just give it a try. I mean, except crack or drinking vanilla extract (even though it smells delicious) or Crocs. But anything else…totally do it!
I will prove to you, here today that you should just go for it. Fake it til you make it. I am living proof.
Because friends, I am going to show you how things used to be around this internet space circa 2009. This was like a month after I started my website, and I thought I would try and “develop” recipes and photograph my experiences. OMG embarrassing. SOOO…I made this very recipe.
But back in 2009 I didn’t know much about anything when it came to photography. I posted the pictures you see HERE. (That is the one and only link I will put for sake of your eyes). Oh dear Lord. You see I was going back through the archives on my site, checking on posts I needed to update, add new pictures etc. Basically website maintenance. ANYWAYYYYYY, I found that post and literally did not even know what the picture was. Seriously it looks like a pile of dookie.
How I thought that picture was good enough to post PUBLICLY is way beyond me. I mean, the recipe is great, but holy bleep, the pictures. I don’t even know what to say.
And bless the sweet soul who left a comment on that post. I owe you a brownie for SURE.
Anyhow, if anyone could see beyond the treasure that was my photography in 2009, there was actually a good recipe buried in there. So yeah, fake it til you make it.
While unidentifiable back in 2009, it is actually a Sour Cream Chocolate Cake. I actually set out to make a sour cream brownie, but it was much more cake than brownie…albeit, still delicious. It’s soft and loaded with chocolate chips. You could frost it, certainly, or just dust it with powdered sugar! Either way, it’s a sure winner.
Enjoy!
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Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 8–10 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is a simple, classic cake that can be frosted or dusted with powdered sugar. It’s dense and chocolatey – a cross between a gooey brownie and a piece of cake!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 pan with aluminum foil, coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla and mix on medium until light and smooth. Add cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until smooth.
- Turn mixer to low and add in flour until well mixed.
- Stir in chocolate chips and spread the batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over the top, if desired.
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Helpful tip… Out of sour cream?
I have been looking for this incredible lost recipe for years. THANK YOU! I’m in heaven.
I thought that was a wonderful pic of a chocolate cake (the one in 2009)! WOW! I would stuff that in my face so fast…..lol
Batter waaay to thick. In 50 years of baking I’ve never seen a cake or brownie batter that thick. Cake was dry despite my using a high fat cocoa. Not enough sugar, either. Not much going for this cake, a real disappointment. Wasted money on quality ingredients! Didn’t bake evenly, either. Cake appeared done around the perimeter but wet in the middle – baked for 24 minutes.
Recipes should always state whether a cake batter will be thin, thick, or appear curdled.
I’m an experienced baker so I know what I’m doing. I’ve written to Shelly to ask her to revisit this recipe and try to figure out what might be the problem. Perhaps too much flour? Maybe use cake flour? More sour cream?
Co-signed! I’m an experienced baker of 35 years and have *never* had a cake turn out this badly. The batter is so thick and heavy. Had a bad feeling about it, but crossed my fingers and baked it. Not sure how a cake with a whole cup of sour cream could turn out this dry, but here we are. Also quite bland–even frosting couldn’t save it. It’s possible that less flour, more milk or sour cream (perhaps even some coconut oil) might salvage it, but I recommend just finding a better recipe. Note to self: always read the comments. That’s on me. What a waste of time and ingredients. :-/
Tried to see that gloriously awful picture you describe but the link is broken!! Making this cake today!
Batter was SUPER thick, i reckon adding double sour cream and splash of milk. Makes it a lot better.
Five stars for sure. I did it twice and it was the kind of cake I love, not so sweet and you can taste the chocolat so well, and the texture? So yummy! My husband also loved it. The only thing I changed was the flour. I used the while whole wheat one instead and worked perfectly. Anyway I saved the page and also sent to my friends that loves to bake. Thank you so much. 😉
The batter was super thick and it ended up coming out super dense and dry. After baking. .. Not sure what happened 🙁
Same here!