Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting
Experience this irresistible Sourdough Chocolate Cake — a moist, chocolate-lovers dream cake that balances the rich sweetness of chocolate with the unique tang of sourdough that is fermented overnight for optimal healthy gut benefits. Topped with a velvety Whipped Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting, this decadent cake is the perfect showstopper for any occasion and a must-try for chocolate lovers craving something extraordinary!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- sourdough starter
- all purpose flour
- olive oil
- water
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- eggs
- sugar
- salt
- (optional) espresso powder
- mascarpone cheese
- powdered sugar
- whole milk, or buttermilk
- sour cream
- heavy whipping cream
- (optional) frozen cherries
Why is it better to let sourdough ferment overnight?
Letting sourdough ferment overnight offers several key benefits that improve both the flavor and texture of your baked goods:
1. Enhanced Flavor Development:
- Fermentation allows wild yeast and bacteria to break down starches and sugars in the dough over time. This slow process results in a deeper, more complex flavor profile, with tangy and slightly sour notes that can’t be achieved through quick fermentation.
2. Improved Texture:
- Longer fermentation helps gluten develop more thoroughly, leading to a lighter, airier crumb. This gives your sourdough cake or bread a tender texture that’s much harder to achieve with a fast rise.
3. Better Digestibility:
- The longer fermentation time breaks down more of the phytic acid in flour, making the bread easier to digest and improving nutrient absorption.
In short, giving sourdough a long, slow ferment is like letting it “rest” to develop its full potential. The result is a richer flavor, a more delicate crumb, and better overall quality!
How to store chocolate cake?
Typically, you can store chocolate cake with a buttercream frosting on the counter for up to 3 days. However, if using the whipped mascarpone frosting, you will need to store in the fridge and it can be store for up to 1 week. Any frostings that are not stable, aka made with heavy whipping cream rather than butter or a ganache, will need refrigeration.
For longer storage, slice the cake into individual pieces and store in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Divide each layer with parchment paper to help prevent sticking.
Bake with me!
Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting
Ingredients
For the Sourdough Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Warm Water
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Sourdough Starter
- 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder divided
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Cane Sugar
- 1 cup Whole Milk or buttermilk
- 1/3 cup Sour Cream
- 2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp. Fine Salt
- 1 tsp. Espresso Powder
For the Whipped Mascarpone Frosting:
- 8 oz. Fresh Mascarpone Cheese
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
(Optional) For Serving:
- 12 oz Frozen Cherries
- 2 tbsp. Granulated Cane Sugar
- Freshly Whipped Cream
Instructions
For the Sourdough Chocolate Cake:
- The night before: In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, olive oil, sourdough, and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Mix until very well combined and a sticky dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight (up to 24 hours).
- The next day: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 9" cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the sugar and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk, sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla, salt, and espresso powder. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the chocolate sourdough mixture and mix just until a smooth batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until centers are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Whipped Mascarpone Frosting:
- Combine the mascarpone cheese and heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until smooth, then add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Beat until firm peaks, about 3-4 minutes.
- Fold in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to taste.
To Assemble / Serve:
- Place one chocolate cake layer on your cake plate. Layer half of the chocolate mascarpone frosting over the bottom cake layer, then add the top cake layer and repeat with the remaining frosting.
- To make the cherry compote: Combine the frozen cherries, sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and cook until the cherries thaw. Use a potato masher to mash the cherries into smaller pieces. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add a slurry of 1 tablespoons flour mixed with 2 tbsp water to help thicken the compote and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, if needed. Let cool to room temperature.
- To serve: Enjoy the sourdough chocolate cake, serving each cake slice with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream and spoonful of cherry compote!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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Excited to try! Can I use discard for this recipe?
Yes! If you feed it in the morning, you could use sourdough directly from that jar in the evening OR you could use sourdough discard and proceed as normal with same-day baking by adding an extra 1/2 tsp baking powder 🙂
If my starter is bubbly but not doubling fully should I do the overnight method or bake same day??
hi Desiree! I would suggest letting the initial sourdough chocolate mixture overnight for best rise and fermentation!
Hi! Can’t wait to try baking this, it looks delicious!🤭 Can I substitute the sour cream with greek yogurt? Also the olive oil, for avocado oil?
Hi Stephanie! Yes, that’s totally fine! Hope you enjoy 🙂
This was just as good as it looks! OMG. Moist, complex, delicious, and beautiful. This was a fun multi-day project and really impressed guests with the fact that it’s a sourdough cake (curve ball!). You have a gift! All your cakes turn out great!
Best chocolate cake I’ve ever made!! I didn’t have whole milk so I used what I had on hand (3/4 C half & half and 1/4 C almond milk) and it turned out so good. Perfectly moist and fluffy with amazing flavor. I paired it with a raspberry filling and dark chocolate buttercream. I got so many good feedback from family and friends!
so much*** not many lol
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday. It is SO delicious! It’s yummy goodness in every bite!
Is it okay to make the frosting a day ahead and refrigerate and then assemble the cake the next morning after it’s baked and cooled?
Absolutely! You may just need to whip the frosting for few minutes before assembling to help it be extra fluffy 😉
This was so fun to bake and delicious! Everyone has been telling me how good it was even weeks after the fact.
This was so delicious! The recipe was really easy to follow and it tasted amazing, and even though I had to substitute the heavy cream with cream cheese, it still came out really well. I’ll definitely be making this again!
I am dying to make this cake. I have an egg allergy and often times find that sourdough discard is a perfect subsitute, in addition to Greek yogurt. Do you think I could get by with following the recipe as outlined but subbing the eggs for 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt? Is there anything else I should consider modifying if I make this change? Thank you!!!
Hi Kalee!! Yes, I believe that should work! Although I haven’t tried it myself, but you’ll have to lmk how it goes!!
So yummy and light. I made the cake and served it with cherries and whipped cream rather than the frosting in recipe.