This Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is a simple, classic cake that is one of the dump and mix recipes. It’s the perfect go-to chocolate cake when you need one! Top it off with chocolate or even cream cheese frosting.
My family has always been dessert lovers and this Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is one of the many fabulous desserts my mom made while we were growing up.
This cake is delicious. It’s not finicky or difficult, in fact, it’s one of the easiest cakes you’ll ever make. You throw everything into your mixer and turn it on, just like this Kentucky Butter Cake. There is no creaming, no whisking or sifting. Just dump, mix, pour and bake. You can frost this with your favorite chocolate frosting or use the recipe I’ve included. Cream cheese frosting or this chocolate frosting would be fabulous on this cake as well.
This cake is moist and chocolaty and the perfect ending to any meal and the perfect recipe to end on for a week. You see, I’m headed on a little trip tomorrow for our 25th Wedding Anniversary (ahhh, that means I’m getting OLD!), so I’m taking a break from posting for a week, but I’ll be back with something fabulous. So please meander through the archives and hopefully you’ll find something you’ve never tried. There are definitely some of my family’s favorites tucked away in there.
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup hot water
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup softened butter or shortening
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted (cool before adding)
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4-5 tablespoons evaporated milk or half and half (depending on what consistency you like)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan or two 9-inch round pans.
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Dump all ingredients into a mixer and mix on low speed blend for about 30 seconds, scrape bowl and then increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
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Pour into prepared pan and 28 to 35 mins for 9x13 or 18 -25 mins for round pans or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake!
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Let cool and frost with favorite frosting.
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Frosting: In a medium bowl combine butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and vanilla mix until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.
The original recipe calls for shortening, but I've made it with shortening and with butter. Either one works just great and I really can't tell much of a difference, it's slightly more tender with the shortening. I know there are some shortening-haters out there and don't touch that stuff with a 10-foot pole so there are options here.
Also, the original instructions said to bake this cake 40-45 mins for a 9x13 pan and 30-35 mins for 9-inch round pans. It doesn't take that long to back so I've adjusted the times based on how long it's taken in my oven. The cookbook this recipe came from is like 30+ years old so I'm thinking ovens maybe cooked a differently back then (ha ha) so just make sure you check it often so you don't overbake it.
Recipe Source: From an old Gold Medal Cookbook of my Mom’s
Jodi, this looks delicious and so easy. I think I will try it this weekend. The amount of flour got left off the recipe–could you please let us know. I am going to make the original version with shortening. It really does make it tender. I am not a hater. I just buy the non-hydrogenated kind at Whole Foods. Happy 25th. Have a wonderful trip. My 23rd is this summer, so two more years for me before a nice trip. I hope you are going somewhere wonderful to celebrate!!!
Thanks Teresa for catching that, I hate when I do that. It’s been fixed. We are headed to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. I hope you get to go somewhere fun in a couple years. Thanks for the well wishes!
This looks like a classic, and like it needs to be added to my repertoire!
It’s so simple and so delicious. Anytime I take it anywhere it gets rave reviews.