Sourdough Chocolate Cake

Sometimes something weird just....works! Sourdough starter in a cake makes it moist, fluffy, and airy. It's one of those "tastes better the next day, or two days, or three days..." so even if you make a whole cake you don't have to rush to finish it!

Sourdough starter makes up ~18% of this cake.

The original recipe is from King Arthur: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-chocolate-cake-recipe

Ideas for frosting:

Peanut Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

Vanilla Bean Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (241g) sourdough starter, not fed in 24 hours (a.k.a. discard)

• 1 cup (227g) whole or 2% milk, room temperature

• 2 cups (241g) all purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cups (298g) granulated sugar

• 1 cup (198g) vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 3/4 cup (64g) natural cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional

• 2 large eggs

Directions:

1. Combine the starter, milk, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. It won't necessarily bubble, but it may have expanded a bit.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan or 2 8" round pans.

3. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa. and espresso powder. The mixture will be grainy.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the starter-flour-milk mixture, stirring till smooth. This will be a gloppy process at first, but the batter will smooth out as you continue to beat gently. It will take 5-10 minutes.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s).

7. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.

8. Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack to cool.

9. You can frost the cake once it fully cools.

10. 12-16 servings, make a half batch if you want less.

11. Note: The first day it might not taste great, but on days 2, 3 ,4 it really has a much better flavor! This is a typical experience amongst sourdough desserts.

The starter before using it. Nice and bubbly.

After mixing together the milk, starter, and flour. Now we cover and rest 2-3 hours.

After 2.5 hours it was nice and puffy!

Before mixing together the sugar, oil, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together.

After mixing together the sugar, oil, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together.

After mixing in the eggs, one by one.

So now we add the chocolate mixture to the sourdough mixture.

After mixing them together, it took some effort but it was worth it!

Before baking.

After baking. So shiny and puffy! Magical!

After it cooled completely. Now we can frost!

I chose to add peanut butter frosting, chopped peanuts, chopped mini reeses, and chopped chocolate. The frosting was a bit rich for the cake, but stuff happens.