This simple but delicious from scratch chocolate cake recipe is the perfect for a birthday or celebration. Make a nourishing take on a traditional chocolate cake by long fermenting for added benefits.
Last week I shared a homemade beeswax birthday candle tutorial after our daughter had her first birthday. We paired those candles with this amazing from scratch chocolate cake recipe that was a long fermented sourdough take on a traditional chocolate cake and some homemade vanilla ice cream. It was so delicious and was perfect celebration for her!
This cake recipe is great because it can be made with fed or unfed starter. You can also make it quickly or long ferment the batter for more nutritional benefits.
It is light, fluffy and very chocolatey but there are no refined sugars as well. I like that this can be made healthier without giving up the delicious taste of a chocolate cake, or ingredients can be swapped based on what is in your pantry. Healthy food can be just as tasty, I promise!
Try this recipe made into a stacked cake like I did or into cupcakes. Just divide the batter evenly in your cupcake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. This will take around 15 minutes.
Simple Living
I think it is safe to say that I love all things from scratch, handmade and simple living from home décor to what I feed my family and the products I use. Join me in this lifestyle by joining the ES Blog Community. Gain access to a free resource page where I keep everything you need to create a handmade, from scratch home.
Included are downloadable and printable guides, e-books, planning pages, labels and more. You will also receive each blog post to your inbox and be the first on any updates with the blog!
One item in particular that I use daily is my Simple Kitchen Journal, created when I was first starting out cooking from scratch. I needed somewhere to collect the recipes I loved and I still use it to remember certain recipes or write down new ones if I need to revisit in the future. It is great for keeping those from scratch recipes organized and clean. It is a free download that includes a recipe page template, meal dividers, family favorites template and a master kitchen list for pantry, fridge and freezer items. This is great for the beginner from scratch cook learning new skills or the seasoned cook looking to record recipes for family. Read more about the journal here, the free resource library here and sign up below!
Why Is Sourdough Good For You?
I have said it a million times but I will continue on with my love of sourdough because it adds a layer of flavor and nutrition without sacrificing the foods we love. I see so many people cutting out bread and desserts all in the name of health, and I truly believe it does not have to be this way. Unless you have a serious health condition requiring it to be cut out (such as celiac, full gut healing, etc.) you can still eat the foods you love and get nutritional benefits out of them.
Now of course, an excess of anything is never good so I am not saying to eat sourdough cake and ice cream everyday. But there are ways to enjoy these foods and actually reap benefits from them. This is what I love so much about the traditional type of diet. It is how we are supposed to eat. Local, organic, seasonal and balanced eating.
By using a sourdough starter and long fermenting your grains, you are doing just this. Sourdough creates multiple health benefits. One in particular is that the phytic acid is decreased making the grains and overall product much easier on our bodies during digestion. Not only this, but to further the digestion benefits sourdough can act as a prebiotic feeding the good bacteria in your gut. The gluten is also altered and acts differently than traditional breads, making sourdough easier on those with gluten sensitivities. Paired with einkorn flour, you might can consume regular breads and grains if you are sensitive to gluten.
This makes grain products a healthier alternative to traditional. While the calories and macronutrients that a lot of people look at are still there, these are necessary to sustain our bodies. But when we utilize these calories and macronutrients by feeding our bodies healthier alternatives that have more benefits (digestion and gut benefits, micronutrients, etc.) our health goals can still be achieved. It’s not always about the calories and the quality of food should always be considered.
What Does Sourdough Do For Cakes?
Sourdough makes the most moist cake. When you do the quick recipe, the cake is fluffier. When long fermented it is still fluffy and delicious, it just has more of that sourdough tang and texture that I love.
Can Cakes Be Healthy?
I would claim that this cake is healthier. I say this because it is still sugar and while it is refined sugar free and the sugars used contain health benefits that regular sugar does not, we never want to consume too much of any type of sugar.
With that said, I am totally comfortable with my baby and family eating this cake and more so than regular. It is refined sugar free, long fermented for digestion benefits, and contains vitamins and minerals that they need. All of this, while still being delicious and feeling like a treat.
Tips
- Use sourdough starter fed or unfed. This may also be called active sourdough starter or discard. Both will work fine! You can learn how to make a sourdough starter here.
- I prefer coconut sugar because of the health benefits, you can swap it for brown sugar.
- I leave this out for my family since we have a baby that eats what we eat, but you can add finely ground coffee to intensify the chocolate flavor.
- Make a traditional whipped or cream cheese frosting. A healthier coconut cream icing is one of my favorites because I love the coconut taste!
Tools You May Need
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk or Spoon
- Stand Mixer
- Parchment Paper
- Cake Pans
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour or 1 1/2 cups einkorn flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 cup water
2 eggs
2 cups coconut sugar
1 teaspoon salt (omit if you use salted butter)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips (optional: omit for refined sugar free cake)
How To Make This From Scratch Chocolate Cake Recipe
Quick Version
In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine your melted butter, salt and sugar.
Add in your sourdough starter and combine.
Add in remaining ingredients, except the baking soda, baking powder and chocolate chips. Mix to combine.
Add in baking soda and baking powder, combining.
Last, add in chocolate chips.
Pour batter evenly into buttered cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Allow cakes to cool before frosting.
Long Fermented Version
Add flour, melted butter, sourdough starter and water in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Cover with plate and allow to sit at room temperature 8-24 hours. I made this the night before and allowed to sit at room temperature overnight.
After 8-24 hours, combine salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cocoa powder and milk in a bowl. Add this to sourdough mixture, stirring well to combine.
Next, add baking powder and baking soda.
Last, add chocolate chips.
Pour batter evenly into buttered cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Allow cakes to cool before frosting.
From Scratch Sourdough Chocolate Cake
This simple but delicious from scratch chocolate cake recipe is the perfect for a birthday or celebration. Make a nourishing take on a traditional chocolate cake by long fermenting for added benefits.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour or 1 1/2 cups einkorn flour
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Quick Version
In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine your melted butter, salt and sugar.
Add in your sourdough starter and combine.
Add in remaining ingredients, except the baking soda, baking powder and chocolate chips. Mix to combine.
Add in baking soda and baking powder, combining.
Last, add in chocolate chips.
Pour batter evenly into buttered cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Allow cakes to cool before frosting.
Long Fermented Version
Add flour, melted butter, sourdough starter and water in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Cover with plate and allow to sit at room temperature 8-24 hours. I made this the night before and allowed to sit at room temperature overnight.
After 8-24 hours, combine salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cocoa powder and milk in a bowl. Add this to sourdough mixture, stirring well to combine.
Add baking powder and baking soda.
Add chocolate chips.
Pour batter evenly into buttered cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Allow cakes to cool before frosting.
Notes
More Sourdough Recipes:
More Dessert Recipes:
- Healthy Oatmeal Cookies- Sourdough
- Cinnamon Sugar Einkorn Muffins
- Sourdough Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Homemade From Scratch Pumpkin Pie
Pin For Later: From Scratch Chocolate Cake Recipe
