Some of you may already know that I enjoy cake. Not just eating it – but also making it, decorating it and, most importantly, sharing it. I’ve been making cakes for years, and over that time I developed a few recipes of my own. When I decided to become vegan, I learned pretty quickly that I had to to change the way I thought about cake. Butter and cows milk had to be replaced, eggs were no longer an option. Ultimately, I was surprised with how easy it was to veganize the recipes that had always relied on those ingredients.
My Chocolate Sour Cream Cake was the first cake recipe I turned from the dark side over to cruelty-free. I think it tastes even better now, but then I am a little partial. There are a few steps, making it a little more involved than some simple chocolate cake recipes out there, but the rich, super-moist result is well worth the effort… if I do say so myself.
It's awesome topped with espresso-flavored icing.
Chocolate ‘Sour Cream’ Cake
- 4oz unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 cups cake flour (or 1¾ cups all purpose flour plus ¼ cup cornstarch)
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 8oz tub Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream or other vegan sour cream substitute
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 6oz container plain or vanilla soy yogurt
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8” round cake pans, or line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave or double boiler until smooth and set aside. Combine margarine and hot water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in melted chocolate. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture all at once, blend well. Mix in vegan sour cream, vanilla and baking soda, stirring well. Add yogurt and mix just until combined.
- Pour into pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Two 8” cakes will take about 25-30 minutes, cupcakes will take about 20-25 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes in pans, then turn out onto racks and cool completely.
Makes two 8” layers or about 24 standard cupcakes.
this is SO funny! i just asked my mom today if she could give me her old classic sour cream banana bread recipe so that i could veganize it! there’s something in the air..
your cakes look great!
Mmmmm… that sounds amazing! If you veganize it, be sure to share the recipe
I love veganizing old recipes…it just makes them so much better!
It does, doesn’t it? Food just tastes better when it’s cruelty-free!
sounds great, i love a good chocolate cake!
As everyone should!
Those look utterly addicting! I wouldn’t be able to stop at 1…or 3!
Thanks! Yeah, I have a hard time stopping too – that’s why I HAVE to share them!
Okay, I know you know I’m not close to a vegetarian and even further away from a vegan.
Having said that, could I make this using regular butter and sour cream with the same results? And if so, have you posted the recipe for the icing somewhere?
I do feel that I must duck after asking these questions.
Oh cardio, what am I going to do with you?!
Yes, you could use the same amounts of butter, sour cream and dairy yogurt with good results. In fact, to be truer to the original recipe, you could sub the yogurt out for two lightly beaten eggs if you want …or you could track down the vegan ingredients and see how delicious animal product-free can be (I had to say it, you know)!
I’ll post the icing recipe sometime soon
ohhhhhh my goodness, Stephanie – i loooooooove your cuppies! your chocolate sour cream cake sounds freak’n fantastically gloriously gooooood! you better believe i’m gonna be making this the next time i make a cake or cuppies! it sounds too divine not to! mmmmmmmmmm! (i need to figure out how to make espresso icing now! yay!)
I really hope you like them! I like to use the fluffy vegan buttercream recipe from VCTOTW and replace the liquid with espresso (or really strong coffee). Alternatively, you dissolve some instant coffee crystals and mix those in. Easy!
oops, I just drooled on myself.
I do that pretty much on the daily.
Oh, please make me some this! I mean, I know you provided the recipe and all, but I bet it’d taste better if you made it (that is me sucking up in the hopes that you will give in).
BTW, I made your tamarind tofu last night. Yum!!! The only change I made was adding a little cornstarch to the glaze mix because it wasn’t thickening down. I poured it out of the pan, stirred about a teaspoon or two of cornstarch in and re-added it. It’s probably from the difference in me using that tamarind stuff instead of the paste.
I promise to make you cupcakes soon! I’m glad you liked the tofu!
What I wouldn’t do for one of those cupcakes right now…and sour cream chocolate is my favorite!
Yeah, since I posted this recipe I’ve been craving them… oops!
That looks so delicious! Your cupcakes are so professional and fancy looking. I totally need to make these cuppers, I’m not sure I’ve ever had any kind of sour cream cake, it sounds delicious.
It IS delicious! The sour cream adds a certain moistness and tang that is unbeatable.
That looks delicious! I love the way you piped the icing on top … fancy!
Thanks! I love making cuppies because they are super-quick and easy to ice!
Oooh, this sounds good! How about I just come over & you make the cake?
Bring Strummer and it’s a deal!
Espresso frosting sounds divine! I’ve veganized a lot of recipes and find they always taste better than the originals.