Every high altitude baker needs a reliable high altitude chocolate cake recipe. This easy recipe makes a moist and fluffy chocolate cake that’s perfected for mountain bakers, so you get perfect, delicious results every time. Frosted with fluffy chocolate buttercream, this is a classic cake for chocolate lovers.
I bake and test all of my recipes at Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet, so if you live at a higher or lower elevation, you may need to make a few minor adjustments, but don’t worry! It’s easy to adjust a recipe for perfect results at any altitude. This chocolate sour cream cake is so easy to make, and the batter comes together quickly with just a bowl and whisk!
Looking for more classic high altitude cake recipes? Don’t miss this almond poppy seed cake, vanilla cake, coconut cake, and white velvet cake.
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Choosing a Cocoa Powder
This chocolate cake gets its dark, rich color from Dutch processed cocoa powder. While seemingly similar products, Dutch-processed cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder have different chemical properties, so their roles within a recipe are unique. There are so many cocoa powders available, ranging from mild to dark and rich, and they will all make a very different tasting chocolate cake.
So What is Cocoa Powder?
When cacao beans are processed (fermented, dried, roasted and cracked into nibs), the cocoa butter is removed from the nibs and dried. The leftover dried solids from the cocoa butter are then ground into cocoa powder. The ground cocoa powder can then be used to add rich, intense chocolate flavor to baked goods and desserts. Think chocolate cakes, brownies, cookies, chocolate pudding, and buttercream.
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder vs Natural Cocoa Powder
Dutch processed cocoa powder begins with cacao beans that have been washed in an alkaline solution of potassium carbonate. The wash neutralizes their acidity, so the cocoa powder made from these beans is non-acidic. The alkalization process creates a cocoa powder that’s darker in color and more mellow in flavor, for a rich, deep chocolate flavor and color in your baked goods.
Natural cocoa powder is made from beans that have not been alkalized, so they are natural. It’s acidic and bitter, with a very strong flavor.
Which cocoa powder should you use?
Understanding the chemical properties of cocoa powder is important, so you know when you should use each. If the recipe doesn’t contain any leavening, for example pudding, ice cream, buttercream or brownies, you can use either one.
But for recipes containing leavening, first you’ll need to understand the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which requires an acid and a liquid to become activated and help baked goods rise. On the other hand, baking powder includes sodium bicarbonate, as well as an acid. It only needs a liquid to become activated.
Generally speaking, Dutch processed cocoa powder (non-acidic) will be paired with baking powder (doesn’t require an acid to become activated). And natural cocoa powder (acidic) will be paired with baking soda (requires an acid to become activated). Now, this is a big generalization, because most recipes contain many acidic ingredients (for example, applesauce, buttermilk, sour cream, honey, brown sugar, molasses, cream of tartar, lemon juice, vinegar, chocolate, cocoa powder, coffee or espresso powder). So even if you use Dutch processed cocoa powder with baking soda, but your cake contains other acidic ingredients, it’s likely that your cake will still rise just fine. I make my chocolate cake with Dutch processed cocoa powder, and use both baking soda and baking powder.
If a recipe doesn’t specify which cocoa powder to use (many older recipes don’t), then a safe bet is that natural cocoa powder was used.
My personal favorite cocoa powders to use are Rodelle and Drost.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Cake
- All-Purpose Flour. Adds structure to the cake.
- Cocoa Powder. Gives chocolate cake its chocolate flavor and rich color.
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture.
- Espresso Powder. A small amount of espresso powder enhances the flavor of the cocoa powder, without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Leavens the cake so it rises.
- Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Eggs. Add structure.
- Whole Milk + Sour Cream. Moisture, fat, flavor and acidity.
- Vegetable Oil. Moisture.
- Vanilla Extract. Complements the flavor of the chocolate.
Buttercream
- Unsalted Butter. Adds richness, fat and flavor.
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
- Cocoa Powder. Gives the buttercream its chocolate flavor.
- Meringue Powder. Improves the texture and stabilizes the buttercream.
- Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract. Complements the flavor of the chocolate.
- Milk. Thins the buttercream for desired consistency.
Instructions
Make the cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray. If making half the recipe, use three 6-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Separately, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk until combined, about 15 seconds.
- Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 22-28 minutes (or about 20 minutes for 6-inch pans), until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set the pans on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Make the buttercream.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder and salt, mixing to combine.
- Add the vanilla, and increase the speed to medium (#4-6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer); whip for 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down occasionally, and only adding the milk if needed for desired consistency. Turn the speed down to “stir” and mix for 2 minutes to eliminate big air bubbles.
- Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one cake layer on a cake board, and frost with a layer of buttercream. Repeat stacking and filling the cake layers, then frost all over with a thin “crumb coat” of buttercream. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat. Keep the bowl of remaining buttercream covered. Frost all over with a final, swirly layer of buttercream.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading my comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream and How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cocoa powder should I use for my cake?
Use a good-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder for the best flavor.
Is this cake fluffy or fudgy?
This is a light and fluffy, not fudgy, chocolate cake with an incredibly moist, tender crumb.
Can I use gluten free flour in this recipe?
Yes, just substitute your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Why don’t you use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour?
While I love using cake flour for my white cake and vanilla cake, all-purpose flour works perfectly for chocolate cake.
What does the espresso powder do?
A tablespoon or two of espresso powder enhances the flavor of chocolate, but isn’t enough to make the cake taste like coffee. You can leave it out, if you prefer.
What can I substitute for the whole milk and sour cream?
Whole milk and full fat sour cream are preferred in this recipe for their rich, creamy flavor. You can, however, use any milk you like, including dairy-free options. If you don’t have sour cream, you can use full-fat, unsweetened Greek yogurt instead.
Should I adjust this recipe if I don’t live at high altitude?
If you’re at sea level or low altitude, you may be able to make this recipe exactly as written, but then again, you might need to make a few minor adjustments, such as decreasing the flour by a couple of tablespoons, and increasing the leavening a little. If you’re at a higher altitude than Denver (by more than 1,000 feet), I’d advise increasing the flour by a couple of tablespoons, and slightly decreasing the leavening. This article has great guidelines on how to make specific adjustments for various altitudes.
What other buttercream flavors pair well with chocolate cake?
Pretty much everything is great with chocolate cake! I’d recommend vanilla sour cream buttercream, salted caramel, raspberry, espresso, or peanut butter. And cream cheese buttercream would be fantastic, too.
Other Resources
How to Fill, Stack, Crumb Coat and Frost a Layer Cake
You Might Also Like
White Chocolate Cake 
Chocolate Macarons 
Fluffy Vanilla Cake 
White Velvet Cake
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The Best High Altitude Chocolate Cake
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment
- 8-inch cake pans (x3)
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp meringue powder, optional
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 tbsp milk, if needed
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray. If making half the recipe, use three 6-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Separately, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk until combined, about 15 seconds.
- Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 22-28 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set the pans on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder and salt, mixing to combine.
- Add the vanilla, and increase the speed to medium (#4-6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer); whip for 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down occasionally, and only adding the milk if needed for desired consistency.Turn the speed down to "stir" and mix for 2 minutes to eliminate big air bubbles.
- Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one cake layer on a cake board, and frost with a layer of buttercream. Repeat stacking and filling the cake layers, then frost all over with a thin "crumb coat" of buttercream. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat. Keep the bowl of remaining buttercream covered. Frost all over with a final, swirly layer of buttercream.
It seems sacrilegious to ask, because your layer cakes are so gorgeous. But I like taking sheet cakes to office potlucks, club meetings & other events. Does this recipe work as a 9” x 13” sheet cake?
While I haven’t actually tried it in a 9×13 pan, it absolutely should work, just check the center for doneness since it’ll take a little longer to bake that much batter in a 9×13 pan. I do love decorating layer cakes, but I agree that sheet cakes are easy and low fuss for pot lucks!
Thank you, Heather! I found your website during this weekend’s epic snowstorm. It is worth all that gosh-darned shoveling!
Oh, my gosh, I’m exhausted from clearing snow today!
Hi there,
Would I need to make any adjustments for an altitude of 3600 ft? Not quite as high as Denver but typically considered high altitude when it comes to baking cakes. I’m planning to try either your chocolate or vanilla.
I probably wouldn’t change anything, or maybe just a slight adjustment with a tablespoon less flour and possibly 1/4 more teaspoon of the leavening. But my guess is it’ll work well as is.
Hi there,
What would you do for a bit higher altitude? We’re at 9,400 ft.
Thank you 😊
I’d say you’d definitely need to reduce the leavening, and maybe add a bit more liquid, too, to keep the cake moist. This article has some good guidance on specific adjustments: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
I am one of those people that have been watching a little too much Top Chef and wanted to bake something. I live at 7200ft elevation and I know enough, that baking at a high altitude changes things. This recipe was amazing and spot on for my small mountain town. I think I over cooked my cakes by a minute so they were soft and fluffy but they could have been a tad bit more “moist”. Ha ha.
That butter cream frosting is ridiculous though!
Really makes the cake pop!
Can’t wait to make this recipe again.
I’m so glad it worked at your elevation!
Hi heather! Do I need to adjust the baking time if I use 9-inch cake pans? Thanks!
I’m sure you will, but I haven’t tested it in 9-inch pans, so I can’t provide an exact time. It will probably take a few minutes longer, so just keep an eye on it at the end!
i just made it in Colorado Springs, similar elevation to Denver (close enough lol) and used 9.5 inch pans. split the batter between two and and it took 28 min even 🙂 turned out amazing! and my that batter was delicious hehe.
I’m so glad to hear that! 🙂
Hi there, what would happen if i used 1/2 cup of butter and half cup of oil verses a whole cup of oil? thank you!
I’m sure it would be fine. Since butter solidifies at room temperature, it makes cakes a little more dense, while oil keeps them very light, but it should be delicious either way!
Would it be possible to use buttermilk instead of sour cream?
Yes, I’ve tested this recipe with buttermilk, and it works just as well as the sour cream. You can also use full-fat, plain unsweetened Greek yogurt.
I know you said you use all purpose flour for chocolate cake but would it hurt to use cake flour? Would it make it even more fluffy or will it ruin the structure
It would probably make it lighter, yes, but it already has a really fluffy texture. I’ve only ever used AP flour for chocolate cakes, and I save my cake flour for white cakes and vanilla cakes. 🙂 If you want to use it, though, I’m sure it will be fine!
You have saved Christmas! I had made another cake for our dinner with comical results. I jumped online and found this recipe and it has turned out beautifully! I added the macrons as well. Very festive and beautiful for a special meal.
I’m so glad to hear it! Merry Christmas! 🙂