High Altitude Chocolate and Vanilla Sour Cream Cake

What’s a more classic flavor combination than chocolate and vanilla?  Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream is decadent and delicious, but I absolutely love dark chocolate sour cream cake paired with other flavors like strawberry, coffee, peanut butter, salted caramel, and of course, vanilla.  And a chocolate cake with fluffy vanilla buttercream served at a birthday party is sure to please just about everyone, both kids and adults. This high altitude chocolate sour cream cake recipe is my absolute favorite. I’ve made it dozens of times, and it’s proven over and over to be the best, most delicious, most reliable chocolate cake recipe for high altitude bakers.

Looking for more high altitude classic cake recipes? Don’t miss my brown butter carrot cake, chocolate fudge cake with ganache, and classic vanilla cake.

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The Best Cocoa Powder for Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake gets its dark, rich color from Dutch processed cocoa powder. I’ve been experimenting with different cocoa powders this year, ever since Hershey’s changed (for the worse) the formula of their “special dark” cocoa powder. Rodelle has proven to be a really good one, with a great flavor and a rich color, and I use it often. Drost is spectacular, with a super-fine powder and deep, delicious chocolate flavor. I’d also love to try some of King Arthur Baking’s cocoa powders, especially that Double Dutch Dark. It looks incredible.

The Difference Between Natural and Dutch Processed Cocoa Powders

While seemingly similar products, these two types of cocoa powders have different chemical properties, so their roles within a recipe are unique.

What is Cocoa Powder?

So to start with the basics first, cocoa powder is an unsweetened chocolate product that adds rich, intense chocolate flavor to baked goods and desserts. 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.

Dutch Processed 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.

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.

When to Use Which Cocoa Powder.

Knowing their chemical properties 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.

Ingredients

The texture of this chocolate cake is not fudgey or dense, but rather very light, fluffy and incredibly moist, thanks to a perfect medley of ingredients.  After my husband took this cake to work, there was one piece left in the cake carrier that he forgot about for a full week, but he ate it, and said it was still just as moist as it had been the first day.  So if you’re looking for a great-tasting, easy to make, high altitude chocolate cake for any occasion, this is the recipe for you.

• All-Purpose Flour. While I love using cake flour in white cake and vanilla cake, all-purpose flour works great in chocolate cake recipes, and the cake crumb is very soft and tender.
• Granulated Sugar. The sugar adds sweetness, moisture and tenderness to the cake.
• Cocoa Powder. This is a chocolate cake, so the flavor of the chocolate is important. Use a good Dutch processed cocoa powder (not a “natural” cocoa powder).
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Leavens the cake, making it rise.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
• Eggs. Adds structure, fat and richness.
• Milk + Sour Cream. The milk and sour cream add flavor and fat. Cakes made with sour cream are simply wonderful.
• Vegetable Oil. Keeps the cake moist and light.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then whisk until completely combined.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk for about 30 seconds until well combined and mostly free of lumps.
• Divide the batter between the pans.  Tap the pans lightly on the counter a few times to pop any large air bubbles.  Bake the cakes on the center rack for about 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it, and the tops spring back when gently touched.
• Set the pans on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Sour Cream Buttercream

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for one minute until smooth.
• With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and meringue powder, mixing to combine.
• Add the vanilla and the sour cream; whip on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy.  If the buttercream is too stiff, you can add a little more sour cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
• Stack and fill the cooled cakes with the buttercream, then frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream.  Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then finish frosting the cake with a final 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 these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best cocoa powder to use for chocolate sour cream cake?

Use a good-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder, not a natural cocoa powder.

What does sour cream do to cake?

The sour cream adds moisture, fat for creaminess, and acidity, for a light, fluffy texture.

Can I use fat-free sour cream?

You can use fat-free sour cream, but the flavor is so much better if you use full-fat sour cream.

What can I substitute for the sour cream?

You can substitute full-fat, unsweetened Greek yogurt if you’re not able to find sour cream.

Will the sour cream vanilla buttercream spoil at room temperature?

No, it’s fine to store the cake at room temperature for several days, without fear of the sour cream, milk and butter spoiling. The high sugar content of buttercream works as a preservative for the dairy ingredients.

Can I bake this chocolate cake recipe in a bundt pan?

You sure can! Follow all the mixing instructions, pour the batter into a well-greased bundt pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

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