sourdough chocolate everyday cake

My experimentation with sourdough cakes did not start with the pumpkin cake.  It started with this one.  Chocolate.  Part of that was my wanting cake.  Which is not me.  I do not like cake.  I will keep saying that.  But the reality is I do not like cake that is dry or needs frosting.  Koda Bear does not get this.  Cake has to have frosting, especially birthday cake, according to him.

This chocolate cake turned out very well.  It is another cake that is very good toasted with butter spread across.  So more like a chocolate bread?  I used white whole wheat flour in it again because that is all I have in the house.  It is very good.  

I have one more cake I am experimenting with.  Vanilla.  The last one was a bust.  It all got eaten but it was not the best cake.  I will have to try that one again.

sourdough chocolate cake

Note:  The sourdough I am using here is 100% by volume.  That means I use one cup of flour and one cup water to make it.  If you use a sourdough that is 100% by weight, 100 grams flour and 100 grams water, or whatever it takes to make a cup, increase the milk to one cup.  I used Smitten Kitchen's everyday chocolate cake as a starting point

1 cup sourdough

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup milk or water

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (you can use all purpose here)

3/4 cups cocoa, the best you can buy

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter and flour a loaf pan.  I bought the Vardagen loaf pan from Ikea.  Is is 5.25 inches by 3 inches by 12.75 inches.  It holds 1.9 quarts and works perfectly.

In a large bowl, put in the starter.  Mix in the olive oil, egg, and vanilla.

Sift in the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. I usually have some bran from the flour that needs to be dumped into the compost.  Add the salt.  

Mix well.

Pour into the loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour.  

Check to make sure the cake is done by inserting a knife and it comes out clean.  The cake will also have pulled away from the edges.  let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, if not 30.  I always have someone who cannot wait.  If you do not let this cake cool in the pan, it will collapse from its own weight.  Still very edible but there is usually a bit that gets very dense.  Obviously, I have done this in the past.

 

It is a good, not too sweet cake.  On the rich side though.

Toast, add butter.  Chocolate toast for breakfast.  True decadence.