Simple Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cupcakes
These sourdough chocolate cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and topped with an out-of-this-world chocolate cream cheese frosting. You can use active sourdough starter or sourdough discard for this recipe–it’s a lovely way to use up your extra sourdough discard!
These cupcakes have been a long time coming, folks! Chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting is my go-to birthday cake and cupcake recipe. Each bite is soft, airy, and packed with chocolatey goodness!
The chocolate cream cheese frosting that adorns the top of these cupcakes is absolute heaven. This recipe is perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or when you’re in the mood for a sweet treat!
If you’re looking for more sourdough discard treats, check out these Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes, Chewy Sourdough Discard Brownies, Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies and Sourdough Apple Walnut Cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fluffy and Moist – These cupcakes are perfectly fluffy, moist, and light.
- Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting – Butter and cream cheese work together for the sweetest, most decadent cupcake frosting!
- Simple Ingredients – The ingredients are simple (as long as you keep a sourdough starter on hand).
- Use Up Extra Sourdough Discard – This recipe is a great way to reduce food waste and use up that leftover sourdough!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- melted butter – I use salted butter, though unsalted works as well. Just add a pinch extra salt to the bowl. Instead of melted butter, you could use vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or light avocado oil.
- granulated sugar
- Greek yogurt – I used whole-fat Greek yogurt. You could use full-fat sour cream in place of this.
- eggs
- sourdough discard – I used leftover sourdough discard, though an active sourdough starter can also be used! It will just give the cupcakes a little extra tang.
- hot water – To keep things simple, I used hot water. If you have fresh brewed coffee, that will work beautifully as well!
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- cocoa powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder is needed for these cupcakes. I used Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- baking soda
- salt
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- butter – Softened salted butter is my go-to. You may also use unsalted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the frosting.
- cream cheese – Softened full-fat cream cheese is used here.
- cocoa powder – I used Dutch-processed cocoa powder, but any unsweetened cocoa powder works.
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar – You can sift the powdered sugar before you add it to the mixing bowl to prevent clumps.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside as you prepare the wet ingredients.
Step Two: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until creamed. Whisk in the Greek yogurt. Then add the eggs one at a time, whisking in between. Add the sourdough discard, hot water, and vanilla extract.
Step Three: Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the second half and mix again until it is just combined.
Step Four: Fill each lined muffin tin 3/4 full with batter. Bake for about 18 minutes. This recipe makes 18 cupcakes. The cupcakes are ready when you stick a toothpick in the center of them and no wet batter sticks to the toothpick.
To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed. Next, add the vanilla extract and salt. On slow speed, add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix until the frosting is creamy and fluffy. Pipe onto the cupcakes and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- If you don’t have a piping bag, simply put the frosting in a large ziploc bag and cut the tip of the bottom to act as the piping bag.
- Don’t over-mix the batter! The ingredients should be whisked until *just* mixed to ensure that your cupcakes are fluffy, light, and moist!
- This recipe is a sourdough discard cupcake, but you can certainly use active sourdough starter in place of the discard. It may add a bit more of a tangy flavor–yum!
Storage
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to pipe the frosting, use an electric mixer to soften and fluff up the frosting.
Did you make these sourdough cupcakes? What’d you think? I’d love to know! Leave me a comment below to share your thoughts on this recipe!
Simple Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 1/2 cup warm water warm to the touch, but not boiling
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened, full-fat
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside as you prepare the wet ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until creamed. Whisk in the Greek yogurt. Then mix in the eggs one at a time. Add the sourdough discard, warm water, and vanilla extract.
- Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the second half and mix again until it is just combined.
- Scoop batter into each muffin tin, filling each 3/4 full with batter.
- Bake for about 18 minutes. This recipe makes 18 cupcakes. The cupcakes are ready when you stick a toothpick in the center of them and no wet batter sticks to the toothpick. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Add the vanilla extract and pinch of salt.
- On slow speed, add the cocoa powder. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Take breaks to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to incorporate all the ingredients. Resume mixing on medium speed until the frosting is whipped and creamy.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag and pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Serve immediately or refrigerate if storing. Enjoy!
