Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

Aug 27, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Extract Easy

Cupcakes piped with sour cream chocolate frosting

A classic sour cream chocolate frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 2 1/2 cups; frosts a two-layer 8-inch cake or 24 cupcakes.

Prep 10 min

Cook 3 min

Set 20 min

Total 33 min

Yield 24 cupcakes

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

cupcakes

10.0 oz (284.0 g)dark chocolate, chopped
1.0 cup (230.0 g)sour cream, room temperature
1.0 cup (120.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
⅛ tspfine sea salt
1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract

Make it at home

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Instructions

Melt the chocolate in 30-second microwave bursts, stirring, until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk in the sour cream, confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla until glossy.
Let stand until thick enough to spread, 15 to 20 minutes.

Tips

Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Refrigerate frosted cakes for up to 4 days; let stand 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make sour cream chocolate frosting?

Plan on 10 minutes of prep and 3 minutes of cooking, plus 20 minutes to set. It makes about 2 1/2 cups; frosts a two-layer 8-inch cake or 24 cupcakes.

How should I store sour cream chocolate frosting?

Refrigerate frosted cakes for up to 4 days; let stand 30 minutes before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

104 Calories / serving

5.5g Fat

12.7g Carbs

0.8g Protein

10.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~2496 cal · 132g fat · 305g carbs · 19g protein · 262g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 104 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 20 min·1.2 mi·~2350 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 14 min·0.7 mi·~1400 steps
Moderate cycling 11 min·2.2 mi
Swimming laps 15 min
Jogging 10 min·0.8 mi·~1600 steps
Stair climbing 10 min·~900 steps
Dancing 17 min
Bodyweight circuit training 11 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 24 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.

Made with VanillaGoods

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