Find out how to use sour cream to make your baked goods even better!
If you’re wondering, “what does sour cream do in baking?,” look no further than this simple explanation for the sometimes unexpected secret ingredient!
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Take a look at any vintage cookbook and you are likely to find a handful of baking recipes that use sour cream.
Using sour cream in baking wasn’t an accident. It was done as a way to use readily available ingredients. In the late 1800s, many families had cows, and cows make cream and milk.
Traditionally, cream skimmed off the top of milk was allowed to ferment–either on its own or by adding acid-producing bacterial culture. It can also be made by adding lemon juice or vinegar to cream, similarly to how you can make buttermilk by adding lemon juice or vinegar to milk.
Cultured sour cream was readily available at grocery stores by the early 1900s. It was only a matter of time before sour cream found its way into baked goods. Fortunately, the results were delicious!
I’ve used it in everything from chocolate cake to cornbread, and once you give it a try–I’m sure you’ll be adding it to everything, too!
What Does Sour Cream Do In Baking?
Sour cream is full of acid and fat, so it adds lots of moisture to baked goods and will make them tender and rich. If you have ever eaten a cake and wondered how the baker got it so moist, it was probably sour cream.
I’m going to dust off my science degree and give a little explanation of how sour cream is useful. Here’s how it works:
- Moisture – Sour cream adds lots of moisture, because it’s so thick and has high fat content, and it doesn’t thin out the batter as milk or cream would.
- Richness – Cup for cup, a full-fat sour cream has over five times the amount of fat found in whole milk, so it adds an incredible richness to baked goods.
- Acidity – There is a lot of baking science behind the acid in sour cream, but basically, as an acid, it reacts with more alkaline ingredients such as baking soda, helping to activate those ingredients. Not only that, but the acids help to shorten and tenderize strands of gluten, which gives a better texture.
How To Use Sour Cream in Baking
Typically sour cream is used in place of milk, buttermilk, or cream. It’s often mixed in with butter, flour, sugar, and eggs to create a smooth and silky batter.
If you aren’t usually a fan of sour cream, you may be wondering can you taste sour cream in baking? Have no fear; when baked, the flavor *might* be very mildly tangy, but definitely not sour.
Most likely, you won’t even taste the sour cream–but you will taste a sweet and delicious cake.
Can I Use Low-Fat or Fat Free Sour Cream in Baking?
Technically, you can use low-fat or fat free sour cream in your baking recipes. However, I personally don’t recommend it!
Since the fat is one of the important components that improves the texture of baked goods, using a version with less fat sort of defeats the purpose.
Not only that, but the fat free varieties often contain fillers that change consistency when heated, so the texture won’t be quite as moist and the flavor won’t be as rich.
Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead of Sour Cream in Baking?
If you’re looking make healthier choices with your baked goods, Greek yogurt can be a good substitute for sour cream.
Similar to sour cream, Greek yogurt is acidic. For the best texture, I recommend full-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt options instead of fat free, but many people are satisfied with the results of baked goods when using fat free varieties.
How To Use Up Extra Sour Cream
If you happen to have some extra sour cream in your fridge, toss it in next time you are baking.
Now that you know how to use sour cream in baking, you’re going to find yourself looking for recipes to use this almost magical ingredient.
I’ve done the work for you and gathered up a list of some of my favorites to get you started.
Recipes for Baking with Sour Cream
These are some of our favorite ways to use this secret ingredient for moist and tender baked goods!
This incredibly moist chocolate sour cream pound cake is topped with heavenly chocolate ganache, making it an old-fashioned favorite.
Sour cream makes this banana bread super moist and light, never dark and dense.
This moist and tender chocolate chip cake is a simple yet sweet dessert or coffee cake your family will love!
This Amish cinnamon swirl bread doesn't require a starter, thanks to sour cream! You can enjoy a soft, tender loaf without the wait!
This delicious pound cake combines the richness of sour cream and butter with the zippy and cheerful flavor of lemon! It's a delightful treat that's perfect for spring and summer.
Although these muffins are made with a baking mix, you'll guess they came from a bakery! The use of sour cream keeps them super tender and delicious.
This Sour Cream Cheesecake Recipe is creamy and delicious. Easy to make, your guests and family will love every tangy-sweet bite!
Whether you choose to use fresh or canned peaches, this peach sour cream pound cake is a southern favorite!
Transform a boxed cake mix into a decadent show-stopping dessert that doesn't require a lot of effort or skill--and it "bakes" in your pressure cooker!
These bakery style muffins are a delightful breakfast treat. They're chock full of juicy blueberries and topped with a sweet streusel!
This classic Italian recipe relies on sour cream for a light, tender texture. Perfect for any holiday!
All you need is a few staple ingredients and one mixing bowl to enjoy this moist and delicious chocolate cake!
Chocolate, salted caramel, and stout beer come together to create pillowy whoopie pies that are the perfect combination of sweet and salty!
This delightfully lovely red velvet cake cooks in the Instant Pot, making a festive dessert.
This strawberry crunch cake uses strawberry Jell-O and sour cream to create a super tender crumb and plenty of delicious flavor! Topped with a golden Oreo crunch, it's perfection!
These applesauce muffins are the epitome of "sugar and spice and everything nice!" Sour cream and applesauce provide a soft muffin, and the cinnamon streusel topping is perfection!
Whether you're serving it as a holiday dessert during the Christmas season or a springtime treat for Easter or St. Patrick's Day, we love this easy pistachio cake! It starts with a cake mix, some pistachio pudding mix, and sour cream to create a moist and tender cake.
One of the most popular cake recipes with my readers, this triple chocolate bundt cake is moist and decadent--and it starts with a cake mix!
Coconut Key Lime Pie Bars are a tropical twist on lemon bars. Sweet, tart, and creamy, coconut key lime pie bars are a refreshing summer dessert.
Use sour cream to doctor up the blue box cornbread and enjoy a moist and tender slice!
Derived from a recipe I received from a dear sweet church lady, this banana sheet cake is a crowd-pleasing, easy-to-make dessert that's perfect for a church potluck.
Simple and sweet, you will love this from-scratch, tender chocolate sour cream bundt cake.
If you're a cookies and cream fan, you'll love this pound cake chock full of Oreo pieces!
Adding sour cream to a cake mix always makes it better. But when you add this pecan topping, you'll be in heaven!
If you're a fan of all things pistachio, you have to try these easy muffins! They're topped with a satiny glaze for just the right amount of sweetness.
If you're looking for a more authentic pistachio dessert, you must try this Italian pistachio cake! It's topped with the dreamiest mascarpone frosting.
This lemon syrup cake is one of my absolute favorite lemon desserts! The combination of sour cream and a soaking of lemon syrup makes this a moist and tender cake that's bursting with bright and cheery flavor.
This vanilla pudding cake is a cinch to make, thanks to cake mix. The vanilla pudding and sour cream give it the most delightful texture, creating a velvety base you can top with fresh fruit or whipped cream, if you'd like!
If you are a coffee fan, then this cake will be right up your street! Soft, moist and light sponge, flavored with espresso coffee, sandwiched with silky-smooth mocha buttercream, topped with chocolate ganache and chopped walnuts.
Every pound cake deserves to be made with sour cream, creating the best texture. This pineapple variety gives a tropical flair to your next dinner party!
This is one of life's simple pleasures right here! Perfectly bright and cheery--great for breakfast, dessert, or a snack!
Once again, sour cream creates a tender batter, but in this case, it's swirled with Nutella! It's a chocolate hazelnut dream come true!
This delicious sheet cake features Biscoff spread, providing a sweetly spiced base. It's the perfect pairing with cookie butter frosting!
These from-scratch muffins are full of fresh corn, melty cheese, and fresh basil, for a summertime favorite!
This decadent chocolate fudge cake is a chocolate lover's dream come true! The sour cream helps create a moist and tender interior, which is perfection when paired with that fantastic glaze!
Just because you're using Bisquick as a shortcut doesn't mean you have to skimp on texture! Sour cream and ripe bananas provide just the right amount of moisture for these tasty little bites.
How much sour cream?
Have a favorite recipe that you’d like to convert to use sour cream? Check out these articles from Livestrong and Martha Stewart for advice on how much sour cream to use to make cake moist.
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