Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake is a heavenly treat, with its rich chocolate flavor and moist, tender texture. Top this delicious cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate chips for triple chocolate delight!
Chocolate Layered Cake
While I’m not a typical layered cake lady (is that a thing?), I think we all need a specialty cake for a special occasion. So I’m pulling out the stops to make the best chocolate cake. I can’t be stopped!
This cake is based on my mother’s church supper cake that she made for special occasions, especially for birthday parties. I can remember enjoying this cake for my birthday when I was a child.
For other chocolate desserts, try our Texas Sheet Cake, Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes, Mini Lava Cakes, or our Triple Chocolate Brownies!
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE INGREDIENTS – Most of these ingredients are pantry staples and ones that most bakers keep handy.
- INEXPENSIVE – Skip the specialty bakery and make your own!
- MOIST – This delicious cake has a super moist, tender crumb and a light texture too.
- CHOCOLATEY – There is chocolate in the layered cake, chocolate in the frosting, and then mini chocolate chips on top of the cake! Such a delicious chocolate cake, especially for chocolate lovers like me.
You’ll note that this is a naked cake – meaning that the sides have very little frosting. We just smeared a little bit along the sides creating a rustic look. Isn’t it pretty?
NOTE: We made this triple chocolate cake when my nieces were in town for “Baking Camp” (July 2023) and they decorated the cake and helped style it too! Great job Olivia and Abigail!
Ingredients used for the best buttermilk chocolate cake:
All of the following basic ingredients are easily found at your local grocery store.
- Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Buttermilk
- All-Purpose Flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Helps make the cake rise.
- Kosher Salt
- Hot Coffee – Use strong coffee or hot water to bloom the chocolate.
- For the frosting – butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, heavy cream (or whole milk), powdered sugar, mini chocolate chips (optional)
Since we are cold brew fanatics, we always have a carafe handy. I heated some up in the microwave to bloom the cocoa.
How to make Chocolate Buttermilk Cake:
While I used a large bowl and a whisk to make this cake, you could use an electric mixer instead.
Prep 1
Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch pans with cake release. Likewise, you could use butter to grease the pans and then sprinkle a light dusting of flour on top.
Step 2
Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Use a whisk to combine well.
Step 3
Add dry ingredients. Then add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix again until flour is fully absorbed and no lumps remain.
Step 4
Add coffee (or water). Heat the coffee in a microwave until very hot. Immediately add the liquid to the cake mixture and mix well.
Step 5
Pour batter into pans. Pour cake batter evenly into the prepared pans. Use a spatula to smooth batter to all sides of the pan.
Step 6
Bake. Bake cakes for 18-20 minutes in a preheated oven, or until done in the center. Test the center of the cake with a toothpick. Baking time may vary.
Step 7
Cool. Let the cakes sit in pans for five minutes. Then carefully remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8
Make homemade chocolate frosting. Add the butter to a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the butter for one minute. Then add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar – and mix well.
Step 9
Add frosting to the cooled cake. Divide the frosting and add to two bowls. Then place one cake round on a cake stand and use a rubber spatula to spread half of the frosting on top. Then add the second round and add most of the remaining frosting on top. Use the spatula to spread a bit of frosting on the sides of the cake (leaving it somewhat “naked”).
Decorate the top of the cake as you wish. We used some mini chocolate chips and mint leaves.
Frosting Pro-Tip: After mixing in the powdered sugar and the frosting sits, you may need to adjust it to get a nice spreading consistency. If the frosting is too stiff, add a few drops of milk at a time to get it smooth. If it gets too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Recipe FAQs:
The fat content in egg yolks adds moisture to the cake, resulting in a tender and moist texture. I added two eggs to this recipe.
To make a buttermilk substitute, simply combine milk with a splash of vinegar and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
The acidic nature of buttermilk helps tenderize the gluten in the flour. By tenderizing the gluten, buttermilk results in a softer, more tender crumb. Additionally, buttermilk adds moisture to the cake, making it moist and preventing it from drying out.
Baking soda is often used in combination with buttermilk in cake recipes because buttermilk is acidic, and baking soda is alkaline. When an acid and an alkaline ingredient are combined, they create a chemical reaction called a leavening action, which helps the cake rise.
A naked cake omits the majority of frosting from the exterior of a cake. Cake layers are baked and stacked with plenty of filling but the outer layer lacks frosting and creates a rustic feel to the cake.
Storing and Freezing a layer cake:
- For best results, store the leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days.
- Freeze the unfrosted cakes in plastic wrap and then in freezer bags for up to three months.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ⅔ cup canola oil (144 grams)
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 2 large eggs – at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (240 grams)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa (50 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (HOT) strong coffee (118 grams)
For the frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter – at room temperature
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (50 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup heavy cream (113 grams)
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar (300 grams), sifted – or to right consistency
- mini chocolate chips and mint sprigs – for decorating (optional)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch pans with baking release. Likewise, you could use butter to grease the pans and then sprinkle a light dusting of flour on top.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Use a whisk to combine well.
- Add dry ingredients. Then add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix again until flour is fully absorbed and no lumps remain.
- Add HOT coffee (or water). Heat the coffee in a microwave until very hot. Immediately add the liquid to the cake mixture and mix well.
- Pour batter into pans. Pour cake batter evenly into the prepared pans. Use a spatula to smooth batter to all sides of the pan.
- Bake cakes for 18-20 minutes in a preheated oven, or until done in the center. Test the center of the cake with a toothpick. Baking time may vary.
- Cool. Let the cakes sit in pans for five minutes. Then carefully remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Make homemade chocolate frosting. Add the butter to a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the butter for one minute. Then add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar – and mix well.
- Add frosting to the cooled cake. Divide the frosting and add to two bowls. Then place one cake round on a cake stand and use a rubber spatula to spread half of the frosting on top. Then add the second round and add most of the remaining frosting on top. Use the spatula to spread a bit of frosting on the sides of the cake (leaving it somewhat “naked”).
- Decorate the top of the cake as you wish. We used some mini chocolate chips and mint leaves.
Notes
Storing and Freezing:
-
- For best results, store the leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days.
-
- Freeze the unfrosted cakes in plastic wrap and then in freezer bags for up to three months.
My daughter made this for a dinner in which we were hosting some in-laws. It was a big hit with the whole gang. Definitely not the last time this cake will be made in our house.
I’m happy to hear this, Robbie!
The best Birthday cake ever! Love it!
This cake turned out amazing! Super easy to make for my fiancé and he approved! I will be making this cake again, for sure ☺️
Hi Carly! I’m so happy to hear that ya’ll enjoyed the cake! Thanks for your feedback, as always. 🙂
I made this cake to celebrate family birthdays in August and was reminded of how often we ate this as kids growing up in St. Joe. I don’t often bake because I don’t want the leftovers sitting around tempting me. So my family was pleasantly surprised to get homemade cake. You’re right Sue, all the butter is worth it! I ran out of regular cocoa and used super dark cocoa. It did turn out quite a lot darker but was a hit! Rich and delicious! And thank goodness there were no leftovers!! The few pieces left were packaged up to go!!
So glad your family liked it, Jackie!! Norma Jean’s recipes are the best!