Buttermilk Chocolate Cake (Best Chocolate Cake Recipe) (2024)

I absolutely adore chocolate cake. My Matilda Chocolate Cake , Brownie Cake, Almond Flour Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Tahini Buttercream Cake are just a few homemade chocolate cake recipes I love from the blog. I am so excited to add this chocolate buttermilk cake to my growing collection of the best chocolate cake recipes. I know you’ll love it because:

• It has the perfect rich, moist and tender texture. This buttermilk chocolate cake is incredibly moist and almost fudgy, while still retaining some fluffiness. The buttermilk chocolate frosting is smooth, rich, glossy and the perfect topping for this from scratch cake.
• Easy to make with simple ingredients. This buttermilk cake is made with pantry basics such a flour, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, oil, butter and of course, buttermilk. What I love most about this homemade cake is that it’s made in one bowl.

This moist chocolate cake requires only a handful of ingredients to make and is as simple as mixing the ingredients in a bowl, pouring the batter into a cake pan and baking it.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Dry Ingredients: All purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Wet Ingredients: Oil, melted butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk and hot water or coffee.

Buttermilk Chocolate Frosting

Gather butter, cocoa powder, buttermilk, vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

This chocolate buttermilk cake is meant to be quick, easy and so delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe if you need them:

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is the recommended cocoa powder for this buttermilk cake recipe.
• Oil: I like to bake with canola oil. However, any neutral baking oil will work well in this chocolate cake recipe.
• Melted Butter: Use salted butter if needed. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan, dairy free butter or more oil can also be used if needed.
• Sugar: This recipe hasn’t been tested using other types of sugar.
• Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
• Buttermilk: This is an essential ingredient for chocolate buttermilk cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar with enough milk to reach 1 cup. Mix well and let sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to curdle.
• Warm water: Use an equal amount of warm coffee.

Buttermilk Chocolate Layer Cake: To make this chocolate cake into a 2 layer cake, simply prepare the recipe as written and bake in, (2) 8-inch pans or (2) 9-inch pans. The 8-inch or 9-inch layer cakes will need about 25-35 minutes. Chill each cake layer before frosting, right after assembling and applying the crumb coat. Layer this cake with my favorite chocolate frosting or use a store bought variety. I do not recommend layering this cake with the chocolate buttermilk frosting as it’s more of a glaze or ganache like consistency.

8-inch or 9-inch Chocolate Cake: Make this buttermilk chocolate cake recipe as a smaller single layer cake by halving the recipe. Bake the cake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

This deliciously decadent chocolate cake is ready to bake in as little as 10 minutes. Here’s how to make moist buttermilk chocolate cake in a few easy steps.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease and line the bottom and long sides of a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
2. Whisk in the oil, melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk until well combined. Carefully whisk in the warm water until well combined.

3. Pour the chocolate buttermilk cake into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
4. Cool the buttermilk cake in the cake pan for 15-20 minutes. Using the parchment paper, gently lift the cake out of the pan to continue cooling on a cooling rack. While the cake cools, make the chocolate buttermilk frosting.
5. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the cocoa powder and cook over low heat for about 1 minute. This helps to bloom the cocoa powder for even more chocolate flavor. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the buttermilk, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
6. Transfer the cooled chocolate buttermilk cake back into the cake pan or onto a serving dish. Pour the buttermilk chocolate frosting onto the cooled cake. Allow the frosting to set, slice the moist chocolate cake and enjoy!

• Store this chocolate cake with buttermilk in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the fridge for about one week.
• Freeze the buttermilk cake: Make, bake and cool the cake to room temperature. Store the unfrosted chocolate cake wrapped tightly, in an airtight and freezer proof container for up to 2 months. Thaw the moist chocolate cake at room temperature for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.
• Serve the best chocolate cake with a glass of cold milk ir with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• Use full fat buttermilk. This adds richness, moisture and a bit of a tangy background flavor that works so well in this homemade chocolate cake. If needed, substitute with a DIY version of buttermilk (see substitution section)
• Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly, resulting in a softer cake.
• Don’t over bake the cake. Start checking the doneness of the cake on the early side of the baking range. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. A few moist crumbs should come out on the toothpick. The sides of the cake should also slightly pull away from the sides of the pan.
• Sift the powdered sugar. I highly recommend sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in order to avoid any lumps in the buttermilk frosting. The cocoa powder will be whisked into the warm butter, so sifting isn’t as necessary. However, the powdered sugar will clump up a bit in the frosting. Sifting the sugar ensures a smooth, lump free chocolate frosting.

What does buttermilk do for a cake?

Buttermilk does many different things in baked goods such as cake. It acts as a tenderizer, making baked goods super moist. Buttermilk also helps cakes to rise and balances out the sweetness with an underlying tangy hint. This gives baked goods a rich and almost buttery taste.

Does a cake made with buttermilk need to be refrigerated?

Cakes made with buttermilk can be kept at room temperature for several days. However, if the cake is covered in a frosting with cream cheese, whipped cream or eggs, it will need to be stored in the fridge.

• Strawberry Crunch Cake
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Pecan Upside Down Cake

If you try this Buttermilk Chocolate Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Megan

This buttermilk chocolate cake is a rich, fudgy, decadent and super moist homemade cake topped with a glossy chocolate frosting. Make this old-fashioned chocolate cake in one bowl with a whisk. This is the best chocolate cake for birthdays, holidays, family gatherings or as a simple, but indulgent dessert.

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