A moist Chocolate Buttermilk Cake covered in creamy chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips. This quick and easy chocolate cake recipe takes only minutes to make but tastes better than a box mix. It’s the perfect cake for parties, birthdays and celebrations!
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake = chocolate-covered bliss! ❤️
If you’re looking for a moist chocolate cake that’s quick and easy to make, look no further. This simple one-layer cake is perfect for chocolate lovers.
The (not-so) secret ingredient, buttermilk ensures this cake has a super soft crumb that stays moist for days.
And the frosting is a scaled-down version of my popular Chocolate Buttercream. It has real melted chocolate in it, which makes it super creamy and easy to worth with.
It takes only minutes to frost, making it the perfect chocolate cake recipe for birthday celebrations and special occasions.
Why you will love this recipe
- The cake is quick and easy to make (no electric mixer needed)
- Buttermilk ensures the cake has a moist and tender crumb
- The frosting is thick, creamy and oh-so-chocolatey
- This recipe makes a tall one-layer cake that takes just minutes to frost
Recipe testing
Chocolate cake can be a fickle thing. Sometimes it’s a little too dry, too dense or not chocolatey enough. And while I love my tried and true Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe, I wanted to add a quick and easy, no mixer chocolate cake to my repertoire.
And that’s where this recipe comes in. A thick, one-layer moist chocolate cake recipe that doesn’t require an electric mixer.
My first attempt used melted butter, and while it looked great in form, it was too dense and dry.
I then switched to vegetable oil as the main fat, as it tends to lend itself to moist chocolate cakes, just like my fave Malteser Cake and my Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes. However, the cake tasted vaguely of oil.
The third time around I went back to melted butter, but added a little more sugar, a little less buttermilk and a little more water. The perfect Chocolate Buttermilk Cake was born ❤️
Why use buttermilk in cakes?
Buttermilk is the answer to moist cakes that stay fresh for days. The acidity in buttermilk helps to act as a tenderiser in baked goods, resulting in soft and tender cakes, muffins, scones and pancakes.
Buttermilk can also help cakes to rise when it reacts with baking soda. It can add a slightly tangy flavour to baked goods, but you can’t taste the sourness in a homemade chocolate cake like this one. It’s there to influence texture and rise.
TLDR: Looking for a delicate and moist crumb in your cakes? Try buttermilk.
Ingredients for Buttermilk Cake
You don’t need any special ingredients to make this Buttermilk Chocolate Cake recipe – except for buttermilk.
For best results, I recommend using full fat store-bought buttermilk but I have included a DIY substitute below.
Here are some of the key ingredients you’ll need to make a delicious chocolate cake from scratch.
- Plain flour: Or all purpose flour.
- Cocoa power: You can use either natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe. I’ve used natural 100% cocoa in these photos, but Dutch cocoa will give you a slightly darker crumb. Either way, make sure your cocoa is unsweetened.
- Brown sugar: Soft brown sugar or light brown sugar is best.
- Caster sugar: Or granulated sugar.
- Buttermilk: I recommend using storebought full-fat buttermilk for best results. If you cannot buy buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 2 teaspoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 1/2 cup full fat or whole milk. My preferred substitute is using 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream along with 1/4 cup full fat or whole milk.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream along with 1/4 cup full fat or whole milk.
How to make Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
One of the best things about this easy Chocolate Buttermilk Cake recipe is that you don’t need an electric mixer to make it. It’s a simple one-bowl recipe that comes together in minutes.
Here’s a quick rundown of how to make buttermilk cake. Detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, add butter, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Stir briefly just to break up the egg yolks.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and start to mix by hand. Pour in hot water and mix until combined.
- Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Leave your cake to cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from the cake pan. Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: To make your Chocolate Buttermilk Cake ahead of time, leave it to cool completely before tightly wrapping in plastic wrap and placing it in the freezer.
When you’re ready to decorate and serve your cake, leave it to thaw at room temperature. Then frost and slice.
Ingredients for chocolate buttercream
This creamy homemade chocolate frosting is essentially an easy buttercream but with melted chocolate added into the mixture.
Using real chocolate not only ensures the buttercream is full of chocolate flavour, but it helps create a super smooth and creamy texture – perfect for frosting cakes!
Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Butter
- Icing sugar: Or powdered sugar.
- Dark chocolate: I recommend using good quality dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate that’s somewhere between 50-70% cocoa.
- Milk: Full fat or whole milk.
- Chocolate chips: For decorating only – entirely optional.
Tips for perfect buttercream
The perfect accompaniment to my Chocolate Buttermilk Cake is my easy chocolate frosting. You only need four ingredients and an electric mixer to get started.
Just like a regular Vanilla Buttercream, this recipe starts by mixing your butter until creamy, then adding your sugar. Then you’ll add your melted dark chocolate.
As you start mixing, you can gradually add your milk until you have a dreamy, creamy frosting.
Here are my tips for ensuring perfect chocolate buttercream every time:
- Use softened butter: The foundation of a smooth and creamy buttercream is softened butter. If your butter is too cold, you may end up with lumps in your frosting and you’ll also increase the risk of over-mixing.
- Sift your sugar: It is incredibly important to sift your sugar (you can even do it twice) so it easily incorporates with your butter. This will also prevent lumps or a gritty texture.
- Make sure your chocolate is cool: Your chocolate should be completely melted and smooth but it shouldn’t be hot. It is ok if it’s still a little warm.
- Add milk gradually: Add your milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you have your desired consistency. You may need more or less milk but remember – you can add milk but you can’t take it away, so go slow.
- Finish your frosting by hand: Once you have finished your frosting, swap the electric mixer for a spatula and give it one last stir by hand. This helps to get rid of any air bubbles.
How to store Buttermilk Cake
Keep unfrosted Chocolate Buttermilk Cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in an airtight container at room temperature.
Once frosted, you can store your cake in the fridge in an airtight container. Bring your cake back to room temperature before serving.
Recipe tips
- Weigh your ingredients: For best results, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients using a baking scale. It’s very easy to over-measure ingredients like flour and cocoa when using cup measurements.
- Avoid over-mixing your cake batter: Once your batter is combined, you can stop mixing. Over-mixing can result in a dry or tough cake.
- Don’t over-bake your cake: You’ll know your cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Your cake should no longer have a sticky or wet top.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using storebought full-fat buttermilk for best results. If you cannot buy buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 2 teaspoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 1/2 cup full fat or whole milk. But my preferred substitute is using 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream along with 1/4 cup full fat milk.
This Chocolate Buttermilk Cake should be moist, not dry. Adding too much flour and/or cocoa powder will result in a dry cake, so be sure to measure your dry ingredients using a baking scale. Also, be careful not to over-mix your cake batter, or over-bake your cake.
Yes. You can easily slice this cake in half to make a two-layer cake if you prefer. You can use the buttercream to frost in between the cake layers.
Yes. This recipe will make around 16-18 cupcakes. Check them around the 18-20 minute mark – you’ll know they’re ready when they spring back lightly to the touch.
More chocolate cakes to love
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Let’s Bake
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake recipe
A gorgeous one layer chocolate buttermilk cake with real chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
Chocolate buttermilk cake
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot water
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
- 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 170 grams (3/4 cup or 1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) full fat buttermilk
Chocolate buttercream
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 375 grams (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 100 grams (2/3 cup) dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate (50-70% cocoa), melted and cooled
- 1–2 tablespoons full fat or whole milk, room temperature
- 50 grams (1/3 cup) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Chocolate buttermilk cake
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with baking or parchment paper. - Boil the kettle and pour out 1/2 cup of hot water and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir briefly.
- In a separate bowl, add melted butter, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and stir briefly using a fork just to break up the egg yolks.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and start to stir using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Pour hot water down the side of the bowl and continue to stir until chocolate cake batter is combined and smooth. It will be a thin batter – that’s ok.
- Bake cake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave cake to cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pan and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Chocolate buttercream
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy. - Add half the sugar and one tablespoon of milk and beat until combined. Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add melted chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is still smooth and melted but is not hot. Beat until the chocolate is completely mixed through. If frosting is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of milk.
- Generously frost the top and sides of the cake using a spatula. Sprinkle over chocolate chips.
Notes
Cocoa powder: You can use either natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Make sure your cocoa is unsweetened.
Buttermilk: I recommend using storebought full-fat buttermilk for best results. If you can’t get hold of buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 2 teaspoons white vinegar to 1/2 cup full fat or whole milk. My preferred substitute is using 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream along with 1/4 cup full fat or whole milk.
Layer cake: You can easily slice this cake in half to make a two-layer cake if you prefer.
Storage: Cover unfrosted cake in plastic wrap and keep in an airtight container at room temperature. Once frosted, store cake in the fridge in an airtight container. Bring cake back to room temperature before serving.
Freezer instructions: Once baked, let your cake to cool completely before tightly wrapping in plastic wrap and placing it in the freezer. When you’re ready to decorate and serve your cake, let it to thaw at room temperature. Then frost and slice.
Rosa Bortolus says
Hi Jess
Would like to make this cake, but would like to replace the butter with vegetable/canola oil. What quantity can i use? Is it the same as the melted butter 3/4 cup?
Also what is the difference of using normal butter to unsalted? Some recipes have added salt.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Rosa, thanks for your question! The general rule of thumb when subbing oil for butter is to add a little less, so in this case, closer to 1/2 cup. However I haven’t tested oil in this cake recipe so I’m reluctant to recommend. Alternatively, you might like to try one of my other chocolate cake recipes that use oil, like this my Malteser Cake.
Melanie says
Can I make cupcakes out of these instead?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Melanie, you sure can. Or you can try my Chocolate Cupcake recipe here.
Diane says
Thank you for this recipe! I’m single and love the fact that this cake is one layer. I used a 9” cake pan and cooked it about 40 minutes and it came out great! The texture is very light and the top is a bit crunchy . Not too sweet either which I love. I did add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt to help bring out the chocolate flavor. Also, I don’t care much for icing so I’m eating it ‘naked’! Delish!!!
Jessica Holmes says
Aww so glad like it Diane! It’s one of my faves too. Adding salt is a great idea! And I love eating cakes without frosting too ❤️
Charlene says
Absolutely lovely cake! So moist and chocolately. Thank you so much for the recipe. The kids couldn’t believe I made it from scratch and said it was the best choc vajecthey had ever tasted ☺️☺️☺️
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Charlene! Thank you for such lovely feedback ❤️❤️
Al says
Made this with butter and vegetable oil ( didn’t have enough butter) and was delicious.. yum yum. Will make
Again
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you liked it Al! 🙂
Heidi says
For the frosting, can I replace dark chocolate with semisweet?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes Heidi! You sure can! ☺️
Libertie says
Hello! I scrolled through all of the comments and didnt find anyone asking about castor sugar — would I be able to substitute castor sugar for any other sugar since I do not have that readily available? If so, how much?
Thank you
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Libertie, thanks for asking. You can substitute caster sure for granulated sugar or white sugar. To find out more about caster sugar, you might want to read this blog post.
Hope that helps!
Donya Pittman says
This was my first recipe from this site but won’t be my last !’ve just made this cake as the base for my german chocolate cake. It baked up well and was light and fluffy. I made my own buttermilk with 2% and vinegar and it turned out great! Thanks. Happy baking!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Donya! Thank you for such a lovely review! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the recipe ☺️ I always make my own buttermilk using vinegar too, such a lifesaver!
Stacey Bresnahan says
Hi there., I recently made this cake. The flavor was delicious… Not too sweet, very moist and nice and chocolatey. My cake was very dense though.. Almost like brownie texture. Is this how it should be? Just curious…. I would definitely make it again. 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Stacey! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake! It’s one of my favourites. It is supposed to be lovely moist but not as dense as a brownie or mud cake. Perhaps yours was slightly under baked? Thanks for the lovely feedback! 💕
Stacey Bresnahan says
HI, thank you for your reply! I doubled the recipe and baked in a large (12 inch) round pan. Maybe that had something to do with it….or it may be possible that I didn’t double the ingredients properly. I was just curious to know if it was supposed to be like that. I will try again as it was delicious, just very dense 🙂
emmalene says
we are going to make the cake
Jessica Holmes says
Hope you enjoy it!
Tina says
Hello,
I followed the recipe and baked the cake in an 8 inch cake tin…I took it out of the oven after 50 minutes when the skewer I inserted came out clean, but after I cut the cake the inside was very under-cooked. Would could be the problem?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Tina, the skewer test should work, if you insert it right into the middle of the deepest part of the cake. Look for other clues too, like if the cake springs back to the touch or starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Every oven is different. I recommend everyone get an oven thermometer to accurately see what temp your oven is. I hope that helps a little.
Maggie says
I followed the recipe and I think the cake turned out really well. Instead of making it in a 8 inch pan, I actually made it in two a 2-tier 7-inch and 4-inch springform pan. It came out nicely and was very cute. I think my only issue was that I tried following the frosting recipe and it didn’t really come out as well. The flavoring was good, but it just didn’t seem to want to stick to the cake and it didn’t really go on the cake too well, so I wasn’t sure where I messed up because the frosting might’ve been too thick?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Maggie! So pleased you enjoyed this cake – a two tiered cake sounds lovely. If your frosting was too thick, next time add a little bit more milk to help loosen it up. It should be nice and creamy, and easy to spread. It can thicken over time, so it’s best to frost the cake as soon as you make the frosting too. I hope that helps!
Kieryne says
Hi
Could I leave out the cocoa powder so it is a vanilla cake?
Thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Kieryne, I haven’t tried it but I would recommend trying one of my yellow or vanilla cakes instead ☺️
Nora Signer says
Hi — Just a note about using coffee when baking with chocolate, The coffee flavor does not come through or dominate, rather it is used to accentuate or deepen the taste of chocolate. I have not yet made this cake, but when I do I will replace the hot water with coffee. And, add a pinch of salt as well.
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks Nora! I hope you enjoy the cake ☺️
Diane says
Have you tried hot coffee in place of hot water? Ccurious what it would taste like. I’m going to make it today and I love coffee but husband hates it.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Diane, I haven’t because I’m not a big fan of coffee but it would be fine to do that! ☺️