A gorgeous one layer Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with a tender crumb. Covered in creamy real chocolate frosting and a boatload of chocolate chips, it’s THE best chocolate cake EVER.
This cake👆🏻is the answer.
To what, you ask? To EVERYTHING. I’m talking a one bowl, face-plant-worthy, I-must-have-seconds kind of chocolate cake.
If you’re looking for a go-to Chocolate Buttermilk Cake recipe, then this is your day.
It took a number of tries to get this cake just right, but it was more than worth it. All I knew was that I wanted a chocolate cake that was THE chocolate cake.
You know the one. The cake that everyone requests for their birthday. The cake recipe that you print out and keep in your recipe box because it’s THAT good. The cake that when served, everyone asks for seconds.
And yes, this is THE cake.
When I started recipe testing 👆🏻 I knew I wanted a thick one layer chocolate cake that could be made with just a bowl and spoon. My first attempt used melted butter, and while it looked great in form, it was too dense and dry. I cannot stand dry cake, so I knew we had some work to do.
I then switched to vegetable oil as the main fat, as it tends to lend itself to moist chocolate cakes, as I know from my favourite Mint Chocolate Layer Cake. However the cake rose too much in the middle and tasted vaguely of oil – ew.
However the third time round we got lucky. ❤️ Like seriously lucky. The perfect Chocolate Buttermilk Cake was born. It’s soft and tender with a rich cocoa flavour and a gorgeous texture.
I went back to melted butter, but this time added a little more sugar, a little less buttermilk and a little more water – yes hot water is the ultimate ingredient in chocolate cake. And then and there my new favourite chocolate cake was born.
Once you take that cake and add my favourite real chocolate frosting AND a boatload of chocolate chips, you have one downright delicious treat. It’s chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. And I love it.
It’s the ultimate chocolate lovers cake. And the fact that it can be made with a bowl and spoon, just makes it all the more tempting.
There’s no exotic flavours. No outrageous ingredients. Just an old-fashioned, lick-the-bowl, chocolate cake. Even though the cake only uses cocoa powder for it’s chocolate flavour, it is oh-so-choco-licious.
And once you add lashes of luscious chocolate frosting, you are all set. And this frosting is next level. Made with melted dark chocolate, it’s a fluffy, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth kinda buttercream.
Honestly, I can’t wait to make this Chocolate Buttermilk Cake again. And handy tip, if you don’t have store bought buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. Just take 1/2 cup of regular milk and add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. Voila! Homemade buttermilk.
I really hope you enjoy this lovely chocolate cake. If you do make it, be sure to take a photo and share it with me on Instagram.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
A gorgeous one layer chocolate buttermilk cake with real chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
Chocolate buttermilk cake
- 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
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot water
Chocolate frosting
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 375 grams (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar
- 100 grams (2/3 cup) dark chocolate
- 1–2 tablespoons full fat or whole milk
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips
Instructions
- 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.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Boil the kettle and pour out 1/2 cup of hot water and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add butter, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and stir briefly. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add hot water and stir until chocolate cake batter is smooth. It will be a thin batter – that’s ok.
- Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a microwave, stirring in between 20 second bursts, until just melted and set aside.
- 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 warm. 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
Buttermilk: Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk.
Chocolate frosting: If your frosting is too thick, add an extra tablespoon or two of milk and beat until smooth.
Deborah says
Searched for buttermilk chocolate cake (as had some buttermilk in the fridge) and your site popped up. Loved how moist this is. Haven’t made the buttercream as don’t have the ingredients, but doesn’t necessarily need it. Lovely with a cuppa and my children enjoyed it. Will definitely check out your other recipes.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you found me Deborah! And so glad you enjoyed the cake!
Jasmine says
Omg thank you for adding gram and mil measurements, it’s a nightmare constantly converting them.
This is my go to chocolate cake recipe, I dont use the frosting just because my hearts with another but the recipe tastes amazing. I also added a tsp of ground espresso coffee. This recipe is so moist, chocolatey and its dense but light. I never use none buttermilk cake recipes, buttermilk cakes taste So much better!!!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! LOVE hearing that Jasmine!
Patricia A Rahilly says
I also would suggest adding coffee to the cake batter as it enhances the taste of a chocolate cake so very much. I just add 2 tsp instant coffee to the hot water. The cake is delicious and there is no hint of coffee, just in case you do not like it.
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks for the feedback Patricia!
Patricia A Rahilly says
I really want to try this recipe as I am looking for a new “go to” but need it adjusted to fill 12″ round pan. Can you help me with that? I thought about just doubling the recipe but was not sure it would work.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Patricia, I haven’t tried doubling the recipe so I can’t say, I’m sorry.
Catherine says
Can I use Dutch processed cocoa in this recipe?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes!
Alison Williams says
Thanks so much for this recipe, the cake was amazing and received rave reviews from the family. So simple and delicious. I don’t make chocolate cake very much as I find they can end up too rich or go dry quite easily. The buttermilk makes it lovely and moist. This will no doubt become my go to recipe for chocolate cake!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks Alison. I’m so glad you loved this recipe as much as I do!
Grace says
Hi Jessica,
What type of flour do you use for this recipe? For the brown sugar, do you use the light or dark? Thank you so much 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Grace, this recipe calls for plain flour which is the same as all purpose flour. And here in Australia, we only have one main type of brown sugar which I think is most like light brown sugar – but either should work. Hope that helps!
Cassie says
Wonderful Cake! Made this for the school and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe, we will make it again.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So happy to hear that Cassie!
Stephanie Scatie says
I make this recipe into cupcakes all the time and they come out perfectly.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Oh love hearing that Stephanie!
Ione says
Hi! Thanks for this recipe, it looks delicious! Do you think it would work as cupcakes? I’d love to try it out
Thank you ❤️
Jessica Holmes says
Yes I think so! Or try my Chocolate Cupcake recipe.
Ione says
Thanks for replying! I’ll give it a go as I have some buttermilk I need to use up. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Ione says
It worked brilliantly as cupcakes! Made about 16 quite big ones! I baked them for about 22 minutes. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Awesome!
Julie says
I love this icing (though I usually need to add more like 3-5 tbsp milk – but maybe because it is winter here and my apartment is on the cold side so the butter (though at room temperature) is a bid harder). I wanted to use the icing on a two-layer cake (8 inch pans). Do you think I could scale it up by 1.5?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Julie, glad you like the icing. You could definitely scale it up to make more. I also have my Chocolate Frosting recipe but that might make more icing than you need.
Tarah says
Will this be enough batter for a Bundt cake?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Tara, it depends how big your Bundt pan is.
Tarah says
It’s a traditional Nordicware Bundt pan.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Tara, I think it might not be enough, but perhaps you could try my Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe.
Barb says
Made this tonight. I thought an 8” pan looked small. I didn’t use all the batter but still it overflowed in the oven a bit. I think it still looks moist just not as pretty. I’m wondering how high your 8” pan is. Maybe that was my problem.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Barb, sorry to hear that. My cake pans are about 2 inches deep.
Amanda says
Easiest and best chocolate cake I’ve ever made – moist and great rise. All done by hand so less washing up too
5 stars
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Amanda!
Amanda says
This is so easy to make with the melted butter and tastes so good I would like to make a white vanilla version leaving out the cocoa. have you tried this Jessica?
Just replace cocoa with flour?
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Amanda! I haven’t tried this method as a vanilla cake. Not sure it would work exactly, but if you do try it, let me know how it goes.
Christine Dunn says
Just made this chocolate cake today but I put melted chocolate on top instead of frosting, and it’s really delicious, so soft and moist. A great recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Christine!
Steph says
Best (and headache-free) chocolate cake ever! Made it twice this week. Once with unsalted butter and frosting from above and next with salted butter and chocolate ganache. Recipe can handle anything! It’s perfect. Thank you so much for testing, tasting and posting.
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Steph! Thank you for your kind feedback!