Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
This buttermilk chocolate cake is rich, fudgy, and made in one bowl with a simple whisk. Topped with a shiny chocolate glaze, it stays moist for days!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- ¾ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup Coffee hot
Chocolate frosting
- ½ cup Butter unsalted
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- 3 cups Powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Sift in the cocoa powder and mix until combined.
- Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and room-temperature eggs. Whisk until mostly combined.
- Pour in the freshly brewed hot coffee and whisk gently until smooth. The batter will look thin and runny, which is exactly what gives this cake its ultra-tender crumb.
- Pour the batter into your prepared 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm, not piping hot.
Make the frosting & assembly
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, sift in the cocoa powder, and whisk until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until glossy.
- Pour the warm icing directly over the cake, spread with an offset spatula, and let set for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Bloom the Cocoa: Always use hot brewed coffee or boiling water. The heat dissolves the cocoa solids instantly and releases their full, deep chocolate flavor.
- Embrace the Thin Batter: The loose, runny batter is completely normal. Do not add extra flour, as this high liquid ratio produces the ultra-tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
- Use Full-Fat Buttermilk: Real buttermilk breaks down tough gluten strands and reacts with the baking soda to yield an extra soft, fluffy rise.
- Time the Glaze: Pour the warm icing when the cake is slightly warm—about 20 minutes out of the oven. If the cake is piping hot, the icing melts off; if completely cold, it won't set smoothly.
- Sift for Smoothness: Always sift your cocoa powder into the dry ingredients. Cocoa is prone to stubborn clumps that create bitter, unmixed pockets in the baked sponge.
- Weigh Your Dry Ingredients: Use a digital kitchen scale for the flour and cocoa powder. Scooping directly with measuring cups packs down the flour and creates a dense, dry cake.
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 271mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 240IUCalcium: 67mgIron: 2mg
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