Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
This moist, rich buttermilk chocolate cake is fudgy, tender, made in one bowl, and topped with a glossy chocolate frosting.
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 Water hot
Chocolate frosting
- ½ cup Butter unsalted
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- 3 cups Powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda, sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk.
- Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs, and mix until almost combined.
- Add the hot water and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour visible. The batter should be pretty runny and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake the cake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the chocolate frosting.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat until its completely melted. Remove it from the heat and sift the cocoa powder into the melted butter. Mix well until well combined with a whisk.
- Sift in the powder sugar, add the buttermilk, and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
- Pour the frosting on the cooled cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Allow the frosting to set for about 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Use full-fat buttermilk for this! It will give the cake extra moisture and a deliciously rich flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and buttermilk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Bake in the center of the oven. This ensures even baking and prevents the top from overbrowning before the center is done.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting. If the cake is warm, the frosting will melt and lose its glossy finish. Let it cool in the pan at room temperature.
- Use an offset spatula for frosting. It helps spread the frosting smoothly and evenly, especially on a large surface like a sheet cake. If the frosting feels too stiff, warm it slightly or add a splash of milk to loosen it up.
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 271mgPotassium: 136mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 240IUCalcium: 67mgIron: 2mg
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