Cocoa Buttermilk Cake Recipe

Indulge in this incredibly rich and moist Cocoa Buttermilk Cake, a true chocolate lover's dream! This recipe, perfected at a catering company, delivers unbelievably delicious results with surprising ease. Skip the complicated trimming – our instructions make it simple to frost and enjoy this intensely chocolatey cake. Get ready for rave reviews! This is the chocolate cake recipe you'll make again and again.

Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Calories 723.4 kcal
Protein 14g
Rating 4.6 (35 Reviews)
Cocoa Buttermilk Cake 40

Recipe Actions

Share this recipe:

Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Cocoa Buttermilk Cake

Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion

Missing an ingredient for this Cocoa Buttermilk Cake? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.

How to Make Cocoa Buttermilk Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter. Stir in 1 cup water and 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk until completely smooth and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  5. Add the wet ingredients (egg mixture) to the dry ingredients (flour mixture). Gradually add the melted cocoa mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before making the icing.
  8. While the cake cools, prepare the icing: Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth.
  9. Add 4 cups powdered sugar to a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour in the cocoa mixture through the feed tube. Process until smooth and creamy. Do not over-process.
  10. Invert the cooled cake onto a serving platter. Remove the parchment paper.
  11. Pour the icing over the top of the cake and spread evenly to the edges using an offset spatula. Don't worry if some icing goes over the sides!
  12. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

39 g

Sugar

265g

Fat

113g

Carbs

31g

Recipe Categories (Choose a category and find related recipes!)