A moist and delicious chocolate cake made with buttermilk and cocoa powder and topped with a homemade chocolate frosting that’s plenty sweet. The frosting has a little crunch here and there from some toasted pecans. They taste so good with chocolate.
Buttermilk
With buttermilk in the batter and in the frosting, this cake makes good use of Buttermilk. Do you find that you frequently have a carton of Buttermilk at the back of the fridge that’s about to go bad? I almost always seem to.
If you make this cake and still have extra buttermilk try making Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie, Buttermilk Pancakes or Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops.
This is a simple, old-fashioned cake that is always a winner. It’s basically a Texas Sheet Cake except instead of baking it in the typical jelly roll pan (half sheet pan), I’ve made it in a 9X13-inch pan so that it is a little thicker. Chocolate Buttermilk Cake is both light and insanely rich at the same time. It’s very difficult not to go back for another bite. And another. And another. It will keep calling out your name until every last bit is gone.
One minute, you’ll be swooning over it, professing your love. The next minute you’ll be telling it how much hate it for making you eat too much.
That’s why this cake should only be baked for a potluck or a party where there are boatloads of people and there is no chance there will be any left over.
Fudgy Frosting
The frosting is easily assembled in a saucepan and takes only a few minutes. Still warm when poured on top of the cake, it forms an absolutely irresistible fudgy layer. It’s the frosting that really makes the cake. What’s really nice about it is it just naturally spreads itself out over the cake. You only need a spatula to help even it out a little bit.
That’s my kind of cake frosting. I know there are many people who enjoy the labor intensiveness of frosting a 3-layer cake. But I’m not one of them. By that point all I’m thinking is, I want a piece of this cake. Let’s hurry this up.
Buttermilk Substitute
If you don’t have any buttermilk you can make a buttermilk substitute by placing a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a glass measuring glass and filling to the 1 cup line with milk. Stir.
Recipe Tips
That being said, you do need to wait a little while for the frosting to cool and set up before you slice it and take a piece out, or all the frosting will run into that empty spot. Unless you stuff the empty spot with a wad of aluminum foil and tilt the pan ever so slightly to make it harder for the frosting to move in that direction. I’m not saving I’ve done that before.
Use full-fat buttermilk.
The pecans can be left out if you need a nut-free dessert.
Storage
Cake can be kept at room temperature for 4 to 5 days if wrapped well.
★★★★★
This chocolate cake is my new favorite! It has the perfect amount of sweetness and a great texture. My only problem with this cake is that I can’t stop eating it!
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Midnight Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Cake with Cream Filling
- Nutella Chocolate Cake
- Easy Death By Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Praline Layer Cake
Watch the video below to see how to make Chocolate Buttermilk Cake.
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup butter
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting
- 1 cup butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 (16-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9X13-inch pan.
- Combine 1 cup butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is fully melted. You can cut the butter into pieces to speed up the process. Remove from heat.
- Using an electric mixer, beat buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add melted butter mixture, beating until mixed.
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Add to buttermilk mixture and beat until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until set in the middle.
- To make frosting, combine butter, cocoa, and buttermilk in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and pecans. Pour over cake while cake is still warm. Let frosting cool and set some before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally posted May 4, 2017.
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This is a recipe my mother used to make and I have been making it for years! It was called “Chocolate Wet Cake”, it is very similar to Texas Sheet Cake as well. It is so yummy and delicious! The moistness of the cake makes it irresistible! A Chocolate Lovers Dream come true!
This is the second time I made this. I’m not usually that into cakes but this was delicious! One question, do you recommend refrigerating it?
Thanks!
It will not be in your house long enough to refrigerate.
Cake very good but will not make frosting Again, it is very messy
I so is really messy will cook frosting next time
I made this cake for my 3 year olds birthday..BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE IVE EVER HAD! my mother in Love had 2 pieces, this is seriously a quick and easy cake to make and very moist and delicious! Thank u so much for the recipe
Excellent cake! I love that it’s in a 9×13 pan…gives it a lot more depth and flavor in my opinion. Very rich and decadent, just the way I love it! Thanks!
This is just a Texas sheet cake, been making it my whole life!
Most rateings are fake but I hate cake but I love this cake I had to tell myself no. 4 in a half stars because too much sugar
Can you make the frosting and then refrigerate it to use later, and if you do, would you have to reheat it to make it spreadable?
I have made this recipe countless times. The ‘frosting’ absolutely compliments the rich cake and it is a snap to make. I don’t change a thing! The cake is rich and the frosting is amazing as it soaks into the cake just a bit. This recipe will be in my recipe box forever!
The butter separated from the milk and chocolate. What did I do wrong?
I made this today for a family to have after a funeral service when they all gather for dinner and fellowship. It was so easy to mix up. It came together so quickly even making the yummy homemade frosting. I was very happy to take it to the family, one of the children saw it as I went in and said I’ll take some of “that!” It doesn’t take much to help each other, ESPECIALLY. When we all share with each other. ThankYOU for sharing this delicious recipe.