The Best Buttermilk Cake with Homemade Chocolate Frosting
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy.
This is the BEST Buttermilk Cake with Homemade Chocolate Frosting Recipe you will make! It’s rich, decadent, and the perfect homemade cake for pretty much all occasions.
When you bit into this cake recipe from scratch, you will immediately be drawn to how moist it is. It’s also super versatile and can be adjusted as well.
Scroll to bottom for printable recipe card.
The Best Buttermilk Cake with Homemade Chocolate Frosting
I am always going to make this incredible vanilla cake with homemade chocolate frosting because it’s one of the best things I have ever tasted. We recently were in charge of a family reunion, and I made several desserts to keep everyone happy. This buttermilk cake was a HUGE hit, and there wasn’t even one piece leftover.
The only sad part was I didn’t even get to taste it. The other desserts I made for the reunion are my Chocolate Pie with Meringue, Banana Cake with Marshmallow Frosting and Caramel Drizzle, and The Best Blueberry Lemon Brownies From Scratch.
Call me crazy, but I could literally live off of the cake. Every once in while, I will even sneak a piece for breakfast because this buttermilk cake is that tasty. Once you try it, you will understand my obsession with it.
Can I Use All Purpose Flour instead of Cake Flour
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, but you will need to add some cornstarch to it. For every cup of flour, you need to add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This will give you the same result as cake flour without the extra expense.
Why Add Buttermilk To A Cake
Adding buttermilk to this vanilla cake will give it a lovely tangy flavor and keeps it extra moist. Whenever you add a liquid like buttermilk or sour cream, you can expect that the cake is going to be rich, moist, and soft.
Variations to Cake Recipe
There are several things you can try to add some pizzazz to this cake. The variations are a fun way to add flavor, and it customizes it for whoever you are serving it for.
- Chocolate Chips – Add some mini-chocolate chips to the batter. You could use add white chocolate chips, semi-sweet, peanut butter chips, or even butterscotch chips.
- Vanilla Icing – You can leave the cocoa powder out of the icing and just use vanilla instead. Both are absolutely delicious!
- Nuts – Add crushed nuts to the cake batter. Pecans, walnuts, or almonds would all be absolutely delightful. They add a nice crunch to the cake.
- Crushed Cookies – Sprinkle some of your favorite crushed cookies on top of the cake. It’s a playful way to add some extra flavor too.
Does This Cake Freeze Well
Yes, this tasty cake is actually wonderful to freeze. Place each piece of cake in a piece of plastic wrap or tin foil. Then place the cake inside of a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. The cake will last 1-2 months in the freezer. Defrost the cake in the fridge or on the countertop. Once it’s the temperature, you like you can eat it. It does taste good when it’s mostly frozen too!
Can I Make In Advance
Yes, you can easily make this delicious buttermilk cake in advance. Prepare the cake, frost it and refrigerate for 3-4 days or until you are ready to serve. It’s a great cake recipe to make in advance and does well at large events when you need to feed a lot of people.
Ingredients
There are two sets of ingredients for this buttermilk cake recipe. One is for the cake itself, and the other is for the homemade chocolate frosting. They are both easy and simple ingredients to work with too. Let’s take a peek at what you need to make this incredible yellow cake.
- Unsalted butter softened
- Sugar
- Large eggs
- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Whole buttermilk
- Pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting:
- Unsalted butter softened
- Powdered sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Buttermilk
- Pure vanilla extract
- Pure almond extract
How to Make A Buttermilk Cake
Now it’s time to get to the good part! Let’s talk about how you can make your own buttermilk cake with a few simple steps. Take a peek so you can get started:
Step 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Then add cooking spray to a baking pan and coat liberally.
Step 2. Next, you will want to beat your sugar and butter until creamy in a stand mixer or in a bowl using a handheld mixer. This will take around 2 minutes.
Step 3. Slowly add in the eggs one at a time, and mix until your eggs are well combined.
Step 4. Use a medium bowl and add in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 5. Now with the electric mixer on low, you will start adding dry ingredients to your batter alternating with the buttermilk. Do a little at a time, ending in liquid.
Step 6. Mix in the vanilla, and then once mixed, pour your batter into your greased pan.
Step 7. Bake the buttermilk cake for 25-28 minutes or until the cake is fully cooked, and you can insert a toothpick in the center that comes out clean.
For the frosting:
Step 1. Prepare this chocolate frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, buttermilk, cocoa, and almond and vanilla extract. Once smooth and creamy, you can spread evenly over your fully cooled cake.
Step 2. Enjoy this vanilla buttermilk cake topped with a homemade chocolate frosting.
Enjoy!
Now, remember to save this recipe on Pinterest for later 🙂
Pin this recipe now to remember it later
Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate frosting
Ingredients
- 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 C sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 C cake flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 C whole buttermilk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting:
- 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox!
NOTE: By saving this recipe, you agree to join our weekly recipes newsletter.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a bowl or a stand mixer, you will want to beat your sugar and butter until creamy. This will take around 2 minutes.
- Now add in your eggs one at a time, and mix until your eggs are well combined.
- Grab a bowl and add in your flour, baking powder and salt.
- Now with your mixer on low, you will start adding dry ingredients to your batter alternating with the buttermilk. Do a little at a time, ending in liquid.
- Stir in your vanilla, and then once mixed pour your batter into your greased pan.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the cake is fully cooked.
For the frosting:
- To make this chocolate frosting you will beat your butter, powdered sugar, buttermilk, cocoa, and almond and vanilla extract. Once smooth, you can spread evenly over your fully cooled cake.
- Enjoy this vanilla buttermilk cake topped with a homemade chocolate frosting.
Follow me on Pinterest for daily delicious recipes!
You really need to see these amazing cake recipes too. They are all fabulous and are great for “wowing” your friends and family. Plus, they are great for dinner parties, barbecues, and potlucks too.
- Moist Rum Cake – This cake is so awesome! We make it all the time, and the flavor of the rum is beyond amazing.
- Strawberry Pound Cake – Strawberries and moist cake are calling your name with this incredible strawberry pound cake. You might make two because you will want to devour it.
- Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake – If you are ready to eat some tasty fall foods, then be sure to try this pumpkin spice coffee cake. It’s incredible.
- Cherry Dr. Pepper Cake – I will never grow tired of cherries and chocolate together. This cake is one of the best ever.
Get new recipes weekly plus our FREE ebook!
