Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Saturday 5 June 2021

 

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
My brother-in-law had a birthday this week. He turned 51.  When asked what he wanted for his birthday meal he had two requests, a homemade beef lasagna (with ricotta cheese) and a double chocolate cake! 

I said to my sister, let me make the cake!  I have the perfect recipe for it and I think he will love it. Ironically she had picked out the same recipe, so we were really on the same wave length! 


Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
One of my favorite cookbooks has always been Dish Entertains, by Trish  Magwood.  It is a book that was popular with my boss when I worked at the Manor, and one which I loved to cook from when she had luncheons, etc.

The recipes in it range from everyday simple to special occasions. It even won a James Beard Foundation Award, a silver Gourmand World Cookbook Award, and a Silver Cuisine Canada Culinary Book Award. 

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
If a birthday isn't a special occasion, I don't know what is, and I knew there was an excellent chocolate cake recipe in the book.  I had given my sister a copy of the book and she had ear-marked it as well.  The decision was made! 

According to Trish, this is a four generations old recipe.  A fabulously old fashioned one-bowl chocolate cake, and perfect for family celebrations!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 

If turning 51 isn't a special occasion I don't know what is!  This is a delicious chocolate cake filled to overflowing with fabulous chocolate flavor.

But you don't need anything special to make it, unless you count buttermilk as being special.  I love anything baked with buttermilk.  It has the ability to render any baked good incredibly moist, and is great for marinating chicken in prior to cooking it.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
It makes great biscuits and pancakes, waffles, scones, etc.  And it makes for one very fabulous chocolate cake! 

This recipe doesn't require fancy chocolate either, no chocolate chips, etc. or pudding mixes, etc.  Just plain old cocoa powder.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 

Just make sure you use cocoa powder and not chocolate drinking powder or hot cocoa mix.  Plain old baking cocoa powder.  I use Fry's cocoa powder.  Its the only cocoa powder that I have ever used in North America. Its the best as far as I am concerned.

One year my sister and I both entered baked whoopie pies, using my whoopie pie recipe into our respective county fairs.  She was in a different county to I.  We both won the Fry's Cocoa Powder blue ribbon of excellence for them!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
What fun that was for both of us to come first!  We got a cash prize, a ribbon and a set of oven mitts and an apron!  Those were the days!

This lovely cake uses the one bowl method.  What that means is that all of the dry and wet ingredients are mixed together in one bowl. There is no separating of the eggs and beating them separately. No creaming of the fats and sugars, etc.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
Just look at how lovely and moist it is. (No, I did not take the cake over there with a piece missing, lol  I took it over whole and then brought a piece home to take a photo of the slice!) 

You can tell that this cake is not only moist but is filled with a rich and chocolatey flavor!  It makes either a nine or an 8 inch double layer cake.  But don't worry if you don't have a lot of people to feed.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 
This chocolate cake recipe can also very easily be halved to make only one layer, which makes it perfect for the smaller family as well.  You can also bake it as cupcakes!

Not only is it the perfect celebration cake, but it is a fast and easy, reliable cake to bake as a last minute dessert when you need one!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 

Included also is a fabulous chocolate frosting recipe, which fills and covers the cake quite generously!  It, too, only needs simple ingredients. Melted butter, cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar and some strong brewed coffee.

No worries however, if you are not a coffee drinker like I am not, or if you are making the cake for children.  You can substitute buttermilk in its place.  

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 

I found I needed a bit more liquid with the icing than she suggested.  So just play with it and if you think the icing is not fluffy or creamy enough, beat in extra liquid by the TBS.  My icing was a bit like play dough until I did this.

I was quite concerned because I didn't have any more icing sugar to make another icing, so just persevere and add more liquid a small amount at a time until you get the right consistency.

She also seemed to think it made an extra large amount of icing and that there would be some leftover. I found this to be exactly the right amount needed for both filling and coating the cake.



Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

All in all, everyone really enjoyed this fabulously tasty and moist chocolate cake, especially Dan!  I decorated it with sprinkles that reminded us of the stars, planets and moons. He is a sci-fi buff!!

If you are looking for an excellent chocolate cake for whatever reason, look no further. This one fits the bill perfectly on all counts!  I am even betting that you will have everything you need to make it in your cupboard right now!  Let the baking begin!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 12 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 52 Min
This old fashioned one-bowl chocolate cake is meant to be shared and is the perfect way to celebrate any occasion. Delicious and moist. You can cut the recipe in half and bake in one pan for a single layer cake.

Ingredients

For the cake:
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 2 cups (480ml (approximately, see instructions) buttermilk
  • 2 cups (280g) all purpose plain flour
  • 2 cups (390g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (55g) cocoa powder, sifted (not chocolate drinking mix)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla
For the icing:
  • 1/2 cup (120g) butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup (55g) cocoa powder, sifted (not chocolate drinking mix)
  • 4 cups (520g) icing sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) strong brewed coffee (or buttermilk if making for children)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Generously butter 2 nine or eight-inch round cake tins and line the bottoms with some parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Measure the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Give them a quick whisk together.
  3. Place the eggs into a measuring cup and add buttermilk only to make 2 cups (480ml) in total.  Add the oil and vanilla.  Slowly beat this into the dry ingredients on low speed to combine.  Once combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
  4. Divide the batter between both prepared layer tins.
  5.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes,  until the top springs back when lightly touched, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Transfer the tins to a wire rack and cool completely in the pans.
  7. Once cold, run a sharp knife around the edge, unmold and remove the paper from the bottoms of the cakes.
  8. To make the icing, measure all of the ingredients into a large bowl and beat together until creamy. You may need a bit more liquid to get the proper consistency. 
  9. Place one layer of cake on a plate. Spread a portion of frosting over top.  Place the other layer on top of that and then proceed to ice the whole cake. 
  10. Decorate or not as desired. Cut into wedges to serve.
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Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
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24 comments

  1. My husband is very partial to a good chocolate cake, so I want to make it for him. We generally only do single cakes - I've never really adopted the whole layer cake thing. We might split a single cake and do a filling, but never pile one cake on top of the other as it is simply far too much cake for us to eat.

    Happy birthday, Dan! How lovely that you got a chance to do something like this for him.

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    Replies
    1. You could do a single layer cake with this Marie, very easily, and frost is as you want. This is an excellent cake and if your husband likes a good chocolate cake he is sure to love this! Or at least I hope that he does! xoxo

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  2. Hi Marie! I have made this very similar recipe and it’s delicious! The only thing different is the addition of expresso powder in both the cake and icing recipe. What are your thoughts on that? I wonder if it really needs that extra ingredient....?? Also.....is it icing or frosting ? Is there a difference or just a different word for the same thing? I’m going to make this cake real soon. Thank you. Happy birthday Dan! xo, V

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    1. I don’t really drink coffee or espresso. This is perfectly delicious just as it is! Icing and frosting are pretty much the same thing in my opinion! Lol I hope you enjoy the cake! ❤️

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    2. Espresso powder deepens the chocolatieness. I use it frequently when making chocolate things.

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    3. I know that coffee does also. I don't drink tea or coffee for religious reasons, but am not opposed to using it in cooking! xo

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  3. Hi Marie , this looks absolutely my favourite kind of cake . When you say "Baking soda " , is that what we in the U.K call " Bicarbonate of soda " ? I cant wait to make this ! Thankyou for sharing this one :) x

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    1. Yes Debs! That’s exactly what it is! I hope you enjoy baking and eating this lush cake as much as we enjoyed it! Xoxo

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  4. Hi. How do I adjust the ingredients for 2 x 6 inch round pan? How do I make buttermilk ?

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    1. You can make buttermilk by adding 1 TBS of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and then adding whole milk to make up 1 cup or 240ml. This will give you that much buttermilk. For two six inch round pans, I would still make the full batter, but fill the pans 2/3 full and bake the remaining batter in a ramekin. You need approximately 2/3 of the batter for six inch pans, and I am just on my way out the door so unable to do the calculations at the moment, sorry! xo

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  5. Fabulous recipe, I made it for my sister’s 60th birthday and it was delicious.
    I just discovered the delights of a buttermilk cake and I’m converted.
    What I am MOST impressed and happy about is the way you have written this recipe, i.e. with quantities in both imperial and metric.
    Not once did I have to look up cups v grams or mls, you have no idea how, as a scientist, this thrills me! ��
    Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. You are very welcome Jan! I always try to do my recipes in both measurements so that people on both sides of the pond can bake and cook them! I am so pleased you enjoyed this cake! That makes me very happy! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us all! xo

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  6. Hello! I just wanted to double check the buttermilk Amount? Isn’t 480 ml quite a lot 🥴 worried it might be too runny?

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    Replies
    1. It is the correct amount, no worries. It is a runny batter, but it bakes up beautifully. Hope this helps!

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  7. Thank you so much!! I’m definitely going to make abc just love your blog!!

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  8. I was given a carton of buttermilk and wanted to bake some sort of cake with it, so I googled buttermilk cake recipes and came across this one. Oh my goodness, I have to say, I turned out to be probably the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten in my life! So incredibly moist. I have literally eaten a quarter of it already as I just couldn’t stop myself! I used organic flour, eggs and cacao powder, Polish straciatella buttermilk, and replaced the vegetable oil with half avocado oil and half olive oil. Honestly it’s just amazing!!!

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    Replies
    1. This makes me so happy! I am super pleased that you tried this and enjoyed it. I am so appreciative of you taking the time to come and share your experience with everyone! Thank YOU! I have just started using avocado oil myself as it is a healthier oil. xo

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  9. im 11 and this wAS SO EASY TO DO

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    Replies
    1. I am so pleased you like the recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment on your experience!

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  10. How long would I need to cook as cupcakes? Is it the same amount of time and same temperature? I did make this cake and it was absolutely delicious, enjoyed by all. I would like noe to bake as cupcakes. Thank you

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    Replies
    1. So pleased you enjoyed the cake. Never having baked this as cupcakes I cannot say for sure, but as cupcakes I would bake at 350*F/180*C for no longer than 17 to 20 minutes. I would check them at 17. Let me know how you get on! xo

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  11. I've made this as written three times now, and it's always so delicious! Tonight I scraped out a bit of the vanilla bean because, well, why not? And the wonderful thing is that it improves with age. Thank you for such a solid recipe!

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    Replies
    1. I am so pleased that you are enjoying this lovely cake recipe! The addition of vanilla bean sounds lovely! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! It is very much appreciated! xo

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