Description

This incredible buttermilk chocolate cake delivers the perfect balance of rich chocolate flavor and incredibly moist texture – it’s the kind of cake that disappears in minutes!

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g) – regular flour, nothing fancy
2 cups granulated sugar (400 g) – white sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (40 g) – Hershey’s works fine
1½ teaspoons baking soda – check expiration date
1 teaspoon baking powder – also check this
¼ teaspoon salt – table salt is fine
2 large eggs, room temperature – leave them out for an hour
½ cup melted butter (118 ml) – microwave 30 seconds
½ cup canola oil (118 ml) – vegetable oil works too
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (237 ml) – the magic ingredient
1 cup hot water (237 ml) – from the tap, really hot but not boiling

For the Frosting:

¾ cup unsalted butter (170 g) – stick and a half
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (40 g) – same as before
⅓ cup buttermilk, room temperature (79 ml) – leftover from cake
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – the good stuff if you have it
2½ to 3 cups powdered sugar (300-360 g)

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Instructions

Step 1: Get Ready to Bake

Oven to 350°F. Grease the pan, put parchment in it. Don’t skip parchment paper – trust me on this one.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Stuff

Dump flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt in the bowl. Whisk it around. Break up any cocoa clumps with your fingers if you see them.

Step 3: Add Wet Stuff

Pour in oil, melted butter, eggs, buttermilk. Mix until it looks combined. Doesn’t need to be perfect.

Step 4: The Magic Water

Add the hot water while stirring. Batter gets really thin and looks wrong but that’s normal. Pour in the pan.

Step 5: Bake

30-35 minutes. Stick a toothpick in the middle – should have a few crumbs on it. If it’s browning too fast, cover with foil.

Step 6: Cool It

Wait 15-20 minutes then lift out with parchment. Has to be completely cool or frosting melts everywhere.

Step 7: Frosting Time

Melt butter in the pot. Add cocoa, stir for a minute. Take off heat. Add buttermilk, vanilla, powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth. Spread on cake.

Notes

Test your baking soda – drop some in vinegar, should fizz like crazy

Don’t overmix – once water goes in, just stir until smooth

Fix runny frosting – add more powdered sugar bit by bit

Fix thick frosting – add buttermilk teaspoon by teaspoon

Rotate pan halfway through if your oven cooks unevenly like mine

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: One-bowl mixing
Cuisine: American