Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the chocolate cake I made most often when I began making more layer cakes from scratch. The buttermilk in the recipe gives this cake a tender crumb and light texture.

This is a fragile cake. It is helpful to put the cake layers in the refrigerator before frosting.

There are many good chocolate cream cheese frosting recipes, this recipe takes it up a notch by using melted chocolate. The melted chocolate makes it richer and oh so worth it.

I like to use three 8-inch round cake pans for this one but you could use 9-inch pans if you like. Keep in mind thinner layers with a 9-inch pan will be more delicate. Not a bad thing, just be sure to have a cake circle or large spatula nearby to make it easier to handle the layers.

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Shannon Rivero

This is the chocolate cake I made most often when I began making more layer cakes from scratch. The buttermilk in the recipe gives this cake a tender crumb and light texture. The thick and smooth cream cheese frosting is the icing on the cake, literally.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting cake pans
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 4 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• ½ tsp instant coffee, combined with 1 Tbs hot water
• ½ cup sour cream

Frosting

• 6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

 

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of cake pans with parchment paper then dust with flour.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl or large measuring cup whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Combine the instant coffee with the hot water, then add to the buttermilk. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating in between with the buttermilk mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the sour cream by hand.
• Divide batter equally between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Flip cake out onto wire rack, continue to cool.

Frosting

• In a small saucepan combine the chocolate and heavy whipping cream. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring frequently. Set aside to cook, approximately 30 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl beat together butter and cream cheese. Add the cooled chocolate mixture, beat until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time. Beat until smooth.

Video

Notes

Tips:

You can use 9-inch cake pans if you prefer, the layers will be thinner so handle even more gently as they are delicate.

If you’re using chocolate discs or morsels when making the frosting and you don’t have a scale, measure out 1 cup for the 6 oz of chocolate, that should get you close.

Adapted from “Amazing Cakes & Cupcakes too!” from Hoffman Media

Keyword chocolate cake, chocolate cake recipe, chocolate cream cheese frosting