This moist buttermilk chocolate cake with white frosting is soft, tender, and deeply chocolatey, and its fluffy white frosting sets it apart from more traditional versions. Made with a combination of butter, oil, buttermilk, and hot water, it stays incredibly moist without being dense or heavy. It's perfect for birthdays, gatherings, or any time you want a reliable from-scratch chocolate cake.
For more chocolate recipes, try these fudgy brownies, these pumpkin spice donuts with chocolate glaze, or this milk-chocolate almond bark.
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Quick Look: Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
⏱️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
🍳 Cook Time: 35 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 55 minutes
👥 Servings: 16
📊 Calories: ~329 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
🔥 Cook Method: Oven-based
👩🍳 Main Ingredients: Buttermilk, cocoa powder
⭐ Difficulty: Easy-straightforward ingredients and prep
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Why You'll Love Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
Bakes moist and stays moist: Store it properly, and this cake stays moist and flavorful.
Nostalgic comfort: With a classic, homemade taste, this cake may remind you of long-ago family birthday parties.
Tastes even better the next day: This cake tastes more delicious the longer it sits, but it's plenty dreamy the same day!
Good for first-time bakers: With no tricky batter texture to achieve or cumbersome tools to use, this cake-and frosting-is very easy to assemble, making it perfect for those new to baking or who don't bake often.
What makes this cake so moist?
➢Buttermilk: adds acidity, which tenderizes the crumb
➢Oil: keeps the cake soft
➢Butter: adds richness and flavor
➢Hot water: enhances the chocolate flavor and helps keep the cake moister for longer
This moist buttermilk chocolate cake with frosting is an easy, everyday dessert with a soft crumb and rich, chocolate flavor. And both the cake and frosting contain buttermilk for a lovely tang in every bite.
Many buttermilk chocolate cakes call for chocolate frosting-nothing wrong with that!-but this white version balances the flavors a bit.
A slice of this luscious dessert pairs perfectly with a cold glass of milk or a steaming hot cup of coffee. Whether as a snack or holiday treat, there's no wrong time to indulge in this winning cake!
For more desserts, try my baked pumpkin donuts, hazelnut chocolate chip cookies, or the best fudgy brownie recipe.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
- Why You'll Love Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
- What makes this cake so moist?
- Key Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How to Make Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
- Pro Tips
- Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting FAQs
- Related Recipes
- Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card for full ingredient and quantity information.
- Low-Fat Buttermilk: This adds moisture and a slight tang and helps with height by reacting with the baking soda.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds even more moisture to this cake.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds flavor and richness while letting you control the amount of salt used.
- Hot Water: This helps "bloom" the unsweetened cocoa powder and intensify the chocolate flavor.
Variations & Substitutions
➢Add warm spices, like cinnamon, to the cake batter for fall vibes.
➢Replace the dark brown sugar with light brown sugar.
➢Add mini chocolate chips to the batter for even more chocolate flavor. You can also just garnish the frosting with mini chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles for added visual appeal.
➢Use an offset spatula to create a swirly design in the frosting.
➢Use fat-free or full-fat buttermilk instead of low-fat.
How to Make Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the sugars with the butter and oil. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
Step 2: Stir in the buttermilk until combined.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt), then add the hot water. Mix on low just until combined.
Step 4: Pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9x13 pan. Shake gently to even it out, and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350℉.
Step 5: Make the frosting by beating the butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until crumbly. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until creamy.
Step 6: Let the cake cool completely before spreading the frosting on top.
Pro Tips
➢Bake with room-temperature ingredients: Allow the cold eggs and buttermilk to sit on the counter for 30 minutes and come to room temperature. This will help create a lighter, airier cake. I do the same for these moist chocolate chip muffins.
➢Check your cake at the 30-minute mark: Because some ovens run hotter than others, it's best to check your cake at the 30-minute mark, even though this recipe typically takes around 35 minutes. You don't want a dry cake!
➢Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter can trap too much air, resulting in a dense cake. Mix everything just until incorporated.
➢Scrape down the sides of the bowl: It's okay to stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring the batter is mixed properly.
Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting FAQs
Yes, you can make your own buttermilk by mixing whole milk with either lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix 1 cup of whole milk with either 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Stir or shake the mixture, then allow it to sit for 5 minutes before use. You can also do this for these blueberry buttermilk muffins.
In this case, it was likely overbaked. The buttermilk, vegetable oil, butter, and eggs all help make this cake moist and airy. If your oven runs hot, check the cake a few minutes before you think it's done to avoid overbaking.
Use oil and an acidic dairy like buttermilk or sour cream. Also, measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method, don't overbake, and store your cake properly (i.e., cover well).
Room temperature: Leave at room temperature for up to 3 days. Just be sure to cover it completely to prevent the cake from drying out and the frosting from hardening. If the weather is very warm where you are, I recommend refrigerating it.
Refrigerator: Store the cake in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allow it to sit at room temperature before serving. You can also place individual servings in the microwave for about 7 seconds to remove the chill.
Freezer: Cut the cake into individual servings, and freeze each one in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. You can freeze the cake with or without frosting. You can freeze the frosting separately also for up to 2 months. Thaw cake slices at room temperature or defrost in the microwave for up to 20 seconds to soften. Defrost frozen frosting in the refrigerator.
Related Recipes
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Moist Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (Note 1)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk room temperature
- 1 cup hot water (Note 2)
For the White Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 and ¼ cups confectioners' sugar sifted (Note 3)
- 3 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Grease and lightly flour a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper, overlapping the paper on the short ends of the pan so you can easily lift the cake out.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat together the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the butter and oil just until combined. Keep using the mixer to whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Whisk in the buttermilk.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients , along with the hot water, and whisk together with the mixer on the lowest setting just until combined. Don't overmix. The batter should be loose.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Shake it gently to ensure it's spread evenly. Place the pan on the oven's middle rack, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- To prepare the white frosting, use a mixer to beat the softened butter in a medium-sized bowl until smooth.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and whisk it with the butter. It will be crumbly. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla, which will turn everything into a frosting. If the frosting is too loose, add a bit more sugar. If it's too thick, add a bit more buttermilk.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before spreading the frosting evenly over the top. Cut yourself a big slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overmix the batter, as it can trap too much air and result in a dense cake. Mix everything just until incorporated.
- Check the cake at the 30-minute mark in case your oven runs hot. You don't want an overbaked cake!
Nutrition
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One of the best chocolate cakes ever! Moist, rich, and so flavorful. It's definitely a keeper.