CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CAKE 
This cake👆🏻is the answer.
To what, you ask? To EVERYTHING. I’m talking a one bowl, face-plant-worthy, I-must-have-seconds kind of chocolate cake.
If you’re looking for a go-to Chocolate Buttermilk Cake recipe, then this is your day.
It took a number of tries to get this cake just right, but it was more than worth it. All I knew was that I wanted a chocolate cake that was THE chocolate cake.

A gorgeous one layer chocolate buttermilk cake with real chocolate frosting.

INGREDIENTS
Chocolate buttermilk cake
  • 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour
  • 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
  • 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
  • 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 170 grams (3/4 cup or 1.5 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk*
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot water
Chocolate frosting
  • 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 375 grams (3 cups) icing or powder sugar
  • 100 grams (2/3 cup) dark chocolate
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • 75 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 180 C (360 F). Grease and line an 8 inch round cake tin with baking or parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder and baking soda. Boil the kettle and pour out 1/2 cup of hot water and set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, add butter, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and stir briefly. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add hot water and stir until chocolate cake batter is smooth. It will be a thin batter – that’s ok.
  3. Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. To make the frosting, place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a microwave, stirring in between 20 second bursts, until just melted and set aside.
  5. Add half the sugar and one tablespoon of milk and beat until combined. Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
  6. Add melted chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is still smooth and melted but is not warm. Beat until the chocolate is completely mixed through. If frosting is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of milk. Generously frost the top and sides of the cake using a spatula. Sprinkle over chocolate chips.
NOTES
*Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk.