Is Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting your all-time favorite? Then this fluffy, delicious Buttermilk Cake recipe is right up your alley. This homemade buttermilk sheet cake is made in a 9×13 inch pan making is really simple to make, frost and enjoy.
This buttermilk cake recipe is a go-to dessert for birthday’s, pot-lucks and parties. Where I grew up, pot luck dinners were a mainstay of our small rural community. It was a chance for the people of your community come together and enjoy a really fantastic meal made by everyone.
A stellar dessert like this yellow cake with chocolate frosting is guaranteed to be a hit at just about any church or community pot luck!
Here’s how this delicious Buttermilk Cake recipe comes together
Four easy steps to making this buttermilk cake recipe
Step 1: Start by creaming together the butter, sugar and eggs. You can use a hand or stand mixer.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Step 3: To the butter mixture, gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. The result will be a wonderfully smooth batter.
Step 4: Pour into a prepared 9×13″ pan that has been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Bake at 350 for 28-33 minutes. Test the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. When the toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free, you will know the cake is done.
The cake will be a beautiful, golden brown when baked. Once the cake comes out of the oven let it cool completely to room temperature.
Steps for making the Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Step 1: Start with room temperature butter in the bowl of a hand or stand mixer. Cream the butter with the vanilla and almond extract.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. This will help eliminate any lumps, which you do NOT want in your frosting.
Step 3: Alternate the sugar mixture and a tablespoon of buttermilk until the frosting is smooth and well incorporated.
Step 4: Spread evenly over the cooled buttermilk sheet cake.
This chocolate frosting absolutely takes the cake! It is the ultimate topping for this yellow cake with chocolate frosting.
Pro-tip: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing. This will help the frosting set up and become slightly firm.
Buttermilk Sheet Cake FAQ’s:
What does buttermilk do to cake?
Buttermilk is slightly acidic, which helps tenderize the gluten in the cake. The buttermilk will give it a tender, fluffy texture and keep the cake extra moist.
Does buttermilk make cake more moist?
Yes. Adding buttermilk to your cake batter will help it maintain moisture and add a slightly tangy flavor to your cake.
Is buttermilk better than milk for baking?
Buttermilk is more acidic than regular milk. It will help tenderize the gluten, creating a more fluffy cake. It will also add a pleasant, tang to the flavor of your cake recipe.
My buttermilk cake is dry. What did I do wrong?
It could be a couple things. First, don’t overbake. Baking a cake for too long will remove moisture in the cake, making it rather dry. Second, don’t over-beat the batter. This will create air bubbles and displace the moisture in the cake crumb.
This buttermilk cake recipe will appeal to anyone that loves cake, and especially those that love yellow cake with chocolate frosting! Perfect with a glass of milk or a fresh cup of coffee or tea, it is one of those desserts that tops off any great meal.
If you loved this Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting, then check out some of my other cake recipes:
- Coca Cola Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Carrot Bundt Cake
- Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
- Red Velvet Sheet Cake
- Very Cherry Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cake Parfaits
- Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
- Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sour Cream Dutch Apple Cake
These Poke Cake Recipes are also really popular:
- Pumpkin Caramel Cream Cheese Poke Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Poke Cake at Real Housemoms
- Coconut Cream Poke Cake
- Chocolate Poke Cake
- Red Velvet OREO Poke Cake
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Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Equipment
- Icing Spatula This 3-piece icing spatula set makes frosting cakes a breeze!
- Stand Mixer This KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a must for any cake baker!
- 9 x 13" Pan This 9 x 13" non stick cake pan comes with a lid for easy cake storage!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 3/4 cup butter room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13" baking pan with non-stick baking spray. Set prepared pan aside.
- In a mixing bowl and a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar on low until creamy. Stopping to scrape down the sides, add eggs one at a time. Continue to beat on low until all eggs are incorporated and batter is creamy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, measure out buttermilk. With the mixer on low, begin adding the dry ingredients to the batter, and alternate pouring in the buttermilk in gradual increments. When all ingredients have been mixed, add the vanilla and mix until completely incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared pan and evenly smooth with a spatula. Bake at 350 for 26-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with no crumbs. Let cake cool after baking.
Chocolate Frosting:
- In a clean mixing bowl and stand or hand mixer, beat the butter on low. Add in the vanilla and almond extract while creaming the butter. In a small bowl sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa. Gradually add to the butter while beating on low until all is combined, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl. Add in the buttermilk gradually to the frosting to help create a creamy texture.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake. Serve right away or set aside for later. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
This cake really does take me back to the days of potlucks. There was always a fantastic yellow cake, and it was usually gone by the time anyone wanted seconds. I hope you and your family get to enjoy this cake – its a classic that everyone will love!!
This cake sounds pretty easy to make and looks delicious!
Oh my word! This looks so uh-mazing. I am pinning this to try–any cake with buttermilk is always so moist. Yours looks especially delicious with the yummy chocolate frosting. found at wine’d down wed. Have a great week:)
Visiting from Saturday Night Fever. This cake looks so light and fluffy and that icing looks delicious. I co-host Sweet and Savoury Sunday and would for you to stop by and share these and other recipes with us. Happy Easter, have a great weekend!
This looks AMAZING! This WOULD be perfect for a potluck. My dad’s favorite cake is a yellow cake with chocolate icing. I usually just make a box mix, but this will be what he gets this year!. Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesdays!
Kim, I know so many people that LOVE the yellow cake, with Chocolate Frosting combo. I had to make it, and of course, its pretty awesome! Hope your dad gets to enjoy it soon. Thanks so much for stopping by! ~Erin
Oh….I will be making this very soon Erin! I wanted to let you know that I featured your cake on Tasty Tuesdays this week~
http://www.thecookiepuzzle.com/2014/04/tasty-tuesdays-58-plus-features.html
Thanks so much, Kim!! xoxo
Erin, This cake makes me drool. Thanks for linking up to Best of the Weekend party last week. I’m featuring this post this week. The party is live. Hope you will join us!!
This looks like a great old-fashioned recipe. I love to blog about recipes great for gatherings. Pinned!
Thanks so much, Jaren! This cake is certainly a classic, and is always great for a get-together! Enjoy! ~Erin
Thanks so much for linking up to #tastytuesdays! Your post will be featured this week at Old House to New Home. Congrats!!
-Amanda
Hi Erin, just wanted to let you know that I included your recipe in a chocolate round-up on my blog today! Thanks for linking up such an incredible recipe to the weekend re-Treat link party!
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
I was just wondering if you meant unsalted butter? Usually when I see recipes that call for an addition of salt, the butter used is unsalted. Can you clarify please? Thanks!!!!!
Hi Mary – I actually use salted butter, as I prefer the flavor. However, you can definitely use unsalted butter, especially if you’re watching your salt/sodium intake. Go with your preference. Enjoy! ~Erin
Probably need to add 1/4 tsp salt for each half cup of unsalted butter.
I was wondering if it was okay to make the cake with all purpose flour instead of cake flour? It looks delicious and I would love to make tonight but with a sleeping baby I cant go to the store to get the flour.. 🙁
Sure, you could definitely use all purpose flour. The amount will stay the same, and the bake time will stay the same as well, although keep an eye on it as it bakes. It may be done sooner, so test it with a toothpick. When inserted and toothpick comes out clean, and crumb free the cake is done. Enjoy! ~Erin
You need to add cornstarch to the flour if substituting all purpose, the texture will be different if you don’t.
I was wondering, usually when using an acid, like buttermilk, baking soda is used as a leavening in addition to baking powder. any thoughts?
My grandmother is the originator of this recipe, and she was always very adamant about only using baking powder. Disolving the baking powder in the buttermilk (creating the foamy texture) before adding it to the batter gives the cake a lighter texture. ~Enjoy!
Did not care for it
I made this and didn’t care for it. The cake is heavy, dry and grainy like cornbread . The frosting didn’t make it any better. Actually might have been better with no frosting like a pound cake but the flavor just didn’t appeal to me.
liquid buttermilk is really hard to find frm where i live, what can be used as a substitute?
It’s in the oven as I type and I know it will be good! Ironically enough I’ve always craved this cake and the memory comes church as well!! Can’t wait to eat it! If I don’t eat the frosting first lol
I made this cake yesterday, and it came out a bit dry and wasn’t as flavorful as I thought that it would be. However, the dryness could have been caused by baking it a bit too long in the kind of 13″ X 9″ pan that I baked it in. However, may I please suggest to anyone who may be thinking of baking this cake, that IMHO there wasn’t enough of the fudge frosting in order to have a nice thick layer of frosting, so you may want to make another half a batch of the frosting.
Hubby loved it! Thank you!
Silly question but would it turn out just as good in two round cake pans to make a layer cake?
Yes, you could certainly do two round pans. You will need to adjust the bake time down.
I made it and after the 25 minutes of cooking, it was still wet on top, so cooked it another 10 minutes for browner top. May have overcooked it as it was dry when eaten, but okay.
I want to make this in a disposable 9×13 aluminum foil pan since I’m making it for a Kitten Shower for an animal rescue. Have you ever tried this? I was wondering if I should cook at a lower temperature to avoid burning.
I just taste tested this and…OH MY…it is the best yellow cake I’ve EVER HAD!! I made it to bring to a Kitten Shower for an animal rescue, so I made it in a disposable aluminum 9×13 pan. The edges got rather brown and the inside square wasn’t cooked all the way, but I was able to remedy that. I’ve never tasted cake so good. It has a heavier consistency, but it is airy and moist at the same time. If you expect it to turn out like a boxed yellow cake mix, then it will seem odd to you. It’s more like a very light pound cake. But it’s perfect! And the frosting is sweet but not overly so, it’s also delicious. I made no substitutions in the recipe: I used cake flour, buttermilk, butter, etc. I think any substitutions will affect the flavor. Thanks SO much for posting this. It’ll be my new go-to cake recipe.
Made this cake today. It came out really flat. Maybe one teaspoon of baking isn’t enough.
Where does the 5 TBS of buttermilk go that’s listed for the icing?
My apologies, Lorraine. The buttermilk is gradually added to the frosting mixture after the powdered sugar. It will help create an extra creamy texture. I’ve edited the recipe to make sure this is noted. Thank you for brining it to my attention. Hope you enjoyed the cake! Best, Erin
I was disappointed in my results. I kept thinking that this recipe should have some baking soda with the buttermilk and sure enough my cake did not rise well and was very dense. I did use all-purpose flour measured correctly.