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Vanilla Buttercream Chocolate Cake

Vanilla Buttercream Chocolate Cake

Vanilla Buttercream Chocolate Cake is a soft, moist chocolate cake topped with creamy, sweet vanilla buttercream frosting—a classic flavor pairing perfect for any celebration.
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Course: Cake
Cuisine: Western
Keyword: Vanilla Buttercream Chocolate Cake
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 Slices
Calories: 540kcal

Equipment

  • Two 9-inch round cake pans
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk and spatula
  • Electric mixer or hand whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

  • 3 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 ½ cups boiling water (375 ml)
  • 390 g plain flour all-purpose flour (3 cups / ~13¾ oz)
  • 105 g Dutch process cocoa powder 1 cup / ~3¾ oz
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 500 g white granulated sugar 2 ½ cups / 1.1 lb
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil 125 ml
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature (375 ml)
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Whipped Vanilla Frosting:

  • 450 g unsalted butter softened (2 cups)
  • 4 cups icing sugar powdered sugar, sifted (520 g) (more if needed for consistency)
  • ⅓ cup thickened cream heavy cream (60 ml)
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the pans

  • Grease and line your cake pans with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 2: Make the cake batter

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
  • In another bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.
  • Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—don’t overmix.
  • Stir in the hot coffee water mixture until the batter is smooth. The batter will be runny; that’s normal.

Step 3: Bake the cake

  • Pour the batter evenly into your cake pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Make the vanilla buttercream

  • Beat the butter until pale and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
  • Add icing sugar in two stages, mixing slowly at first to avoid clouds of sugar.
  • Pour in the cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add more icing sugar if you want a thicker frosting.

Step 5: Assemble

  • Place one cake layer on a plate, spread with frosting, top with the second layer, and frost the top and sides. Swirl for a rustic look or smooth for a cleaner finish.

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Sugar: 52g