The Ultimate Chocolate Butter Cake: Rich, Velvety, and Unforgettable
For years, I searched for the perfect chocolate cake. My quest began with a simple, yet profound, experience. A friend from Virginia once sent me a heart-shaped mini chocolate pound cake from a local bakery called Rowena’s. It was unassuming in appearance, served with an optional sauce, but its true magic lay within. While the sauce was a pleasant addition, I quickly found myself enjoying the cake even more in its pure, unadorned state. Its texture, its deep chocolate flavor, its exquisite moistness – it was, without a doubt, the best chocolate pound cake I had ever tasted. I spent the following years hoping that every chocolate cake I baked would somehow replicate that specific, dreamy texture. Unfortunately, that elusive goal remained just out of reach, until this recipe came into my life.
Discovering Alisa Huntsman’s Chocolate Butter Cake
This remarkable recipe comes to us from Alisa Huntsman, a talented pastry chef based in Nashville and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Her original creation is featured in her acclaimed cookbook, Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. My friend Katy, who believes everyone should possess a diverse “wardrobe” of chocolate cake recipes, wholeheartedly declares this one her current favorite. High praise indeed, and for good reason!
The original version of this cake, as its title suggests, is truly “sky high.” It’s approximately 1.3 times the volume of the recipe I’ve shared below, designed to create a magnificent dessert baked in two 9-inch pans or even three 9-inch pans for an impressive display. For those aiming for a truly towering cake, baking it in three 8-inch pans is the way to go. However, I must confess, my skills in cutting and serving such towering confections are, shall we say, a work in progress. Therefore, I opted to reduce the volume slightly, adapting it to make two perfect 8-inch layers. This adjustment makes the cake more manageable for everyday baking and serving, without compromising on its incredible flavor or texture.
Unpacking the Unforgettable Texture of This Chocolate Butter Cake
Describing the unique texture of this cake is a delightful challenge. I’m tempted to say “almost scone-like,” but that might conjure images of dryness, and this cake is anything but dry. Instead, imagine if a chocolate scone, in a moment of whimsical dreaming, wished upon a star to transform into the softest, most indulgent chocolate cake – this would be the magnificent result. Perhaps there’s a perfect German word to capture such a concept, but in English, we’ll strive for approximation.
The texture is characterized by a wonderfully tight, fine crumb that is remarkably dense, yet simultaneously soft and surprisingly light on the palate. It doesn’t feel heavy at all. Unlike some cakes that achieve “moisture” through an almost wet consistency, this chocolate butter cake offers a moisture that is truly velvety and rich, a testament to its expertly balanced ingredients and unique preparation. Initially, I suspected the secret lay purely in a high proportion of butter, but upon closer inspection of the recipe, it’s clear there’s also a generous amount of sugar and liquid contributing to its extraordinary character. Furthermore, the mixing technique employed here deviates from the standard creaming method, playing a significant role in the final crumb structure.
This recipe utilizes a technique where the dry ingredients are combined first in the mixing bowl. The softened butter is then added to these dry ingredients, followed by the liquids. This method, often referred to as the “reverse creaming” or “modified conventional” method, coats the flour particles with fat before they are fully hydrated by the liquid. This process inhibits gluten development, resulting in a cake with a more tender, delicate, and velvety crumb. Additionally, the eggs are incorporated in a way that minimizes air entrapment, further contributing to the cake’s dense yet incredibly soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture. This careful approach ensures a chocolate cake that is consistently moist and has that sought-after fine crumb, distinct from airier, fluffier cakes.
Versatility and Serving Suggestions: From Half-Cake to Full Indulgence
Now that we’ve thoroughly explored its sublime texture, it’s time to encourage you to experience it firsthand! One of the beautiful aspects of this chocolate butter cake recipe is its excellent scalability. If you’re hosting a smaller gathering or simply want a less imposing dessert, you can very easily halve the recipe provided below. This yields a perfect single 8-inch layer cake, which can be served as is, or you can even slice that single layer in half horizontally and fill it for a modest two-layer presentation. As you can see in my primary photograph, the cake featured there is actually just one layer, which I skillfully cut in half and stacked. The results, as the image clearly shows, were fantastic and perfectly stable.
For frosting, I used Duncan Hines Creamy Chocolate Frosting, which provides a convenient and delicious option that closely mimics the richness and spreadability of a homemade chocolate buttercream. Of course, the homemade chocolate buttermilk frosting recipe provided in the detailed instructions below is equally, if not more, delightful and highly recommended for those who prefer a completely from-scratch experience. Whether you choose to frost it elaborately or simply dust it with powdered sugar, this cake truly shines with minimal fuss. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream for an added touch of luxury.
The Enduring Mystery of the Moist Edges
One final, intriguing observation about this cake: if you look closely at the pictures, particularly near the edges right beneath the frosting, you’ll notice how the cake appears distinctly dense and moist. It almost gives the impression that the frosting has somehow seeped into the cake layers, creating this concentrated moisture. However, rest assured, the cake was completely cooled before any frosting was applied. While the moisture from the frosting might play a subtle role in this inner-edge density, I distinctly recall Rowena’s original chocolate pound cake exhibiting this very same characteristic – and it was not frosted! This led me to believe it was an inherent quality of the cake itself.
After baking this chocolate butter cake a few times, I can confidently confirm that this moist edge phenomenon is indeed a consistent characteristic of the recipe, not an effect of the frosting. This unique attribute further enhances the cake’s overall appeal, ensuring every bite, from the center to the edge, is bursting with rich, velvety moisture. To achieve this signature quality and the best possible flavor, it is absolutely crucial to use full-fat, real buttermilk and a high-quality unsweetened natural cocoa powder. These ingredients are not merely suggestions; they are key to unlocking the cake’s full potential and replicating that unforgettable texture I first encountered years ago.
This chocolate butter cake isn’t just another recipe; it’s the culmination of a long search for a specific kind of chocolate cake perfection. Its dense yet tender crumb, velvety mouthfeel, and deep, authentic chocolate flavor set it apart. It’s a cake that satisfies on every level, making it a truly unforgettable dessert. I invite you to try it and discover your new favorite chocolate cake!
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Recipe
Chocolate Butter Cake
Anna
Pin Recipe
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour
Dessert
American
10
slices
Ingredients
-
2
cups
cake flour
(230 grams) -
2
cups
granulated sugar
(385 grams) -
1
cup
unsweetened natural cocoa powder
(80 grams) -
2
teaspoons
baking soda -
½
teaspoon
salt -
2
sticks
unsalted butter, softened
(230 grams) -
1
cup
buttermilk, try to use actual real buttermilk -
2
large
eggs -
1
teaspoon
of vanilla -
1
cup
freshly brewed coffee
cooled to room temperature
Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting or Use Duncan Hines Creamy Chocolate
-
1 ½
oz
unsweetened chocolate, chopped
(42 grams) -
1 ½
oz
semi-sweet chocolate
(42 grams) -
1 ½
sticks
unsalted or salted butter at room temperature — not cool
(170 grams) -
3
T.
unsweetened cocoa powder
(15 grams) -
3
cups
sifted powdered sugar (measured after sifting, so more like 2 ½ before sifting) -
3-4
tablespoons
milk or buttermilk, not cold at all -
1 ½
teaspoons
vanilla -
Pinch
or two of salt — if using salted butter
omit
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment, grease again and dust with flour.
-
Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a stand mixer bowl and stir very well to combine. Add the soft butter and buttermilk and blend on low with the paddle attachment until ingredients are fully blended and soft.
-
Whisk the eggs, vanilla and cooled coffee together in another bowl and add to the batter, with the paddle going on low, in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing until blended. Try not to beat a lot of air into the egg mixture as you add it – just stir well. Scrape bottom of bowl and make sure to mix in all batter.
-
Divide the batter among the pans and bake on center rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for about 5 minutes, then turn invert onto wire racks to cool completely. Remove parchment when cool.
Chocolate Frosting OR use Duncan Hines Creamy Chocolate
-
Melt both chocolates in microwave, double boiler or bowl set over barely simmering water; set aside to cool.
-
Beat the butter until creamy. Make sure it’s not too cold or it might cause the chocolate to re-solidify. Stir in the cocoa power, about a cup of the powdered sugar, and the cooled melted chocolate. Scrape sides of bowl and beat well; add remaining powdered sugar, then add room temperature milk, vanilla and salt, beating and scraping until you get a spreadable consistency.
Chocolate Butter Cake, Moist Chocolate Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!