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Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting

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Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting is moist, easy to make, and scrumptious, with a creamy chocolatey fudge-like frosting. This classic one-pan sheet cake is perfect for serving at any event where you need lots of cake for a group, without the fuss of making a large layer cake.

Square piece of dark chocolate cocoa buttermilk cake with cocoa mascarpone frosting on a white plate next to a glass bottle of milk.

This cake is so easy, and uses only a handful of pantry ingredients.

While the cake is moist and delicious, The addition of triple-cream mascarpone cheese in the frosting makes the frosting thick, rich, and so fudgy! I love this cake and I’m so glad I found it and gave it a try.

A bonus of mascarpone frosting is that it is smooth and creamy when room temperature and it does not get hard when refrigerated – it stays soft! That’s always a plus for me, although you can bring the cake to room temperature after refrigerating before serving.

Why you’ll love this Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting

  • Easy one-pan recipe
  • Uses handy pantry ingredients and mascarpone cheese
  • Perfect for taking along on a picnic, for school events, BBQ’s or other parties and celebrations
  • Fudgy and rich cake, with creamy, fudgy frosting, too

Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • All purpose flour
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Packed brown sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Buttermilk or sour milk

For the frosting:

  • Mascarpone cheese
  • Butter
  • Cocoa powder
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Vanilla
  • Powdered sugar
Close up of a square piece of dark chocolate cocoa buttermilk cake with cocoa mascarpone frosting on a white plate.

How to Make Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting

This recipe is originally from Better Homes and Gardens.

  1. Grease one 13 x 9 inch pan. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350.
  3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, mix and set aside.
  4. In bowl of a mixer, beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds.
  5. Add sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined.
  6. Scrape sides of bowl and beat another 2 minutes.
  7. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add vanilla.
  8. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar egg mixture, on low speed just until combined.
  9. Beat an additional 20 seconds.
  10. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  11. Check after 35 minutes as your oven may run hotter than mine.
  12. Check with a toothpick to be sure it is done.
  13. Once cooled spread with frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. In a large bowl combine mascarpone cheese, and butter, cocoa powder, heavy cream and vanilla.
  2. Beat until creamy.
  3. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue to mix on LOW until smooth.
  4. Add additional cream to make it the consistency that you like.

Tips & Variations

  • Sprinkle with nuts. A few toasted pecans or walnuts on top would add a little crunch.
  • Flavor with different extracts. Instead of vanilla, try almond extract and decorate with slivered almonds. Or try orange extract, peppermint extract, or your favorite.
  • Dress it up for serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Top view of a square piece of dark chocolate buttermilk sheet ake with cocoa mascarpone frosting on a white plate next to a glass bottle of milk.

Storage

This cake can be stored in a cool place for up to 24 hours when covered, then refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days.

Related Recipes

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Close up of a square piece of dark chocolate cocoa buttermilk cake with cocoa mascarpone frosting on a white plate

Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascapone Frosting

Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascapone Frosting is moist, easy to make, and scrumptious, with a creamy, chocolatey fudge-like frosting.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 3/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • 2⅓ cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp anilla
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk or sour milk

For the frosting:

  • 4 oz mascarpone cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 TBSP heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • cups powdered sugar

For the cake:

Instructions

For the cake:

  • Grease one 13 x 9 inch pan. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, mix and set aside.
  • In bowl of a mixer, beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds.
  • Add sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined.
  • Scrape sides of bowl and beat another 2 minutes.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add vanilla.
  • Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar egg mixture, on low speed just until combined.
  • Beat an additional 20 seconds.
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  • Check after 35 minutes as your oven may run hotter than mine.
  • Check with a toothpick to be sure it is done.
  • Once cooled spread with frosting.

For the frosting:

  • In a large bowl combine mascarpone cheese, and butter, cocoa powder, heavy cream and vanilla.
  • Beat until creamy.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar and continue to mix on LOW until smooth.
  • Add additional cream to make it the consistency that you like.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cocoa buttermilk cake, cocoa mascarpone frosting

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