Adapted from the Driksill Hotel 1886 Café this chocolate cake is made with buttermilk and cocoa powder making it tender, rich and moist. Baked in a 9X13 inch pan and topped with a quick chocolate glaze, this buttermilk chocolate cake is easy, delicious and loaded with plenty of chocolate flavor. No stand-mixer needed!
I’m admittedly bias, but I think this is one of the best easy chocolate cake recipes out there.
Whether you are an expert or beginner baker, you can whip up this cake and have it frosted in around one hour. It doesn’t take complicated mixing techniques, or even a stand mixer, just a good old-fashioned chocolate cake recipe.
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Recipe Background
This recipe was given to my mom in the early 90’s from a lifelong Austin, Texas resident. If we weren’t having German Chocolate Cake, it was this 1886 Chocolate Cake.
When I started researching to write this post, I discovered that the recipe originates from the 1970’s at the Driskill Hotel 1886 Lunchroom (Café and Bakery).
My recipe is slightly different than a few that circulate on the internet for the 1886 Chocolate Cake. It has slightly more cocoa powder and the frosting is made with half and half rather than buttermilk. I am not sure which version would be original, but every time I make this cake people love it.
My boys have declared it their favorite chocolate cake, ever.
Difference between Texas Sheet Cake and 1886 Chocolate Cake
Texas Sheet Cakes are made on a large thin baking sheet or jellyroll pan whereas this is made in a 9X13” cake pan. The 1886 Cake has more cocoa powder and is made with buttermilk rather than sour cream.
Similarities include the chocolate glaze that is poured over the cake while warm. They are both also relatively easy to make.
You could certainly bake this on a sheet pan if you wanted to. Just reduce your cooking time and you would have to double the icing recipe.
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake Ingredients
A deliciously easy chocolate cake made with basic pantry ingredients and buttermilk.
Cake
- Butter – Two sticks of high quality unsalted butter.
- Cocoa Powder – I like to use Hershey’s Cocoa Powder.
- Water
- All-Purpose Flour – I use unbleached All-Purpose Flour. Be sure to carefully scoop flour into measuring cup, rather than packing it.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Eggs – Two eggs.
- Buttermilk – I use the 3.25% HEB Whole Milk Buttermilk. If you use a lower fat buttermilk, be sure to shake it well before pouring to measure, it tends to separate. I recommend the whole milk buttermilk if you can find it.
- Baking Soda
- Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Glaze
This glaze is perfectly chocolatey and simple to prepare.
- Butter
- Cocoa Powder
- Half and Half
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
Tips on making chocolate cake
This recipe is simple, even if you are a beginner baker, but here are a few tips to help ensure that it turns out.
- Carefully measure wet and dry ingredients. Baking is chemistry, you have to be precise in your measurements.
- If your flour is lumpy, sift before mixing. I like to sift my flour before adding it to bowl, but it is optional.
- Be sure to not cook the eggs when adding the cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients. A couple of stirs before adding the eggs should help to prevent that from happening.
- Grease and flour your cake pan. You can even line with parchment paper if desired.
- In my oven, this cake typically takes 35 minutes to bake. Look for the edges to be pulled away from the sides and the top to be relatively set.
How to make
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan.
Step 2: In a heavy bottom saucepan over medium-low heat combine butter, cocoa powder and water. Stir frequently until butter melts and cocoa dissolves.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. I love my Mason Cash Mixing Bowl.
Step 4: Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla.
Step 5: Add slightly cooled cocoa mixture to dry ingredients. Stir a couple of times, add egg mixture and stir until batter is formed. Pour cake batter into prepared 9x13-inch baking pan.
Step 6: Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes. In my oven, this cake typically takes 35 minutes.
Step 7: Make the glaze. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in cocoa powder, 3 Tbsp. half and half, powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until chocolate glaze forms. Add additional Tbsp. of half and half if glaze is too thick.
Pour warm frosting over slightly cooled cake. Serve cake once frosting sets.
Serving and Storage
Serve cake at room temperature once chocolate glaze has set. Makes an easy chocolate birthday cake!
You may also top the glaze with chopped pecans if desired.
Store cake at room temperature. If it is too hot or humid, store cake in the fridge. To extend the shelf-life of the cake, after one day of sitting out, I usually transfer it to the fridge. Extra cake can be frozen.
📖 Recipe
1886 Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3-4 Tbsp. Half & Half
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat combine butter, cocoa powder and water. Stir frequently until butter melts and cocoa dissolves.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla.
- Add slightly cooled butter mixture and egg mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until mixed.
- Pour cake batter into prepared 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350℉ for 30-40 minutes.
Chocolate Glaze
- Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in cocoa powder, 3 Tbsp. half and half, powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until chocolate glaze forms. Add additional Tbsp. of half and half if glaze is too thick. Pour warm frosting over slightly cooled cake. Serve cake once frosting sets.
Notes
- Baking time: In my oven, the cake typically takes 35 minutes. Do not over bake.
- Buttermilk: I use full-fat HEB Buttermilk. Be sure to shake well before pouring into measuring cup.
- If your flour is lumpy, sift before mixing. I like to sift my flour before adding it to bowl, but it is optional.
- Variations: Top frosted cake with chopped pecans.
More recipes you may enjoy:
Happy Baking! - Alaine
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