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Chocolate nutmeg buttermilk sheet cake recipe

Chocolate and Nutmeg Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

From The Perfect Cake by Susan G Purdy. This is a delicious chocolate sheet cake, though you can also make it two 9-inch layer cake pans (1 1/2" deep). Susan says you can make the cake in advance, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and freeze it. Thaw before you frost it.
I used Susan's chocolate buttercream recipe that I'm including below, but you can use your personal favorite. If you want to mix up the cake, stir in 1 cup semi-sweet mini chips (if you use large chocolate chips, they will affect how you slice it, causing some gaps). Just use a little of the flour you will add to the cake to coat the chocolate chips first to prevent them sinking to the bottom.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people

Ingredients
  

For the Cake

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 SCANT teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg Do not use old nutmeg.
  • 4 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate (1/2 cup)
  • 1 Cup Butter Softened
  • 1 3/4 Cups Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1 1/3 Cups Buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (2 1/2 Cups)

  • 1/2 Cup Butter Softened
  • 1 Large Egg Yolk Optional
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 4 to 4 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar Whisk first if the powdered sugar is lumpy.
  • 5 or 6 Tablespoons Heavy Cream or Milk As needed to achieve preferred spreading consistency.
  • 4 to 6 Ounces Melted and Cooled Milk or Semisweet Chocolate

Instructions
 

  • 325* oven. Put rack in the lower 1/3 of your oven.
  • Grease your two 9-inch cake pans or one 9 x 13 x 1 1/2-inch sheet pan with Baker's Joy or Pam for Baking with Flour.

For the Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

  • Melt the chocolate with your favorite method (double boiler, microwave, or large bowl set over simmering water). Stir until smooth and set aside, stirring occasionally.
  • In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl to best combine the ingredients.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Set the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.
  • Stir in vanilla extract and cooled chocolate, and blend until the color is even.
  • Pour into pan(s), level, and then move some batter from the center to the edges for the best, most-even rise.
  • Bake in the lower 1/3 of the oven for 40-50 minutes for the sheet cake or 35-45 minutes for cake pans. Always set your timer for the low end of the range and check it for doneness. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. When you gently touch the middle, it will spring back slightly.
  • Remove to cooling rack(s) for 10 minutes. Invert onto plate, if desired.

For the Chocolate Basic Quick Buttercream Frosting

  • In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Yes, you can use a hand mixer, but it won't get as fluffy as it could be.
  • Beat in the egg yolk (if using, I didn't), salt, and vanilla extract.
  • With the mixer set to "low," add in 1/4 cup of the sugar. Beat until smooth.
  • Beat in melted and cooled chocolate.
  • Alternately add in the cream and the rest of the sugar, blending it smooth as you go. Don't forget to scrape down the sides.
  • Add more cream if your frosting is too stiff or chill to harden your frosting if it becomes too soft.
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