Chocolate Buttermilk Tube Cake with Thick Cocoa Icing
A dense chocolate cake made with cake flour, buttermilk, dry instant pudding mix, and chocolate chips, finished with cocoa icing.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter Softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour Spoon and level
- 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder Sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup dry instant chocolate pudding mix Measured dry; do not prepare
- 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon butter Additional, for greasing the pan
Chocolate icing
- 1/2 cup water For icing, not cake batter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Sifted
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar Sifted
- up to 3 tablespoons heavy cream Add gradually to reach spreading consistency
Instructions
- Set a conventional oven to 350°F and grease a large 12-cup metal tube pan, coating the center column as well.
- Cream the cup of softened butter with sugar and vanilla. Incorporate the eggs separately.
- Blend cake flour, sifted cocoa, baking soda, salt, and dry instant pudding powder. Add this mixture alternately with buttermilk, then fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer to the pan without exceeding about two-thirds of its capacity. Bake 30 minutes at 350°F, lower to 325°F, and bake another 30–40 minutes or until a deep tester finds no raw batter.
- Wait 20 minutes before carefully releasing the cake. Let it become fully cool on a rack.
- For icing, melt butter with water and vanilla in a saucepan. Off the burner, mix in cocoa and powdered sugar, then add cream a little at a time, up to 3 tablespoons, to obtain a spreading texture.
- Allow icing to cool to warm and spread it across the cold cake. Let it settle before cutting 16 slices.
Notes
The water is for icing only. Use dry instant pudding mix and a large tube pan. The cooking allowance includes icing preparation; cake baking may need longer depending on pan and oven. Cool fully before coating.