Sometimes traditional flavors are winners for a reason.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake made with Cocoa Powder & Peanut Butter Frosting 

This recipe uses cocoa powder and oil plus buttermilk to make a moist cake that is pretty easy to mix together it's becoming my go to chocolate cake and I love it

220g flour

65g cocoa powder

350g sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons espresso powder

120ml vegetable oil

2 eggs

240ml buttermilk

240ml hot coffee

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or 325 for a convection oven.  Prepare 2- 9 inch cake pans with vegetable spray and line with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder. 

Into a bowl of a stand mixer combine the vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk, hot coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined. Into the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients. Mix on medium for 2 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, scrape the sides once or twice. 

Pour equal amounts into both pans and bake for 30 minutes. 

I use these cake pan fabric strips to keep the cake from doming, they allow the sides to bake more slowly so they push the center of the cake up and to a dome. They really do make for a flatter cake. 

Peanut Butter Frosting 

80g butter 

500g creamy peanut butter

345g powdered sugar

150g cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

Whip room temperature butter until smooth, add peanut butter. Once combined add the powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Whip for 4 minutes, scraping down the side.

For the peanut butter drizzle, microwave a few tablespoons in 2 20 second increments, stirring in between. Drizzle while warm.