Name: Buttermilk Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 cup salted butter (softened at room temperature); 2 cups granulated sugar; 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil; 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract; 3 large eggs (room temperture); 1 egg yolk (room temperature); 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (at room temperature); 1 cup salted butter (softened at room temperature); 4-5 cups powdered sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons buttermilk

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The most delicious Vanilla Buttermilk Cake made from scratch with only a few simple ingredients and is perfect for any occasion. It’s so soft and fluffy with moist crumbs and has a rich vanilla and buttery flavor. This homemade cake will be the best you’ve ever had!

PIN this Buttermilk Cake recipe to try later!

Piece of birthday cake with lit candle on top.

buttermilk cake

I guarantee, you’ve never tasted a cake like this Buttermilk Cake before. Made with a super moist, rich, buttery, and vanilla cake batter and frosted with a buttermilk frosting that’s sweet, but not too sweet and pairs perfectly together.

This Buttermilk Cake has instantly became a family favorite and new go-to cake. It’s all because of the delicious and rich vanilla flavor it has and the super soft and moist texture. It’s truly remarkable and love at first bite. Everyone needs a good vanilla cake recipe in their kitchens that they can go to and this is it!

I first made this cake for my husbands birthday and after that it instantly became everyones favorite cake. I also made this for both of daughter’s birthday and any chance I get to make a cake, it’s automatically THIS CAKE!

Frosted and sprinkled Vanilla Buttermilk Cake.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy cake: You need just a few basic cake ingredients, no fancy kitchen equipment is required, and it’s easy to assemble.

Crowd pleaser: Friends, family, adults, and kids of all ages will love this amazing cake. Everyone in my family does!

Perfect for: A birthday party, get togethers, holidays, any occasion, or any time you want to make a delicious cake.

Literally, the BEST CAKE EVER.

It’s buttery, soft, moist, and decadent with rich flavors of vanilla and a hint of tangy buttermilk in every bite.

Buttermilk Cake with slices marks and sprinkles.

key ingredients

Flour: All-purpose flour works great, but you can also use whole wheat flour. Just note the flavor will be slightly different. Always spoon and level flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much.
Baking soda and baking powder: Used as a leavening agent, this will make the cake rise and be soft and fluffy.
Salted butter: If you use unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
Granulated white sugar: Used to make the cake sweet.
Pure vanilla extract: Enhances all the flavors. I love using vanilla bean paste to maximize the flavors.
Oil: Canola oil or vegetable oil can be used. This will also make the cake extra moist and soft.
Eggs: We use 3 whole eggs and an egg yolk at room temperature to help bind the cake batter and add richness.
Buttermilk: The star ingredient! We use full fat buttermilk to add a rich and buttery flavor. It will also enhance the moisture and balance out the sweetness.

how to make buttermilk cake

Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper in a circle to fit the bottoms and grease the bottoms and sides of the pan well to form a circle to fit the bottoms. Set aside.

Mix flour mixture together: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy, and pale for a few minutes.

Add in oil, vanilla extract, and eggs: Add in the oil and vanilla bean paste, mix until fully combined, smooth and mixture is creamy. Add in the whole egg and egg yolk one at a time until incorporated.

Rotate buttermilk and dry mixture: Rotate between adding the buttermilk and flour mixture in 3 increments. Make sure the cake batter is combined, but do not over-mix.

Bake cake: Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean and the tops are a light golden brown. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Carefully run a butter knife along the edge of the cake pan and carefully flip it over on a cooling rack to cool for another 10-15 minutes or until cooled completely.

To make the frosting while cake cools

In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter with an electric mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix on low speed and gradually increase the speed when adding the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Add in the vanilla and buttermilk and continue to beat on high speed until creamy and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin, and more buttermilk if frosting is too thick.

To frost the cake

Place one layer of the cake on the bottom of a cake stand or cake plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting to cover the top, then place the second layer on top. Spread frosting all over the sides and top of the cake. Make the frosting smooth or make swirls with a spoon. Decorate with rainbow sprinkles (optional) and enjoy! Other topping ideas are fresh fruit and edible flowers.

recipe tips

Use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure a smooth and velvety batter and the ingredients will incorporate easily.
Make sure not to over-bake the cake. Every oven is different, so the bake times will be different. The best way to tell if it’s ready is it’s not jiggly in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.
Make ahead: Save some time and make the cake a day or two ahead of time. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer to preserve it’s freshness.
Let cake cool completely: If you don’t let the cake cool completely, the frosting will melt off and the cake won’t look pretty.
Crumb coating: To get a flawless frosting look, add a crumb layer by coating the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting, then place it in the freezer to harden for 15-20 minutes. Add the other layer of frosting and spread all over cake.

Birdseye view of Buttermilk Cake with sprinkles.

faq

Do I have to use buttermilk?

Yes, I wouldn’t swap this ingredient for anything else because the buttermilk adds the rich flavor and the moist texture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make your own buttermilk at home with milk and lemon or white vinegar. See below.

What makes this cake fluffy and moist?

The buttermilk! That’s why we can’t replace it. The combination of the butter and oil helps make this cake extra fluffy and moist as well.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Definitely! I do this almost every time sinceI don’t have the time to make a cake from start to finish in the same day. You can make this cake up to 3 days in advance. Once the 2 layers are baked and cooled completely, wrap each layer generously with plastic wrap and then with heavy duty foil.

Side view of buttermilk cake with piece removed.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK

If you don’t have buttermilk at home or need a buttermilk substitute- don’t panic. You can easily make it from scratch! Simply pour 1 1/4 cup of regular whole milk into a liquid measuring cup and add 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir together and let the milk sit for 10 minutes or until it starts to curdle.

recipe variations

Frosting: Swap the Buttermilk Vanilla frosting for a Chocolate Frosting, Cream Cheese Frosting, Strawberry Frosting , classic Vanilla Frosting or Lemon Frosting. You could also leave it unfrosted like a pound cake and dust with powdered or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Size of baking pan: To bake in 2 9-inch round cake pans reduce the baking time by a few minutes. To bake in a 9×13 inch pan, bake the cake for 30-35 minutes. To bake in a bundt pan, bake for 50-55 minutes. Always use the toothpick test to see if the cake is baked and note that oven temperature times vary in every oven.
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake: Add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and chocolate chips to the cake batter to give the cake a chocolate flavor.
Lemon Buttermilk Cake: Add a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to the cake batter for a zesty lemony flavor.

leftovers & storage

Leftovers: Store leftover cake in an airtight container or cover plate with foil or plastic wrap. Store in a cool area for up to 5 days.

Freeze: You can freeze unfrosted or frosted cake by wrapping the cooled unfrosted cake with plastic wrap, or cut into individual slices and wrap each slice, and then place in a heavy-duty ziplock bag or cover with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost: To defrost the unfrosted or frosted cake, let the cake thaw completely before frosting. Place cake in the refrigerator to sit overnight or sit out in the counter for at least 3 hours.