This Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe from scratch is so moist, flavorful, and versatile! Sometimes I just crave a slice of good old fashioned vanilla cake, don’t you?
This is a great recipe to have on hand as it can be dressed up or paired with just about any filling or frosting you can think of! After all, everything goes with vanilla cake!
How to make the BEST Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
- We are using the traditional method of mixing for this recipe (rather than the Reverse Creaming Method), which makes for fluffy, flavorful cake layers (or cupcakes)!
- Start off by whisking together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and salt for 30 seconds so that everything is well combined.
- In another bowl, add your buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. I love recipes with buttermilk not only for the hint of tanginess, but also because it’s acidity interferes with gluten formation, yielding a softer, more tender cake. We’ve added a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the recipe to ensure that we have plenty of vanilla flavor. You can’t skimp on the vanilla in a vanilla cake!
- Next, let’s add some buttery goodness. Mix the butter until nice and smooth, then add your sugar until it lightens and becomes fluffy! Although our recipe also calls for vegetable oil which is wonderful for the moistness of the cake, I love the boost of flavor that the butter gives us. Next, add the eggs one at a time.
- Almost done! Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Be careful not to over-mix the cake batter as that can toughen up the texture.
- Once ready, divide the luscious vanilla cake batter between three prepared 8 inch cake pans. You could make two cake layers if you would rather, you’ll just need to bake them a bit longer.
Pro Tip! You may have heard me say this before, but we love to freeze our cake layers to maximize the moistness of the cake!
Cool your freshly baked cake layers (still in the pan) on the cooling rack for about 10 minutes, and then flip them onto cake boards, individually wrap the warm cake layers tightly with plastic wrap, foil, and freeze!
When ready to use, thaw on the countertop still wrapped, until condensation forms on the wrapping. Then unwrap and decorate! (I often begin assembling and filling my cake layers while the layers are partially frozen. They are less fragile this way!
We frosted our cake with our Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting but so many frostings would be perfect with this cake! Other great options are: Classic Chocolate Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, Strawberry Buttercream Frosting, Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, and more!
Don’t miss our full collection of favorite cake and frosting recipes in our Recipes Section! If you are interested in learning more about cake decorating, definitely check out our Free Cake Tutorials Section (which includes a category of Free Cake Videos).
Or, for full access to hundreds of video tutorials, you should become a member of My Cake School! We would love to have you. Find all of the details here: Joining Information
Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (170g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled off)
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
- 1 1/4 cups (296g) buttermilk — if you do not have buttermilk, see substitution below
- 1/4 cup (54g) vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract
Substitution for Buttermilk
- No Buttermilk? Here is a substitution: To a measuring cup, add 2 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 1/4 mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes and it is ready to use.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
- In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Set aside..
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
- Do not mix above medium speed or over mix the cake batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Let cool 10 minutes and turn out.
**Looking for a place to talk about cake, ask questions, and share your work? Visit our Facebook Group! We could talk about cake all day long (and we do)! Facebook Group for My Cake School
Vanilla Cake from Scratch (Printable Version Above)
1 1/2 sticks (170g) unsalted butter
2 cups (400g) sugar
4 eggs
3 cups (342g) cake flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled off)
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
1 1/4 cups (296g) buttermilk — if you do not have buttermilk, see substitution below
1/4 cup (54g) vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Set aside..
In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
Do not mix above medium speed or over mix the cake batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Let cool 10 minutes and turn out.
I know this may seem like a stupid question, but i am curious about “do not overmix the batter”. I know it mostly means once the dry ingredients are incorporated, however, sometimes I see lumps in the batter when using this conventional method instead of the reverse creaming method. So, can you explain, when do you know exactly when to stop mixing? Do you have to worry about any lumps in the batter, or do you stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are just incorporated? I love your cakes made with reverse creaming, however, I would like to try this one. Thank you
Hi Stephanie, Over mixing can cause your cake to become dense and chewy. At the completion of mixing your batter there should not be any lumps. When adding dry ingredients, mix just until you do not see any of the flour. It is the same with the liquid ingredients, mix until it is incorporated into the batter. When all the ingredients are mixed in and you are finished, remove the mixing bowl from the beater and give the batter a final turn with a spatula just to make sure everything in the bottom of the bowl is mixed in.
Hi Melissa! Can I make this recipe using the reverse creaming method instead? I am looking for the tighter crumb.
Hi Daphne, Yes, it will be fine to do so. Recipes that use butter and have a sugar weight that is equal to or greater than the weight of the flour can successfully be mixed using the reverse creaming method. This recipe has a sugar weight of 400g and flour weight of 342g.
So happy to see this cake. I am doing a wedding cake in August and this may be “it”. Lots of time to make this for family and take a vote. I want a cake that will taste wonderful after being worked on for 2 days.That little bit of oil might do the trick! I will report back as soon as I make it. Thankyou!
How could I make this into a lemon buttermilk cake with lemon juice in the cake batter?
Hi Melissa, I have tried this buttermilk vanilla cake recipe..it’s awesome.. I have a doubt..can it be used for tier cakes..can it hold the weight…
Regards Ann
Hi Ann, I ‘m happy you enjoyed the recipe. Yes, this recipe will be fine to use for a tiered cake. If stacked correctly with dowel rods or bubble T straws almost any cake can be used for a tiered cake.
Hi Lei, I think you would like our lemon cake, you can replace the milk with buttermilk if you like. Link below to the recipe
link to mycakeschool.com
Do you happen to know how many cups of batter this recipe yields?
Hi Charletta, I think this makes 7 cups of batter. Hope you will enjoy the recipe.