Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
Vanilla Buttermilk Cake is the old fashioned layer cake we all know and love. The cake has a moist, fine crumb and lovely vanilla flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
You’ll love this cake because it has a very soft and moist crumb that is reminiscent of a cake made from a box-mix.
WHAT??? Why would I talk about cake mix on this everything-baked-from-scratch blog?
But wait, stay with me a minute. While I’m convinced that I can always spot a cake made from a mix because there is a certain artificial flavor that comes through, cake mixes do have one thing going for them.
Cakes made from a mix have a the super soft, very fine crumb that many, many people think of as the quintessential old fashioned layer cake. It’s the kind of cake that I grew up with, and maybe you did too.
But we don’t have to resort to using cake mix.
Why Vanilla Buttermilk Cake is so soft
- There are two important ingredients in this recipe that create the type of super-fine crumb you get from a cake mix — buttermilk and oil.
- Buttermilk is acidic and acidic ingredients tenderize the cake crumb.
- Oil stays liquid when chilled, so cakes made with oil are softer than cakes made with butter, especially if they have a perishable filling that needs to be stored in the fridge.
- The recipe starts by emulsifying the oil and eggs with the other wet ingredients. This forms lots and lots of tiny air bubbles in the batter, which are then expanded by the baking soda and powder. This produces a very fine and even crumb that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Flour – I like to use bleached cake flour for the softest and most tender cake. Unbleached cake flour is also a good choice. As a last option, use all purpose flour to make the cake flour substitute in this post.
- Buttermilk – Acidic buttermilk makes the crumb on the cake tender and adds a beautiful flavor. For this cake I don’t recommend using a buttermilk substitute.
- Oil – Any neutral oil will work in this recipe. I use a basic vegetable oil.
Process Photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Sift the dry ingredients to remove lumps and to distribute the salt and leavening.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to emulsify the eggs, oil and sugar.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter between three 8 inch pans. If you only have 2 pans, put 1/3 of the batter in one pan and 2/3 of the batter in the other. Torte the larger cake after baking.
- The recipe can also make 18 vanilla cupcakes.
- Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the prettiest cake slices, I always trim the brown crust from the layers before filling and icing the cake.
For a real old-fashioned slice of heaven, fill and frost this cake with simple-to-make American Buttercream. If you prefer your frosting less sweet, try Italian Meringue Buttercream or Ermine Frosting.
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Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 11 ¼ oz cake flour (2 ½ cups, see note)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 oz vegetable oil (1 cup)
- 4 large eggs
- 8 oz buttermilk (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 16 oz granulated sugar (2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of three 8"x3" round cake pans with parchment paper, or butter and flour the bottom of the pans (don't butter/flour the sides). (see note)
- Sift 11 ¼ oz cake flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon table saltand ¼ teaspoon baking soda and set aside.
- Combine 8 oz vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 8 oz buttermilk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 16 oz granulated sugar in a mixer bowl. Mix on medium speed to combine the ingredients, continue mixing for 2-3 minutes to emulsify the ingredients. With the mixer running on low, add the flour mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Cool completely before filling and icing.
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How many cupcakes does 1 batter make? Also what size pans are those you use for 1 batter?
Just noticed it says 8″ pans whoops lol. Does this make 24 cupcakes?
This recipe would probably make 2 dozen standard size cupcakes.
Hi Eileen,
Just made the cake and the texture came.out great. If I reduce the amount or sugar by half, will this affect the texture of the cake when baked?
Yes, sugar is not only a sweetener but is also a tenderizer. You can read more about it in this post about sugar in cake batter.
Does this cake stack well for a wedding cake?
Yes, you can stack just about any cake if you have the proper supports in place. I always use bubble straws.
Wonderful cake recipe! When you trim your crusts, how do you ensure that crumbs don’t get in the frosting. I would really like to perfect this when I do my next cake.
A crumb coating with seal the crumbs into the cake before the final coating.
Hi Eileen,
Why do some of your cake recipes call for the sugar to be added to the wet ingredients (such as your vanilla cake) and other recipes call for it to be added to the dry ingredients. Also, why do you only butter and flour the bottom if your pans and not the sides.
Thanks.
Hi Elaine, when you add the sugar depends on how you’re mixing. If you use the “creaming” method the sugar goes in with the butter. For reverse creaming the sugar goes in with the dry ingredients. For this cake the sugar goes in with the eggs so the liquid can start to melt the sugar and the wet ingredients can emulsify with the eggs. In my White Cake post I explain why I only butter/flour the bottom of the pans. Actually, I always use a parchment round, but it’s the same idea. I find I get a better rise with the sides of the cake clinging to the pan.
Hi Eileen,
I hate to sound redundant, but is there a particular reason you added the sugar to your dry ingredients for your red velvet cake and not to the wet ingredients as you did in the vanilla buttermilk cake.
Thanks
No particular reason. The sugar can go in wet or dry if you’re not “creaming” the batter.