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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Is there a mistake with this recipe?
How can 318.93g be 2.5 cups flour when 453.49g is only 2 cups of sugar. Please clarify, thanks
No, there is no mistake. Cake flour weighs 4.5 oz per cup while sugar weighs 8 oz per cup.
Thank you for confirming that – I had no idea!
You’re welcome. You can learn more about measuring baking ingredients here.
Hi
I do bake quite a bit , pretty good at it too lol .
But for some reason I find it hard to make a vanilla or white cake , always seems to come out dense , not soft and fluffy ,
Going to give this recipe a try . If I want to use three 9 inch pans , maybe I should increase the recipe by 25 % ?
I have no issue with figuring out extra ingredients .
Ps , I always use cake strips .
Thanks
Hello, would this still work if I replaced buttermilk with sour cream?
It should work but water down the sour cream a bit so it’s a thick liquid like buttermilk. Use the same measurement of the thinned sour cream as is listed for buttermilk in the recipe.
Hi there! I want to make this for a birthday cake, but for the shape I am carving need one, thick 10in cake. Would this recipe bake well in one 10in cake pan with high sides? Or should I scale it back 1/3?
Are you working with a 10″x3″ round pan? This recipe is scaled for two 8″x3″ pans. Two 8″ pans will hold about 1/3 more batter than one 10″ round pan. I would say to make the recipe as it is and be sure not to fill the pan more than about 2/3 full. If you have any left over batter just bake it as cupcakes.
I appreciate the recipe, something different from what I have always been using. Can I use any type of oil?
I suggest a neutral flavored oil like vegetable oil. But any type of oil should work.
Question: Are the oz measurements weight or volume? Dry ingredients weight and wet ingredients volume?
I like weighing my dry ingredients so I converted 2 1/2 cups of flour into grams (using google). I did the same with the sugar.
This recipe is great. I made it as cupcakes for my daughter’s third birthday. I’m using german buttercream icing for something a bit less sweet. My daughter helped me make the first batch but in the chaos I forgot to add the eggs! They still came out delicious, a bit dry and crumbly. The second batch we executed perfectly 🙂
Thanks for sharing all of your baking expertise!
The oz measurements are weight. There is a button on the recipe card you can click to convert from US to metric measurements. The problem with googling conversion is that the source may not convert volume to weight measurements the same way I do. You can read more about how to measure ingredients and how I convert my recipe here.
I bake this cake in 2 x8 inch pans for 35 mins. The cake rose nice n flat as I also use baking stripe . On cooling the top of the cake feel damp . Can’t please advice ?
Did you cover the pan as it cooled? Personally, I just peel off the top crust since I don’t like the texture of it under the icing. That being said, if you just leave the cake at room temperature uncovered for a short time I think the top will dry.
Did you “liason” the chocolate into the cream as described and illustrated in the post? Was your chocolate completely cooled and beginning to set?
@Eileen Gray, thank u for your quick reply. I did not cover the cake as it cools . The top feels damp when it was completely cooled. I like yr recipe because the cake rises nicely and has a flat top with the baking stripe.
Do u advice to bake a bit longer for a browner top ?
Well, you do risk the possibility of over-baking. I’d rather have a pale top than a dry cake. Again, I just peel that top crust off then ice the cake. It would also be your oven. Do you have an oven thermometer? Maybe bake on a higher rack?
Can this be made with only egg whites to achieve a more white cake?
I haven’t tested it so I could say for sure, but I’m guessing it would work. I also have a recipe for White Cake that you can try.
Hi, thank you for this recipe!
I just made it, and the flavor was really good.
I think I made a mistake somewhere though, I made 2 batches of this, and both came out with a bit of a dome, and I think the edges are too brown/hard as well. There were also little wells when I flip the cake over, not a smooth and flat bottom.
Did I do something wrong in the process? I was afraid that maybe I overmixed the batter on my first try, so I was much more careful on the second, but the result was almost the same.
Hope for some troubleshooting tips when you have time, thank you!
It sounds like maybe they baked a little too fast because of the browned sides and domed top. Do you have an oven thermometer? I know my oven runs hot and need to monitor it with an oven thermometer.
I’ve made this cake for several birthdays with rave reviews. Everyone loves it! I’d like to make a slightly taller cake this time…have you ever increased the recipe amounts with any success? I don’t need to double it. Maybe just 25 to 50% more batter? I can do the math, but it makes for some weird measurements, and I’m not sure which ingredients to round down and which ones to round up.
Do you need more cake or just want a taller cake? If you just want a taller cake you could bake more layers in smaller pans. If you baked two 8″ cake you could bake three 6″ cakes for a taller cake. If you let me know what pan sizes you want to use I can suggest how to multiply the recipe.
I’m looking for a cake recipe to use Buttermilk before it goes bad. My question is :
Can I bake this in a Bundt pan instead of layers ? If so, should I grease & flour (baking spray) the whole inside of the pan, esp. beings you said not to grease the sides of the pans ? I want to do this right for my family and me, of course. Thanks !!!
Always grease and flour a Bundt pan as the cake will stick in the crevices. For regular round and square cake pans I don’t great the sides because I can easily run a small spatula or knife around the cake to release it from the pan. You could make this as a bundt cake, but I have a recipe for Buttermilk Bundt Cake which has a more typical Bundt cake texture.
Lovely
Can this be made in two layers instead of three?
Made the cake. It makes great strawberry short cake.
Hi,
How long does this cake keep for and can you freeze it ?
Yes, the cake can be frozen. Double wrap it in plastic to prevent freezer odors from getting into the cake. Will keep for at least a month if properly wrapped. The baked cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days (refrigerate if you fill it with a perishable filling).
Can you mix in the dry ingredients by hand instead of using the mixer? I don’t want to over mix and end up with a dry cake. My mixer throws flour when mixing flour into a running mixer. Any tips
Just to clarify, over mixing doesn’t necessarily cause a dry cake. For certain recipes, over mixing can cause a tough cake. Yes, you can mix the flour in by hand. I would use a balloon whisk to avoid creating lumps of flour. If you’re using a stand mixer the pouring shield really helps avoid flying flour.
@Eileen Gray, so would it be better to stir the dry ingredients in just enough so flour ingredients is wet and then use the mixer as instructed
It’s a fairly wet batter so you could certainly mix it completely by hand. Whether you work by hand or mixer just mix until the flour is completely incorporated. The most important step in mixing this batter is getting the wet ingredients emulsified. The emulsified batter translates into an even and tender crumb for the cake. So as long as you use the mixer to emulsify the wet ingredients then adding the flour either by hand or mixer will work.
Can I make these as cupcakes??
Yes.
Great white cake recipe. Easy to make, moist and good crumb structure
I found the cake a bit too sweet for my taste. Just wondering if you can reduce the sugar? 2 cups seem like a lot to me. I love the texture and added raspberry jam in centre with buttercream icing.
Reducing the sugar will change the texture of the cake. Sugar does more than just sweeten. Of course you can experiment with reducing the sugar. I would suggest gradually reducing by 1/4 cup to get to a place where you’re happy with the flavor and the texture.
Can you split the ingredients in half to make half the amount please
Yes. What I was saying is that you’ll either need to bake fewer layers or use a small pan since you’ll have half as much batter.
@Eileen Gray,
Thank you
I use this recipe all the times it gets amazing comments
Loved it. I am trying to learn how to bake and this recipe worked well for me. I made strawberry jam and used that in the center and then made American Buttercream frosting.
Can you half this recipe please
Yes. You can either bake 2 (instead of 3) slightly taller 8″ layers or bake three 6″ layers.
@Eileen Gray,
Sorry what I mean is can the recipe be cut in half x
I was wondering can I add strawberry jello to it… Instead of puree…
Do you mean jello powder? That might work but it would also add sugar so you might want use it to replace some of the sugar in the recipe.
I used a 9×13 pan. It was still very moist and tender. I would definitely make this again.
I used a 9×13 inch pan instead of the recommended ones. It was still very moist and tender. I would definitely make this again.
Hi, is it possible replace some flour with cocoa powder or add cocoa powder to make it chocolate buttermilk cake?
I’ve already done it for you. Here’s a recipe for Chocolate Buttermilk Cake.
I LOVE this recipe and have made it many times and it ALWAYS turns out great. I have a family member who loves almond-flavored white cake with raspberry filling, but I find the cake recipe I have for that is temperamental, so I never know how the final product will be. I was wondering if I could make this cake using just egg whites and without completely ruining the texture. Have you ever tried that?
I have a white cake recipe if you want to try that.
So happy to see a cake recipe that leads to a moist cake! I reduced the oil and sugar a little bit, and reduced the oven temperature slightly to account for that. The cake still came out nice and soft. Next time the only thing I might do differently is use a combo of vegetable oil and extra virgin olive oil (or coconut) to give it a bit more flavor. Some members of my family with discerning taste buds don’t care for the flavor from just vegetable oil. This one is a keeper!
@Sarita, could you say how much oil you used? I’m skeptical about the quantity of oil. Thanks
Hi, could I also use butter or vegetable butter instead of oil? How would this affect the cake? And how mich should I use? Love your in depth information of how all the ingredients work together!
Oil has more liquid and behaves differently in the batter so the results would be different using butter instead of oil. I couldn’t say what the exact outcome would be without testing it. The cake would probably be OK, but the texture would be different. Oil cakes are softer and moister than butter cakes.
I was looking for a buttermilk cake recipe to remind me of what my grandmother made for me on my birthday. Believe me when I say this is THE ONE! Just like Maw used to make!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!! Thank you sooo very much! Buy the way, I iced this wonderful old time buttermilk cake with divinity icing, just like Gran-maw!!
You say to prepare 3 pans but then say: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans…just want to confirm if it’s 2 or 3 pans? Thanks.
Thanks for the heads up, it’s been fixed. Divide the dough evenly between the 3 pans. If you only have 2 pans you can put 2/3 of the batter in one pan and 1/3 in the other. Split the thicker cake to make a total of 3 layers. You can also bake two larger layers for a two layer cake.
Hi I’ve baked this cake before and I’ve noticed that mine had a crust of sugar on the outside (the outside was sweeter than the inside) do you know why that would happen? Thanks.
Hi! I’m still looking for an answer to this problem or if anyone else experienced this? also do you use the whisk attachment or the beater attachment?
Hi Haley, sorry I didn’t respond sooner. I don’t always see new comments. First of all, I use the paddle attachment on my stand mixer for this recipe. What do you mean by “a crust of sugar”? Do you mean the brown crust around the sides or a crust on the top of the cake. There could be undissolved sugar in the batter. If the sugar did not completely dissolve the excess sugar could rise to the surface create a thick crust. Did you take the time to let the batter mix for 2-3 minutes and emulsify as instructed in step 3? If you rush this step it could compromise the texture of the cake.
Hi Eileen,
I would like to make a strawberry cake. Which vanilla recipe would you recommend and can you please provide the ingredients needed? I have tried your carrot, chocolate and red velvet cake recipes and OH MY GOD!! so delicious! Thank you .
How do you plan to flavor the cake? With fresh strawberry puree? If that is the case I couldn’t say without extensive testing. The extra liquid from the strawberries plus the acidity would change the texture of the cake quite a bit. My first guess would be to replace some of the buttermilk in this recipe with strawberry puree.
Hi Elieen, I am not sure if puree or freeze dried. I have search and tried others with puree and freeze dried but the texture was not good. I really hope you can help me out. All your othe recipes so far are excellent. Thank you.
Freeze dried strawberries are great for adding berry flavor without too much moisture. I use them for my Strawberry Bundt Cake and Strawberry macarons for exactly that reason. For the bundt cake I tried folding in ground freeze dried strawberries and I didn’t like the color of the cake. I’ll be honest with you, while strawberry cakes can look pretty with the pink color, I generally prefer to flavor my fillings rather than the cake itself. The flour in the cake tends to mute any subtle flavors and I think you get more bang for your buck with highly flavored syrups and fillings.
Hi Eileen,
If I use 1/2 melted butter and 1/2 oil will I still get the moist texture or will it change the composition completely. I like the taste of butter and just wondering if I can mix the two.
Love, love, love this cake! I had to adjust to my dairy intolerance (Silk almond milk plus lemon to make ‘buttermilk’). I also decided I wanted an almond flavored cake so I added a scant tablespoon of almond extract as well as the vanilla. The cake is so moist! And has so much flavor. I tasted the batter before I made it a vanilla cake and I could have eaten the batter just by itself. Yum! I made it in a 9×13 pan baked at 350 for 45 minutes and frosted with chocolate frosting and it was perfect. I think next time I will frost with the vanilla buttercream. My go to white cake vanilla or almond. It’s 9:45 in the morning and I have to go have a bite or 2 because I’m reviewing this cake 😉
Hello, I’d like to use three 6” inch pans. How would I change it? Would I have to half the ingredients? Please help!
An 8″ round pan has an area of 50.24″ (1/2 the 8″ radius squared x 3.14). A 6″ pan has an area of 28.26″. If you divide 28.6 by 50.24 you get 56%. So that means a 6″ pan has just a little more than 1/2 the area of an 8″ pan. So if you halve the recipe you should get a good result.
Hi,
Would this cake recipe work well for a semi-naked cake?
Yes. I wrap the sides of a semi-naked cake with plastic wrap when storing it to prevent the sides from drying out.
Dumb question: I’m just wanting a great, moist vanilla layer cake. Would you recommend this one or your Vanilla Butter cake recipe? What’s the difference in flavor/consistency between the 2?
This cake will be a bit softer and lighter and Vanilla Butter Cake will have a more “melt in your mouth” texture. It’s really a matter of taste. If you prefer something with a texture closer to a cake mix this would be the choice. If you want something closer to a pound cake (but a little lighter) the Vanilla Butter Cake would be the choice.
Thanks so much!
Hi! I’m baking this recipe for my daughters first year 🙂
Is it okay if I use only one pan for baking all the batter together?
Thank you!
You’d have to use a larger pan to accommodate all the batter. If you fill the pan more than 2/3 full it doesn’t bake evenly. What size pan did you have in mind? Something like a 9″x13″ baking pan would work.
I want to use this recipe to make a funfetti cake for my daughters birthday. Is it ok to just add the sprinkles before baking? Will this affect the final product in anyway?
Yes, that should be fine.
Pls can I add cornstarch to my all purpose flour to get cake flour and can I use plain milk and vinegar to get the buttermilk?
Yes to both.
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.