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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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.