Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe

This Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe is so moist, fluffy, and has wonderful flavor.

We've made many buttermilk cake recipes over the years that we just love. This vanilla cake recipe is one of our favorites!

Our popular Almond Cake and Lemon Buttermilk Cake recipes were inspired by this flavorful recipe. It works perfectly for vanilla cupcakes also. You will love this wonderful go-to vanilla cake!

Keep this versatile vanilla cake recipe in mind the next time you need a great baby shower cake, birthday cake, bridal shower cake, baby shower cake, or a delicious dessert for no occasion at all!

Ingredients for Vanilla Buttermilk Cake

Here's a quick look at the ingredients for our Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Layers. Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete recipe!

There are so many frostings that would be perfect with this vanilla cake, including the Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting used in our featured photo, as well as Chocolate Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, and more!

A Few Ingredient Tips

Cake Flour: We often use cake flour as its lower protein content makes for a softer, more tender cake.

Buttermilk: We recommend whole buttermilk rather than reduced fat, for added richness. Buttermilk's boost of acidity softens the strands of gluten in the cake batter, which enhances the texture of the cake.

Unsalted Butter: We use unsalted butter so that we have more control over the amount of salt in the recipe. However, if you are using salted butter, you can eliminate the additional salt that the recipe calls for.

How to Make a Vanilla Buttermilk Cake

Make sure to find the full recipe for Vanilla Buttermilk Cake at the bottom of this post. Here is a quick rundown of our steps!

• First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour three 8 inch round cake pans. We also like to line the bottoms with parchment paper circles to ensure that nothing sticks.

• Start off by whisking together these dry ingredients: cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt for 30 seconds so that everything is well combined.

• In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

• Next, mix the softened butter until nice and smooth, then mix the sugar for 3-5 minutes until it lightens and becomes fluffy.

• Next, add the room temperature eggs one at a time.

• Almost done! With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. After the last addition, mix just until the batter is combined.

• Once ready, divide the vanilla buttermilk cake batter between three prepared 8 inch cake pans. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

• Then, cool the cake layers, still in the cake pans, on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out.

• Make sure that the layers have cooled completely before filling and frosting with your preferred frosting recipe! We used our Classic Vanilla Buttercream.

Recipe FAQs

More Vanilla Cake Recipes

In addition to our gluten free version of this recipe (Gluten Free Vanilla Cake), and popular Vanilla Velvet Cake, we have more delicious vanilla & white cake recipes to share with you!  Don't miss our section of Vanilla Cake Recipes. Here are just a few favorites:

 Enjoy the Recipe

Thanks so much for stopping by! We hope that you enjoy this delicious vanilla cake recipe. Keep it in mind for your next special occasion. It would make a perfect birthday cake recipe, baby shower cake, and more!

In addition to our cake recipes, don't miss our huge collection of videos on cake decorating! If you prefer a more rustic (and super easy) design, check out our post on naked cakes!

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe

BY Melissa and Bebe

This Vanilla Buttermilk Layer Cake is so moist and flavorful! The buttermilk in the recipe makes the crumb so tender and soft. This is a wonderful go-to vanilla cake!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 9 servingss

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Ingredients

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake Recipe

• ▢ 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened. (Holds it shape but dents when pressed)
• ▢ 2 cups (400g) sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.)
• ▢ 3 cups (342g) cake flour (If not using a digital scale, lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.) See notes for substitution.
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups (296g) buttermilk (If you do not have buttermilk, see substitution below)
• ▢ ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil (We use canola 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.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid). After the last addition, mix just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
• 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.

Notes

Substitute for Buttermilk: No Buttermilk? Here is a substitution: To a measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 ¼ mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes and it is ready to use.

Substitution for Cake Flour: Using all purpose flour (plain in UK) to make Cake Flour: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). This recipe has 3 cups of flour so you will measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend

Recipe makes 7 ½ cups batter

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