This old-fashioned buttermilk cake requires just one bowl, a whisk, and 10 minutes of prep! Best of all, it’s a light, fluffy, and incredibly moist vanilla cake that’s perfect for every occasion. Finish it off with an easy vanilla buttercream frosting or a quick chocolate icing, and don’t forget plenty of rainbow sprinkles!
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If you’re looking for more recipes with buttermilk, don’t miss these 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, this buttermilk pound cake, a loaf of Amish friendship bread without starter, a skillet of cast iron cornbread, and a loaf of buttermilk banana bread, too!
So simple to make and it was delicious, moist and soft!! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I will definitely be making this again!!
– Gigi
This easy buttermilk cake recipe is a twist on my mother-in-law’s wildly popular one-bowl buttermilk chocolate cake. So many of you have enjoyed the chocolate version over the years, and have repeatedly requested its vanilla counterpart. It required some trial and error on my part, but I’m excited to finally share this classic buttermilk cake recipe with you today!
It’s moist and fluffy, full of rich vanilla flavor, and finished with an easy buttercream frosting. Serve a slice with a scoop of ice cream or a cold glass of milk. From birthdays to cookouts, holidays to class parties, the homemade vanilla cake is bound to become a family favorite. Best of all, the it requires just one bowl, no electric mixers, and simple ingredients that I always have on hand. Skip a trip to the grocery store and toss out the box of cake mix, because this is the best vanilla cake recipe you’ll ever sink your teeth into!
The Secret Ingredient: Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a key ingredient in this recipe, as it serves many important purposes. First, the buttermilk gives the cake a slightly tangy, rich, and buttery flavor that you can’t achieve with regular milk. Additionally, the acid in the buttermilk reacts with the leavening agents to help the cake rise, giving it a light, fluffy texture and a tender cake crumb. If you’re in a pinch and you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge, you can substitute with a “homemade buttermilk” instead (see my notes in the recipe card below).
Buttermilk Cake Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Use all-purpose flour in this recipe (rather than cake flour), since the all-purpose flour keeps the cake sturdy. When I tested the recipe with cake flour, it was too delicate.
- Vegetable oil keeps the cake incredibly moist. You can substitute with another neutral oil, such as canola. Using oil instead of softened butter eliminates the need to cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.
- Hot water adds moisture and keeps the cake soft.
- Line the cake pan with parchment, allowing some of the parchment paper to hang over the sides, if you’d like to be able to lift the cake out of the pan before frosting and slicing.
- Use thick, full-fat buttermilk. This adds richness, moisture, and flavor to the cake that you don’t get with low-fat varieties.
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This helps them blend together more easily and smoothly, and helps to avoid over-mixing (which can result in a dry, dense cake).
How to Make Buttermilk Cake
This vanilla buttermilk cake recipe is just a twist on my mother-in-law’s moist chocolate cake. I’ve added an easy vanilla buttercream frosting, but you can use store-bought frosting or this quick chocolate buttermilk icing instead. Any combination is delicious!
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk in the hot water, and then the vanilla extract. At this point you should have a very thin, smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time needed will vary, depending on a number of factors (such as your individual oven and the type of pan that you use).
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- Use an electric stand mixer to beat together the buttercream frosting.
- Spread the frosting on the cake and garnish with rainbow sprinkles, if desired.
- Slice and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Preparation and Storage Tips
Store the frosted cake covered on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The frosting will firm up when chilled, so if your house is warm and you’d like the frosting to set more, just pop it in the refrigerator. If the cake is refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Wrapped tightly, you can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 2 months. You can also freeze the leftover frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 2 months — the frosting just might not look quite as pretty when thawed. It will still taste delicious, though!
Southern Buttermilk Cake Recipe Variations
- For a larger cake, double all of the ingredients and bake the cake in a 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- For a layer cake, double all of the ingredients, and divide the batter evenly between two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans.
- Frost the cake with buttermilk chocolate icing, a creamy chocolate buttercream frosting, or this easy cream cheese frosting recipe. Really, any frosting will work (even store-bought from a can)!
- Use sprinkles for any occasion — rainbow sprinkles for a birthday, red and blue for July 4th, red and green for Christmas, and so on. It’s a festive cake at every celebration!
- Fold rainbow sprinkles into the batter for a funfetti cake.
I NEVER review recipes. This is the BEST vanilla cake I have ever baked. I have been searching for years for the perfect vanilla cake. Found it! I used a Russian Cream delicate frosting with a tiny amount of orange extract. Amazing.
– Gladys
Did you make this recipe?
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One-Bowl Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole buttermilk, well shaken
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
FOR THE VANILLA FROSTING (enough for the top of one 8-inch or 9-inch cake)
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons whole buttermilk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Optional garnish: sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch or 9-inch square or round cake pan or line with parchment. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the egg, oil, and buttermilk. Whisk to combine.
- Add the hot water and whisk again until smooth. Add the vanilla extract; whisk to combine. At this point you should have a very thin, smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any big air bubbles. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking times will vary depending on your oven and on the pan that you use.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, buttermilk (or cream), and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth, about 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Buttermilk Cakes to Try
One Bowl Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
White Texas Sheet Cake
2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
Chocolate Pound Cake
3 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
Originally published in November, 2022, this recipe was updated in January, 2025.
Can I double this recipe and bake in 9X13 pan? thank you!
Hi Kristin,
Yes! Bake for 30-35 minutes. We hope you enjoy!