This old-fashioned layer cake is moist and velvety with a tender crumb. It's perfect for birthdays and celebrations and is the first to go at potlucks and bake sales.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This vintage recipe has old-fashioned flavor you'll love. Vanilla buttermilk cake layers are tall, fluffy, and so moist!
- It's easy to make and perfect for birthdays and other celebrations from Valentine's Day to Christmas.
This is the best cake ever as far as a recipe that will handle literally any situation!
Buttermilk gives this old-fashioned layer cake a dense, tender crumb that's almost velvety. The texture of the cake is exceptional.
It's the moistest cake I've ever had. Well, except for maybe this banana layer cake.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter and use 1 teaspoon of lemon flavoring instead of vanilla extract for a lemon buttermilk cake.
- Use 1 teaspoon of coconut flavoring and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
- Use vanilla bean paste instead of the vanilla.
- Add the inside of one vanilla bean pod for more vanilla flavor.
- I like to add about ½ teaspoon of almond flavoring to make it more of a wedding cake flavor.
- Try it with the creamy whipped strawberry cream cheese frosting from this strawberry sheet cake recipe.
- Or, go bold with this cookies and cream cake filling.
If you're looking for citrus try this orange layer cake.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla then add ⅓ of the flour.
- Mix well and add the buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the remaining flour.
- Add the egg whites and beat.
- Divide cake batter evenly between three 8-inch layer cake pans and bake according to the instructions in the green recipe card below. Let sit on a cooling rack until completely cool to the touch.
How to convert baking pan sizes
IMPORTANT: Always test for doneness about 5 minutes before the recipe time. Allow extra time in case it takes a bit longer. Lots of factors can determine baking time.
Pan size/Yield | Oven temp | Oven time |
---|---|---|
(2) 8-inch rounds | 350F | 30-35 minutes |
(2) 9-inch rounds | 350 F | 30-35 minutes |
(2) 8 -inch squares | 350F | 30-35 minutes |
(1) 9-inch square | 350F | 30-40 minutes |
13x9-inch pan | 350F | 20-25 minutes |
(24) Cupcakes | 375F | 15-20 minutes |
(1) 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf | 325F | 40 - 50 minutes |
🥫 Storage
You can wrap the unfrosted cake layers in plastic wrap and store for 2 days at room temperature or freeze for up to three months.
If you've got slices just pop them in an airtight container.
Once frosted it should be fine at room temperature for up to 5 days - depending on the frosting you use. I've never had one last that long - they usually disappear by day two!
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Make sure everything is at room temperature for best results.
- Large eggs were used for the egg whites in this recipe.
- Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl often.
- Once the flour goes in be sure to use the low speed of the electric mixer. You don't want to develop the gluten.
- Using a parchment paper or wax paper round on the bottom of the cake pan allows you to remove the cake easily.
- Use any frosting you like. I used the cream cheese frosting here.
- I find it best to start creaming butter and sugar with the paddle attachment and then switch to the whisk attachment to finish it off.
- It takes about 7 minutes to cream the butter properly.
- This is a very moist cake. If you accidentally overbake and you have a dry cake you can brush it with sugar syrup and that will help moisten it. Just bring ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water to a boil and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved -about 2 minutes. Cool completely and brush on 2 tablespoons per layer.
If you love chocolate as much as I do you've got to try this easy cookies and cream cake.
👩🍳 FAQs
It makes it more tender, helps it rise higher and fluffier, and adds a rich flavor.
If your cake is dense and rubbery you've over-mixed it.
📚 Related recipes
- You'll love this old fashioned buttermilk pound cake recipe! It's dense and moist. It's made in a bundt cake pan and is perfect to serve a crowd.
- Here are some more birthday cake ideas!
- Who doesn't love a moist, yummy spice cake?
- This easy white Texas sheet cake is delicious.
- Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Southern Red Velvet Cake
- Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Classic Yellow Cake Recipe
🫶 Restless Chipotle recommends
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- cake flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- sugar
- clear vanilla
- buttermilk
- eggs
- butter
- stand mixer
- cake pans
📞 The last word
Everyone loves this old-fashioned buttermilk cake recipe! It's so full of buttery flavor and just as light and fluffy as can be. I usually use this cream cheese frosting but chocolate frosting is good, too!
You may know it as white velvet cake.
If you've got leftover buttermilk you'll find lots of recipes to use it up right here.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Mile High Buttermilk Cake Recipe
Print Pin Recipe Save RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla, I used clear vanilla
- 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 6 egg whites, unbeaten, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grease 3 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of wax paper or parchment. Set aside. (Note - My pans are Wilton with high sides. If you have pans with lower sides you may get 4 layers instead of 3).
- Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Set flour mixture aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
- Add egg whites and beat at medium speed for two minutes.
- Divide equally between prepared pans.
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for 25 minutes more, or until the cake tests done ( a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.)
- Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Fill and frost as desired.
Notes
- Large eggs were used for the egg whites in this recipe.
- I find it best to start creaming butter and sugar with the paddle attachment and then switch to the whisk attachment to finish it off.
- It takes about 7 minutes to cream the butter properly.
- Using a parchment paper or wax paper round on the bottom of the cake pan allows you to remove the cake easily.
- Use any frosting you like. I used the cream cheese frosting here.
- If you accidentally over bake the cake and it seems dry you can brush it with sugar syrup and that will help moisten it. Just bring ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water to a boil and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved -about 2 minutes. Cool completely and brush on 2 tablespoons per layer.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This was originally posted in 2008. I've updated pretty much everything except the original recipe. Last updated October 19, 2023, for readability and to add the pan conversion table.
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Kelly D
I would use the Kitchenaid to bake breads and cakes. It would be really helpful for special occasions.
Casey Barber
What a fun prize!we have been working to perfect macarons. I would also Mamet our family birthday cakes.
jennifer barr
I would make a cake using this mixer 🙂
aaron matteson
banana bread and i'd get a meat grinder attachment and make ham salad : )
Sarah
Happy birthday! My birthday is this month too 🙂 My mom and I used to sell baked goods at the local farmers market. Now I love baking with my kids. I would love the mixer to use to continue baking for friends and family and to continue making memories with my kids. I can’t wait to try this cake!!
Charlene Drake
I have a recipe for a cranberry cake. It's a great cake to make for the holiday, or anytime. That's what I want to make first, to save my arms from stirring.
Chelsea B
I would love to use the KitchenAid mixer to bake a chocolate cake for my niece. It would make whipping up some delicious chocolate buttercream frosting so much easier!
Michael R.
I would make a spice cake with cream cheese frosting. I would try making homemade bread for the first time. Happy Birthday🎂
Darian J.
I would love to use this to make cookies and cakes! Yum! Thank you for the opportunity! ❤️
K
I would really love to bake this vintage buttermilk cake! I've never had it before and it looks so good. Thank you so much for the opportunity and happy birthday!!
Cindy I
My mom had a recipe like this, I'm going to try it and see if it's the same or just similar. I don't remember the name of hers, but I think about it sometimes. Would love to have a new mixer to make it with. Thanks for the chance!
Alexis
Happy Birthday!
Deborah
I sure hope that you enjoyed your birthday and time with your son. Love your wit and recipes!
Lindsay Charles
I would try the white velvet cake! I would also make my grandmother's famous oatmeal cookies. So many options!
Jessica W.
My daughter's birthday is coming up this summer. I would like to learn how to mix and bake a unicorn cake for the party.
Maureen
There are two items that I would be making-- banana cake with cream cheese frosting and the other is an appetizer--it is a taco cheesecake dip.
Janet Vaughn
Hi, I would be baking cakes and goodies with my granddaughter Lydia, who at 13 yrs old loves to bake. A mixer like this would be a dream come true.
Britton
Yum! The triple chocolate cake looks great!
candy
I would make this cake. It looks delicious!!
Ron Ablang
I want to bake cookies. I also want to bake cakes.