Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cake

Wide image of slice of vanilla pound cake on a white plate.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vanilla buttermilk pound cake

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 538kcal

Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

This vanilla buttermilk cake is the perfect combination of the classic pound cake texture that's more richly dense with a full vanilla buttery flavor, topped with a vanilla buttermilk glaze.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour (Measured correctly: Spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off – don't scoop and pack the flour into the cup, that will add too much flour.)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, near room temperature (full fat is best, but low fat will work as well)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 ⅔ cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks) (do not microwave; let it come to room temp on its own)
5 large eggs, near room temperature

For the glaze:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar (sift after measuring)

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a large bundt pan very well.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk well and set aside.
In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vanilla extract and vegetable oil. Whisk well and set aside.
Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed for about 15-20 seconds after each egg.
Alternately add in the dry mixture and the liquid mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
(Add in ⅓ of the dry mixture and mix on medium just until combined. Add in ½ the liquid mixture, mixing on medium only until combined. Add in another ⅓ of the dry mixture, mixing on medium only until combined. Add in the last of the liquid mixture, mixing on medium only until combined, then the last of the dry mixture and mix until combined.)
Be very careful only to mix until well combined. Mixing too long and at too high of a speed can cause the cake to come out dense, rubbery or to fall in the middle.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again only for 7-10 seconds or so.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. (Mine takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.) Please note that ovens vary so you may need to bake a little more.
Cake is done when it is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the cake, comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter. Be careful not to over-bake or the cake could turn out dry. If the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it and no raw batter, go ahead and take it out. It's not necessary for the toothpick to come out completely clean. Sometimes waiting for that can cause an over-baked cake. Moist crumbs on the toothpick are fine, it just should not have any raw batter on it.
Once the cake is baked, set it, still in the pan, on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and allow it to cool completely on the cooling rack or a cake plate.
See note section for how to store this cake, how long it should last, more ways to serve this cake plus other FAQs.

For the glaze:

(You do not have to make the buttermilk glaze. You can leave the cake plain, dust the top with confectioner's sugar, or even add whipped cream and berries. This glaze is on the sweet side, so if you don't like sweet glazes then try some of the other options I just mentioned.)
Once the cake has cooled, make the glaze.
Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. When everything melted, turn off the heat and add the vanilla and buttermilk, then stir.
Add the confectioner's sugar and stir well. If it's clumpy, just keep stirring until most of the clumps are dissolved. The rest will dissolve as it sits for a bit. You can also use a whisk to help break up any clumps as well.
Set the glaze aside (not in the fridge) until it cools down a bit (about 15-20 minutes or so). If you add the hot glaze to the cake, it will just slide down and drip completely off the cake. It needs time to cool down a bit. While it's cooling, make sure to stir the glaze every now and then to keep it from forming a film on it.
Once the glaze has cooled a bit, add it to the top of the cake. You can use a spoon or a squeeze bottle to do this.
Let the glaze set up for about 10-15 minutes or so before cutting and serving the cake.
See note section for how to store this cake, how long it should last, more ways to serve this cake plus other FAQs.

Notes

How to Store: If you add the glaze for this recipe, then it will need to be stored in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap and can last about 6-7 days. If you did not add the glaze, then it can be stored at room temperature, in an air-tight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap and can last about 6-7 days.

How to Serve: This cake is best served close to room temperature or warm. Butter cakes, like this one, tend to firm up quite a bit when chilled. The texture is softer and more moist when at room temperature, so if the cake is cold, set it out to come closer to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving, or microwave slices for about 15 or so seconds.

Feel free to serve slices of this cake either plain, with a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar, with a glaze of your choosing, with berries and whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

For other questions: Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post, which should answer other questions you may have about ingredients, substitutions, other pan sizes, etc.

Nutritional values are an estimate.

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Nutrition