Published on October 5, 2023 Updated on February 14, 2024. Published by Megan
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Buttermilk pound cake is an old fashioned, buttery vanilla pound cake with a moist and tender crumb. Top this simple buttermilk bundt cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit. It’s the perfect easy to make and flavorful dessert everyone will love.
Jump to:
- Why Should You Make This Recipe
- Ingredients
- How To Make
- How To Serve, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- M’s Expert Tips
- FAQs
- Other Buttermilk Recipes to Try
- Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe
Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a simple, but decadent pound cake. Pound cakes are endlessly versatile, incredibly delicious and so simple to make. My Strawberry Pound Cake, Chocolate Pound Cake, Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Pineapple Pound Cake, Key Lime Pound Cake and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake are just a few of my favorite pound cake recipes on the blog. This recipe for pound cake with buttermilk is another buttery pound cake recipe I am so excited to share with you.
- It has the perfect rich, buttery and tender texture. This buttermilk pound cake has the perfect buttery, moist and tender crumb thanks to a full cup of tangy buttermilk.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. This old fashioned buttermilk vanilla pound cake is made with simple ingredients that come together quickly and easily making it the perfect cake for any occasion. Top this simple buttermilk bundt cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit for the perfect breakfast cake, brunch or after dinner dessert.
Ingredients
This from scratch buttermilk pound cake requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather granulated sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk
Substitutions
This pound cake with buttermilk is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this pound cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
- Baking Soda: This acts as leavener in this buttermilk pound cake recipe. Substitute with ¾ teaspoon of double acting baking powder as this naturally contains some amount of baking soda.
- Granulated Sugar: This moist buttermilk pound cake calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Buttermilk: This is an essential ingredient for buttermilk bundt cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, it’s easy to make your own. Simply pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Then pour enough milk to reach 1 cup (237 ml). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to curdle and use as you would regular buttermilk.
Variations
- Buttermilk Pound Cake Loaf: This recipe for buttermilk pound cake can easily be made in a loaf pan. If you would like to follow the recipe as written, divide the pound cake batter into (2) 9 x 5 loaf pans. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 50 - 65 minutes.
- Buttermilk Glaze: Although this moist buttermilk pound cake tastes amazing on it’s own, topping it with a buttermilk glaze makes it extra decadent. Mix 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar with 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 ml - 60 ml) buttermilk until smooth and well combined. Pour over the cooled buttermilk bundt cake or top individual slices of vanilla buttermilk cake while serving.
How To Make
Learn how to make buttermilk pound cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Move the middle rack to the next lowest position in your oven. Grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat in the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed. On low beat in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined.
- By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the buttermilk until the batter is just combined.
- Evenly scoop the buttermilk vanilla pound cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the buttermilk bundt cake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate. Cool the cake completely before topping or serving. I recommend a dusting of powdered sugar or an easy buttermilk glaze and fresh fruit.
How To Serve, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Serve: This vanilla buttermilk cake is perfect when served with a dusting of powdered sugar, freshly whipped cream and fresh fruit or Strawberry Glaze.
- Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days then transfer the homemade buttermilk cake to the fridge for another 1 - 2 days.
- Freeze: Individually wrap each slice of cake or the whole cake in plastic wrap. Place each wrapped slice in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Remove your desired number of pieces of cake to sit out at room temperature or in the fridge until fully thawed and enjoy!
M’s Expert Tips
- Use a non-stick spray to prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan. If needed, take a pastry brush or even a clean paper towel and work the spray into all the grooves of the pan.
- Use whole milk buttermilk. More fat equals a more tender and moist cake. When possible, use a whole milk buttermilk. A lower fat buttermilk will work well in this recipe as well.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed pound cake.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter: Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Cool the cake in the pan for no longer than 10 -15 minutes. If you try to remove the cake before 10 minutes, the cake may still be too hot to remove without falling apart. Removing the cake after 15 minutes may cause the cake to stick to the pan more easily.
- Fully cool the cake before applying the glaze. This usually takes about 30 - 45 minutes after the cake has been removed from the pan or about an hour after the cake has been removed from the oven.
FAQs
What does buttermilk do in a cake?
Buttermilk will give the cake a richer, more flavorful taste while also providing a moist, soft and tender crumb.
Why is my pound cake dry?
This can happen when the oven temperature is too high or the cake was overmixed. The simple fix for this is to use a lower baking temperature for a longer period of time. I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer to double check the oven temperature. Make sure to mix the flour and buttermilk until the ingredients are just combined with the wet ingredients and on the lowest mixing speed.
Other Buttermilk Recipes to Try
- Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
- Buttermilk Cookies
- Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
If you try this Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe
Megan
Buttermilk pound cake is an old fashioned, buttery vanilla pound cake with a moist and tender crumb. Top with this simple buttermilk bundt cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit. It’s the perfect easy to make and flavorful dessert everyone will love.
4.17 from 48 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Cooling Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course Celebrations, Dessert, Holiday
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Equipment
1 10 inch (12 cup) capacity bundt pan
1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs (US), room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C).Move the middle rack to the next lowest position in your oven.
Grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt togetheruntil well combined.
3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar togetheruntil light and fluffy. This takes about 5 minutes at medium speed.
1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
On low mix in the eggs and vanilla extractone at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mixuntil well combined.
5 large eggs (US), room temperature, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
By hand or on the lowest mixing speed,mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the buttermilkuntil the batter is just combined.
Evenly scoop the buttermilk vanilla pound cake batterinto the prepared bundt pan.
1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Bake the buttermilk bundt cake for 60 - 70 minutesor until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes.
Place a cooling rack or serving plate on top of the bundt pan. Carefully invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate.Gently tap the bottom and sides of the bundt pan to loosen any sticky sides of the cake. Carefully pull the cake pan up.
Cool the cake completely before topping or serving.I recommend a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit.
Notes
Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days then transfer the homemade buttermilk cake to the fridge for another 1 - 2 days.
See Variations section of the blog post to make this recipe in (2) loaf pans and for directions to make an easy buttermilk glaze.
Keyword Buttermilk Bundt Cake, Buttermilk Pound Cake, Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe, Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pound Cake
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