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Moist, buttery, and rich – this Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cake has the best flavor and texture! Simple, classic, and delicious!
For more pound cake recipes, make my brown sugar pound cake, sweet potato pound cake and sour cream pound cake!
Imagine the most buttery, rich, and velvety slice of cake melting in your mouth—that’s exactly what you get when you make this Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe!
It’s got that perfect golden crust on the outside and a soft, moist crumb inside. This is all thanks to the magic of buttermilk.
The vanilla flavor shines through in every bite, making it taste like a warm hug straight from the oven. It’s one of those cakes that doesn’t need frosting BUT I do add a nice buttery buttermilk frosting on top that comes together in 3 minutes flat.
The best part? It’s ridiculously easy to whip up, and your kitchen will smell like a bakery while it’s in the oven.
Serve it up with fresh berries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or just a hot cup of coffee for the ultimate treat. It’s the kind of cake that’s just as perfect for Sunday brunch as it is for a midnight snack. Trust me, once you make it, you’ll find every excuse to bake it again!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)
- Unsalted Butter adds a rich, buttery flavor. It also helps create a tender crumb by coating the flour’s proteins in fat, preventing excess gluten development. Butter-flavored shortening adds even more buttery-ness! It also helps the cake keep its moist texture for DAYS! Using a mix of both makes this the best pound cake ever. Seriously! Use leftovers and make my oreo pound cake next.
- Whole Milk Buttermilk adds a subtle tanginess to the pound cake. The acidity reacts with the baking soda to create light and fluffy texture by helping the cake rise. Also, avoid using low-fat buttermilk. This is not the time to skimp! If you have extra buttermilk, make my mile high pound cake too!
- Cake flour has a lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour, resulting in less gluten formation. This means that the cake will turn out soft and tender. Use any leftovers to make my pistachio ricotta cake next!
- Vanilla extract enhances a pound cake’s flavor with its classic, warm sweetness, while butter vanilla emulsion adds a richer, buttery depth and a more concentrated, bakery-style vanilla flavor.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and caramelizes while baking for a golden crust and richer flavor.
- Large Eggs play a crucial role in pound cake by trapping air when beaten, giving it that beautifully light yet dense texture! They also add structure and moisture to the texture of the cake too!
- Baking soda is used in this buttermilk cake recipe to create fluffy, less dense cake. Pound cakes don’t typically have a leavening agent, but I love adding it because it gives the cake the best texture.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add lemon extract for a citrusy take on the recipe. Lemon flavor with the tangy buttermilk go so well together!
- If you can’t find buttermilk at your local grocery store, you can also make your own buttermilk substitute with just two ingredients. Check out my guide on how to make buttermilk. (Spoiler, it’s just a cup of milk and lemon juice)
How to make Buttermilk Pound Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a tube pan with with nonstick baking spray OR use a pastry brush to coat the pan in butter and add 2-3 tbsp of flour. Coat the entire pan in the flour and tap off any excess flour. Set aside.
Step 2: Start by mixing the dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and kosher salt together in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
Step 3: Add butter, butter flavored shortening, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 7 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl midway through. Begin adding eggs, one at a time, ensuring that each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. Then add in the vanilla extract and butter vanilla emulsion. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and continue to mix on low for an additional 15-20 seconds, until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture looks fluffy.
Step 4: Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl, mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. Then pour in the buttermilk and continue to mix on low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, ensuring to scrape all of the way down to the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all of the batter is mixed together.
Step 5: Pour batter to the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over to cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 6: Once the cake has cooled, make the buttermilk glaze. Combine melted butter and powdered sugar and whisk together until thickened. Then pour in buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Pour on top of the cake and serve.
Pro Baking Tips for the Best Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients – this include room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk should all be at room temp. This ensures the cake batter comes together smoothly without curdling/separating.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar Thoroughly – Beat until pale and fluffy (at least 5-7 minutes) to incorporate air, which helps with texture.
- Add Eggs One at a Time – This prevents curdling and ensures even emulsification for a smooth batter. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl!
- Don’t Overmix the Batter – Overmixing develops too much gluten, making the cake dense instead of soft.
- Let It Cool in the Pan First – Let the cake rest 10-15 minutes before inverting to prevent breaking.
- For best results and flavor, make a day in advance! Pound cake tastes even better the next day when flavors have time to develop!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute regular milk for buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5–10 minutes. This mimics the acidity of buttermilk, helping with texture and leavening in baked goods.
To keep pound cake fresh, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months, ensuring it’s well-wrapped to prevent drying out.
Yes, you can freeze buttermilk pound cake by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil or placing it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months; just thaw it at room temperature before serving.
Incorporating enough air into the batter will give you that nice golden crust top! As the cake bakes, the air bubbles rise to the top of the cake, creating that crackly crisp top. Yum.
More Pound Cake Recipes
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Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cake
Equipment
- 18-cup Tube Pan
- Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 4 cups Cake Flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, (room temperature)
- 1 cup Butter Flavored Shortening
- 3 cups Granulated Sugar
- 6 large Eggs, (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Butter Vanilla Emulsion, (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1 1/2 cups Whole Fat Buttermilk, (room temperature)
Buttermilk Glaze
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter, (melted)
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 tbsp Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a tube pan with with nonstick baking spray OR use a pastry brush to coat the pan in butter and add 2-3 tbsp of flour. Coat the entire pan in the flour and tap off any excess flour. Set aside.
- Start by mixing the dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and kosher salt together in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- Add butter, butter flavored shortening, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 7 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl midway through. Begin adding eggs, one at a time, ensuring that each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. Then add in the vanilla extract and butter vanilla emulsion. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and continue to mix on low for an additional 15-20 seconds, until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture looks fluffy.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl, mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. Then pour in the buttermilk and continue to mix on low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, ensuring to scrape all of the way down to the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all of the batter is mixed together.
- Pour batter to the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once the cake has cooled, make the buttermilk glaze. Combine melted butter and powdered sugar and whisk together until thickened. Then pour in buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Pour on top of the cake and serve.
Notes
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients – this include room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk should all be at room temp. This ensures the cake batter comes together smoothly without curdling/separating.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar Thoroughly – Beat until pale and fluffy (at least 5-7 minutes) to incorporate air, which helps with texture.
- Add Eggs One at a Time – This prevents curdling and ensures even emulsification for a smooth batter. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl!
- Don’t Overmix the Batter – Overmixing develops too much gluten, making the cake dense instead of soft.
- Let It Cool in the Pan First – Let the cake rest 10-15 minutes before inverting to prevent breaking.
- For best results and flavor, make a day in advance! Pound cake tastes even better the next day when flavors have time to develop!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Incredible recipe! Unbeatable flavor and texture. You did it again, absolutely delicious!
thank you!
This is the best pound cake I’ve ever made! I used butter extract instead of emulsion but plan to buy the emulsion soon so I can make it exactly as yours but the texture was incredible! Also, that glaze – wow! This is my ideal pound cake!
thank you so much!