Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake
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This simple vanilla sheet cake recipe makes the best Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake. I use buttermilk in place of regular milk in this simple vanilla sheet cake recipe. The result is a classic cake with a little extra tang to it that will have everyone wondering why it’s so good!
If you are fan of buttermilk, then you know it gives an amazing tangy flavor to baked goods and pastries. Try my Buttermilk Waffles, Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes, or Blueberry Buttermilk Banana Bread for more recipes that use buttermilk.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Signature Flavor: There are so many reasons to love this vanilla cake with buttermilk! The first is that this Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake isn't just a plain vanilla cake. Using buttermilk in this recipe provides more depth of flavor and really lets the vanilla shine while giving this a signature taste that is anything but boring!
Perfect Crumb: I love making this vanilla cake with buttermilk because it is insanely easy! Not just because it's a sheet cake, but because it uses oil instead of butter. Why does this make it easier? No creaming butter, no lumpy cake batter, it comes together in minutes, and it's always perfect! If you are new to cake baking, this is a great recipe to try because it is no fail, I promise!
Easily Adaptable: Not only is it insanely easy, but this is a blank canvas guys. You could add anything to this simple Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake and it would be good. Serve it with fresh fruit, add chocolate chips on top, drizzle my homemade Caramel Sauce on top – the possibilities are endless! You can also easily make this cake gluten free, with my simple adjustment for gluten free in the Notes of the reicpe.
Ingredients
La Tourangelle Oragnic Canola Oil
Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar
Lafaza Organic Ground Vanilla Bean
Wholesome Organic Powdered Sugar
Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream
India Tree Nature’s Colors White Sprinkles
Tools Needed
Parchment Paper (get my favorite nontoxic parchment paper and get 10% off with MIMIBAKES)
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, (or alternatively, in a large bowl with a wooden spoon) add the canola oil, buttermilk, eggs, cane sugar, cake flour, vanilla bean, baking powder, and sea salt in that order. Mix on low until combined into a smooth batter.
Step 3
Transfer to the prepared baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan. (Be sure to look at the Notes at the bottom of the recipe if you are baking at high altitude).
Step 4
To make the icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) add the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream. Mix on low until combined, then speed up to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
Top the cake with the frosting and top with white sprinkles.
Baker's Tips
- You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe, whatever you prefer.
- If you're using a hand mixer for the batter, you should add in the flour in thirds. This will ensure that it doesn't fly everywhere!
- You can use canola oil or extra virgin olive oil. I've tested this with both! Olive oil will make this cake seed oil free, if you also remove the sprinkles.
- Be sure to store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge because the icing has heavy whipping cream.
FAQ's
If you don’t have buttermilk you can easily make your own at home with two simple ingredients – milk and a lemon! Try my Homemade Buttermilk recipe. But, if you don’t have a lemon, you can always just use regular milk in its place, it just won’t have that signature buttermilk flavor but it will still make a delicious simple vanilla sheet cake recipe!
I added simple naturally colored white sprinkles on top, but you can add anything you’d like! Other toppers that would be delicious would be rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, almonds, fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, Caramel Sauce, or even a drizzle of Chocolate Ganache.
Yes, if you need to make this Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Sheet Cake in advance, you can do that. I would recommend making the cake and leaving it in the pan and frosting it in the pan. The pan combined with the icing on top (so long as you go to the edges) will help seal the cake in and it won’t dry out. Store it in the fridge and then pull it out about 30 minutes before serving.
Cakes are moist and fluffy, so storing them in an airtight container is best. If you have a cake dome, that also is the best way to store them! Because the icing has heavy whipping cream, make sure to store in the fridge.
Craving More?
Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Batter
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 326 grams cane sugar
- 425 grams cake flour
- 1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Icing
- 57 grams salted butter (softened)
- 340 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, (or alternatively, in a large bowl with a wooden spoon) add the canola oil, buttermilk, eggs, cane sugar, cake flour, vanilla bean, baking powder, and sea salt in that order. Mix on low until combined into a smooth batter.
- Transfer to the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- To make the icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) add the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream. Mix on low until combined, then speed up to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Top the cake with the frosting and top with white sprinkles.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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