Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting
This Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting is a quick and easy vanilla sheet cake. I use buttermilk in place of regular milk resulting in 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 out Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles, Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes, or Blueberry Buttermilk Banana Bread for more recipes that use buttermilk.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- Ready In: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Makes: 12 servings
- Main Ingredients: salted butter, cane sugar, buttermilk, cake flour
- Flavor Profile: sweet vanilla with a little tang
- Dietary Info: gluten free swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: cake that’s both comforting and effortless
Summarize & Save This Content On
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Signature Flavor: There are so many reasons to love this vanilla cake with buttermilk! It has a signature vanilla cake flavor, but with a little something extra. The addition of buttermilk and vanilla bean really lets this vanilla cake shine in a gourmet way that is anything but boring!
- Easy Cake: This cake is easy because it's a simple one bowl cake recipe and a sheet cake, so mix and dump. This is also an oil based cake, so if you are new to cake baking, this is a great recipe to try because it is no fail, I promise!
- Perfect Crumb: This Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting has a light and tender crumb.
- Easily Adaptable: You could add anything to this simple Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting and it would be good. Serve it with fresh fruit, add chocolate chips on top, drizzle my Homeamde Caramel True 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 recipe.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Flavor Variations
- Baker’s Tips for Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- How to Make Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- Recipe FAQ’s
- More Sheet Cake Recipes
- Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake With Vanilla Frosting
- The Bake Shop
Vanilla buttermilk sheet cake is the epitome of classic comfort baking, offering simplicity and elegance in every slice. The secret to its tender, moist crumb lies in the buttermilk, which not only adds a subtle tangy richness but also helps the cake rise beautifully! I use ground vanilla bean in this vanilla sheet cake for an elevated vanilla flavor!
If you love elevated vanilla desserts, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like Homemade Vanilla Malt Pudding, How to Make Vanilla Sea Salt, Vanilla Bean Apple Pie, Simple Vanilla Cupcakes, or Homemade Vanilla Oreo Cookies.
Ingredients
- Canola Oil: I use organic canola oil because it's the most neutral oil. But, if you are avoiding seed oils, use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Buttermilk: You can use store bought or you can also make your own with my Organic Buttermilk Recipe.
- Cake Flour: I use my Homemade Organic Cake Flour, but store bought also works.
- Vanilla Bean: I use Lafaza Organic Ground Vanilla Bean for a really good depth of flavor that's much different than just vanilla extract. But, you can use vanilla extract if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract: I use Simply Organic Vanilla Extract in the frosting.
- Sprinkles: I use India Tree Nature’s Colors White Sprinkles for naturally colored sprinkles. These are totally optional.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Flavor Variations
Because this Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting is a blank canvas, you can use it to create so many different flavors. Try these flavor variations, whether it's toppings on top of the vanilla frosting or a different frosting all together. These are all delicious ways to enjoy this buttermilk sheet cake!
- Strawberry: Add fresh strawberries on top and use my Strawberry Buttercream with Fresh or Freeze Dried Strawberries.
- Caramel: Use my Caramel Buttercream Frosting in place of vanilla frosting.
- Chocolate Swirl: Try swirling homemade chocolate ganache into the vanilla frosting for a chocolate swirl topping.
- Blueberry Swirl: Use my Homemade Blueberry Syrup to create a blueberry swirl on top of the vanilla frositng.
- Berry Cake: Add a mixture of fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries on top of the vanilla frosting.
Baker's Tips for Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- Always use a scale for the best results.
- 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.
- Gluten Free — Replace the cake flour with 425 grams (heaping 2 ⅔ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- Be sure to store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge because the icing has heavy whipping cream.
How to Make Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-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, and cane sugar.
- Next, add in the 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 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).
- 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.
Recipe 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 Organic Buttermilk Recipe 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!
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.
More Sheet Cake Recipes
We Love Organic Feedback!
Thanks a waffle lot for stopping by 🧇 If you loved this recipe, sprinkle some love by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review — it really helps me organically reach dog loving foodies like you! I personally read and appreciate every message!
Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and join John John and me in the kitchen for step by step recipe videos! And subscribe to our newsletter for new and seasonal recipes!
Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake With Vanilla Frosting
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer
- 9×13-inch Baking Pan
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
Topping
- India Tree Nature’s Colors White Sprinkles
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
- Always use a scale for the best results.
- 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.
- Gluten Free — Replace the cake flour with 425 grams (heaping 2 ⅔ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
The Bake Shop
Visit The Bake Shop for foodie inspired tees, sweatshirts, and accessories. Find my favorite kitchen tools (with discounts!) in the Kitchen Shop. And shop our collection of food inspired dog accessories too!
This is the best vanilla cake!