Keywords: vanilla butter cake, buttermilk sauce, classic cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 55–70 minutes
Total Time: ~1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 1 cake (12–16 servings)
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Ingredients
For the Cake
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup buttermilk
For the Buttermilk Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10-inch round or Bundt pan.
Mix the batter: Beat melted butter with sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the bowl alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry; mix just to combine.
Bake: Spread batter in the pan and bake 55–70 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan.
Sauce: Meanwhile, simmer sugar, butter, and water over medium heat, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Soak: Invert cake onto a rack set over parchment. Poke holes with a skewer and slowly drizzle about 1/4 cup warm sauce over the top to soak. Rest 15–20 minutes.
Serve: Slice warm or at room temperature, passing extra sauce at the table. Optional: dust with powdered sugar or add whipped cream/berries.
Pro Tips & Variations
Room-temp eggs: Help the batter emulsify for a finer crumb.
Don’t overmix: Mix just until the flour disappears for tenderness.
Make-ahead: Cake tastes even better the next day after resting.
Citrus twist: Add 1 tsp lemon zest to the batter and a squeeze of juice to the sauce.
Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend.
Storage
Keep covered at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate 5 days. Freeze slices (well wrapped) up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
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