Description
A moist and tender vanilla buttermilk cake topped with a rich, buttery brown sugar glaze that seeps into the cake for extra moisture and flavor. Perfectly balanced with a soft crumb and a melt-in-your-mouth texture, this classic dessert is ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (full fat preferred)
- 3 large whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, room temperature)
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease or spray a 13×9 inch glass baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until well combined. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, whole eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil thoroughly. Set aside.
- Incorporate butter into dry ingredients: Cut the room temperature butter into pieces and gradually add to the flour mixture while mixing on medium speed. Mix until the mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse sand.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Add half of the wet mixture to the crumbly flour-butter mixture and mix on medium speed until just combined. Add the remaining wet mixture and mix again briefly, scraping down the bowl as needed. Avoid overmixing; about 10 seconds after adding all liquids is sufficient to prevent a dense cake.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes. The cake is done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and prepare for glaze: Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake to allow the glaze to seep in later.
- Make the glaze: While the cake is still warm, melt butter in a saucepan over low to medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk until sugar dissolves. Add confectioner’s sugar and stir until mostly smooth with minimal clumps remaining.
- Apply the glaze: Pour the warm glaze over the warm cake, ensuring it seeps into the poked holes. If glaze cools, gently warm it before pouring. The glaze should be warm but not hot to avoid melting the cake surface.
- Set before serving: Let the glazed cake sit for about 30 minutes to fully absorb the glaze. Once set, cut and serve.
Notes
- Use full-fat buttermilk for best moistness; low-fat works in a pinch.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and light.
- Ensure butter is room temperature for easy incorporation into flour mixture.
- Do not wait for toothpick to come out completely clean; a few moist crumbs are ideal to avoid overbaking.
- Glaze should be poured while both cake and glaze are warm to maximize absorption.
- Allow the glaze to set for 30 minutes to ensure maximum flavor and moisture penetration.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vanilla buttermilk cake, moist cake, buttery glaze, classic cake recipe, dessert, easy cake
