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If you’ve been searching for a simple, from-scratch vanilla cake that’s light, reliable, and just the right size—this is it.
This vanilla buttermilk cake has quickly become one of my go-to desserts. It’s soft, tender, and full of classic vanilla flavor, with a lighter profile that fits easily into a WW-friendly lifestyle.
Even better? It’s a single-layer 8-inch cake—perfect when you want something homemade without a lot of leftovers.
Why You’ll Love It
- One-bowl, no-fuss recipe
- Light, tender crumb with classic flavor
- Perfect small-batch cake
- Easy to dress up or keep simple
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour (all-purpose or cake flour) – Cake flour yields a softer, more delicate crumb, while all-purpose flour works perfectly for a slightly sturdier texture.
- Sugar – Provides sweetness and structure. You can experiment with a reduced amount or a sugar alternative, though it may slightly affect texture.
- Baking powder & baking soda – Work together to give the cake its light rise.
- Salt – Enhances flavor.
- Large egg, at room temperature – Helps bind and add richness. Room temp blends more easily.
- Butter, at room temperature – Adds flavor and moisture. You can substitute a neutral oil or even light olive oil for a slightly different texture.
- Low-fat buttermilk – Keeps the cake tender and moist with a slight tang. No buttermilk? Use milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. A combination of yogurt and milk will also work.
- Vanilla extract – Adds classic flavor. You can swap in almond extract or add citrus zest for variation.
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional) – For a simple, pretty finish.
For the Strawberries (Optional)
- Fresh strawberries, sliced – Add natural sweetness and freshness.
Swap: Use any berries or seasonal fruit you love. - Sugar – Helps draw out the juices. You can reduce or skip if your fruit is very sweet.
Calories and WW Points
According to my calculations, each slice has just 189 calories and 8 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch round pan with nonstick baking spray.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: Add the egg, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat on medium-low for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl, then beat on medium for another minute until smooth.
Step 4: Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Step 5: Bake for 20–24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes and Variations
- This cake uses simple pantry staples and comes together in minutes.
- Try splitting the cake and adding a thin layer of jam and whipped topping.
- Swap vanilla for lemon juice and zest for a citrus version.
- Top with fruit before baking for an easy upside-down style cake.
- Works beautifully as a base for trifles or layered desserts.
Serving Ideas
- Plain or dusted with powdered sugar
- Topped with fresh berries or fruit compote (pear apple compote, slow cooker apple compote or dried fruit compote)
- With a dollop of whipped topping or yogurt
- Lightly frosted or glazed
- Served with a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt
With a simple fail-proof cake like this in your repertoire, you never have to worry about what to serve for dessert again!
If you’ve made this Light Vanilla Buttermilk Cake, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Light Vanilla Buttermilk Cake (Easy One-Bowl Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (all-purpose or cake)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature (1/2 of a stick of butter is 1/4 cup)
- 2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar (optional)
For the Strawberries
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Position your oven rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. (Such as Bakers Joy or Pam with flour)
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
- Add the egg, butter, buttermilk and vanilla to the flour mixture. Using an electric mixer (affiliate link) on medium-low speed, beat the mixture for 1 minute, until blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and then beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, until everything is incorporated and well blended.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack (affiliate link) for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and place it on the rack (top side up) to cool completely.
- When completely cool, sprinkle with the confectioners sugar if desired and serve with strawberries
- For the strawberries, in a large bowl, toss together the strawberries and 1 tablespoon sugar until well combined. Let stand for at least 15 minutes, until the sugar melts and strawberries begin to release their juices.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan) I made it with cake flour the first time and plan on trying all-purpose the next time I make it. This a very versatile cake. You can enjoy it plain, with fruit and/or whipped cream. Or ice it with a thin layer of your favorite frosting. It’s also great with ice cream or frozen yogurt and a drizzle of your favorite sauce. Next time I may split it and add a thin layer of jam and few dollops of whipped cream before serving it topped with berries. I also want to experiment with using olive oil instead of butter and lemon juice/zest in place of vanilla. Another variation would be to top with 1 cup of fresh fruit before baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hello,
Seldom do I bake anymore; but, I liked this recipe, thank you. Could I use 2 egg whites in lieu of one egg so as to reduce cholesterol level and have more of a sponge cake ? Could that work? If so, would eggs be beaten and then folded into batter with care? Too, could 2/3 cup of skim milk solely be used in lieu of buttermilk without vinegar for more of a sponge cake? Let me know your thoughts thank you. I made recipe as is and liked recipe eating it with strawberries..
I did try your recipe as you had indicated and liked.
Hi Arena, I haven’t tried it except as written so not really sure how it would work with egg whites and skim milk. If you try it please let us know how it works for you.
I just discovered this recipe today and plan on making it later on this evening. Your recipe says that it is worth 5 WW Plus Points but when I enter the recipe manually into my WW recipe box, it says that it is 7 points. This is the smart points program. Is there a reason for that? I didn’t include the strawberries when entering the recipe.
Hi Desiree, I’m still working to update my recipes from PointsPlus (the previous WW Points Program) to SmartPoints (the newest WW Points Program) which is why the values are different. Most recipes with added sugar have gone up so 7SP makes sense to me. Hope this helps!
Great recipe! I added blueberries and it turned out delicious! Very easy! My family loved it! Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to comment Bella! I really appreciate it 🙂
Just found this recipe and made it and it’s amazing! I doubled it and put it in 2 round cake pans then put a layer of cool whip in between and cool whip on top…. served with strawberries on the side. It’s like a taste of spring even though temps here are still in the 30s!! Loved this cake!
Thanks, Faith. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. It’s definitely one of my all-time favorite from scratch cakes. Love how you served it with cool whip and strawberries! I must try that very very soon now that strawberries are back in season.
Somebody get Beth some dark chocolate! Sounds like she could use some cheering up 🙂
I made this little cake today, and it’s very nice. I made three changes in ingredients. I subbed Demerara sugar for the white sugar. It has a richer, more mellow flavor and gives the cake a nice caramel color. I used sprouted wheat flour rather than AP. I have a friend with some wheat issues, but she seems to tolerate the sprouted wheat flour so now I can share with her. Rather than butter milk I had some whole milk yogurt from a local dairy that was starting to look like maybe it wanted to become something else. Still yummy, but clearly in need of use. I often sub yogurt for buttermilk since I’ve generally got some on hand.
All in all, this is a sweet little treat. Easy to whip up, quick to bake. Good plain with a cuppa, and great with vanilla ice cream. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Yumm! Made this for the fourth of July. It’s a perfect, sweet little cake. Buttery like a madeleine.
How is this cake recipe skinny? White flour and white sugar – two of the bodies biggest enemies. Eat this if you want to store it as body fat. Good healthy fats like coconut oil are not the enemy – sugar is (wheat flour = sugar too).
it’s lower calorie than most cakes.
Yeah, not mention 1/2 C butter. lol
Love this recipe! Super moist and delicious. Thank you!
Thank you for this, it is so delicious!
This cake looks lovely to me! Just my kind of cake…perfect with any fruit topping and of course ice cream!