My Grandmother's Lemon Buttermilk Cake
A tender, tangy lemon buttermilk cake with a light, tender crumb, made with cake flour and an eight-minute creaming method. Perfect for spring, this cake is dusted with powdered sugar and serves 8-10.
Equipment
- Oven
- 7½ inch bundt pan or 8 inch round cake pan
- Sifter
- Stand mixer or electric mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Wire rack
- Clean plate
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1.75 cups cake flour
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 0.5 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For Dusting
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray or grease and flour your 7½ inch bundt pan or 8 inch round cake pan thoroughly. I use a baking spray with flour for this — it gets into every nook and cranny.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Sifting aerates the flour and ensures the leaveners are evenly distributed.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar (The Long Version): In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for a full 8–10 minutes. I know it feels like forever, but this is where the texture magic happens. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. The mixture should be very light in color, fluffy, and look almost like a thick paste.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Add the lemon extract (or vanilla) and lemon zest to the butter mixture, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully combined and smooth. If the mixture looks slightly curdled at this point, don't panic — it will come together when you add the flour.
- Alternate Flour and Buttermilk: With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined — about one minute total. Overmixing at this stage develops gluten and makes the cake tough.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Place in the oven, then immediately reduce the temperature to 325°F (165°C). Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and springs back when gently pressed.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then invert onto the rack and cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. If you try to unmold too early, the cake may stick or break.
Notes
Variations and Substitutions:
- Gluten-free: Substitute the cake flour with a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Add 2 extra tablespoons of buttermilk to compensate for the additional absorbency of gluten-free flours.
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan butter stick (not margarine in a tub) and substitute the buttermilk with ½ cup unsweetened oat milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Lemon-Glazed Version: Instead of powdered sugar, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Lemon-Blueberry: Gently fold 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (don't thaw them) into the batter before baking. Toss them in a tablespoon of flour first to prevent sinking.
- Lemon-Rosemary: Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary to the butter-sugar mixture during creaming. The herb complements the lemon beautifully.