This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
Rich, soft, moist, and fluffy, this easy butter cake recipe is a classic dessert you'll want to make again and again. It's simple yet irresistibly delicious, so you can enjoy it on special occasions or on a lazy afternoon with a cup of tea.
Table of Contents
Traditional Butter Cake Recipe
Most people have had some form of butter cake in their lives. It can be that homemade treat from grandma’s, a slice from the local bakery, or even a boxed mix from the grocery store.
But making it homemade from scratch is a whole different experience. And this is probably the best butter cake recipe you’ll ever come across online! It has been tried, tested, and loved by thousands of readers worldwide with over 900 votes and an average rating of 4.5.
“AMAZING and by far the best recipe found so far… Tested it twice and being a huge fan of ‘great butter cake,’ this thing was phenomenal… Follow the instructions exactly, this baker knows what they are doing!”
– Five Star Monkey
What Is The Difference Between Butter Cake And Pound Cake
Think of butter cake as a close cousin to pound cake. They have a rich, buttery flavor and dense texture, perfect for serving with a cup of coffee or tea.
Both use similar ingredients, including baking powder as a leavening agent and sometimes milk. The main difference between them is the ratio of the main ingredients.
Pound cake gets its name from the traditional recipe that calls for one pound each of butter, flour, and sugar. Butter cake, on the other hand, has more butter and sugar, giving it a richer flavor and fluffier texture than pound cake.
Read more about these two types of cake from Tasting Table.
Butter Cake Ingredients
- butter – I like to use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt.
- flour – you can use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand. But you can also use cake flour, which has a lower protein content, for a lighter and more tender texture.
- sugar – granulated sugar is my go-to as it creams well with the butter. But you can also add brown sugar for a deep, caramel-like flavor.
- eggs – bring eggs to room temperature to ensure even mixing with butter and sugar.
- yogurt or milk – adds a lot of moisture that helps to make the cake tender. I like to use plain yogurt, but you can also use milk, buttermilk, or sour cream.
- baking powder – helps the cake rise, giving it a light, fluffy texture.
- vanilla extract – a must for adding flavor so use a good quality one. You can either use pure extract or vanilla bean paste for a more intense flavor.
Want something rich and chocolatey? Make a batch of my Marble Cake recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Recipe Variations
- Fudgy and chocolatey. Make a Brownie Butter Cake by topping a rich, dense brownie bottom with a light, moist butter cake.
- Nutty. Mix ground walnuts into the batter and sprinkle some whole ones on top for a Walnut Butter Cake.
- Raisins. Load up your cake with sweet raisins with this Raisin Butter Cake recipe.
- Blueberry. Bake some Blueberry Butter Cake and enjoy a nice pop of color and flavor in every bite.
- Brandy-flavored with prunes. Bake a delicious Brandy Butter Cake with Prunes with a splash of brandy and some dried prunes.
How To Make Butter Cake
If you’re thinking of making a homemade cake, you can’t go wrong with this simple butter cake recipe. Perfect for novice bakers, everything from prep to baking is done in just an hour!
This traditional butter cake recipe gives you a soft, buttery cake that tastes wonderful even without frosting or glaze. So it’s perfect for those who prefer a cake with just the right amount of sweetness.
Here’s how you can make a super moist butter cake loaf at home:
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the pan with some butter. Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in the salt and mix well. Set aside.
Pro tip: You can either use an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) loaf pan or a 9×9-inch (23×23-cm) square or round pan.
Step 2. Use an electronic hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar until well combined or pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes.
Step 3. Add in the first egg. Beat well after each addition of egg until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes after adding each egg. Scrape down the sides for even mixing. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well. Fold in the flour and mix well. Add in the plain yogurt or whole milk.
Step 4. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. Shake it lightly to distribute the cake batter evenly. Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40 – 50 minutes. To prevent the top of the cake from over browning, cover the top of the baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil once the cake top is set. Use a cake tester to test doneness.
Pro tip: If you don’t have a cake tester, you can use a toothpick or a skewer to check the doneness of your cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready!
Step 5. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on the wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm.
Butter cake is best served warm or at room temperature. If you have leftovers, wrap them with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. You can also keep them in an airtight container.
To serve the leftovers, warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds. You can also heat the cake in a toaster oven.
Helpful Tips For Home Bakers
- Always bring your ingredients to room temperature, so they all blend smoothly and evenly. It helps achieve that soft, light, and fluffy texture we all want. And trust me, I’ve seen how much difference it makes!
- Use high-quality butter to achieve the best flavor and texture. I love using Challenge unsalted butter in the U.S. In Asia, I recommend the Anchor brand.
- For a smoother batter, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar.
- Don’t forget to sift the dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) to prevent any lumps.
- Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour so you don’t end up with a dense cake.
- I prefer yogurt over milk as it makes the cake extra soft and moist.
- To avoid over browning on the top of the cake, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil halfway through baking. Make sure NOT TO COVER from the start (or when the batter goes into the oven) or it won’t rise properly.
- If you’re covering with foil, make sure it doesn’t touch the batter so you don’t ruin the smooth top once it’s fully baked.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, butter cake keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. DO NOT freeze the cake as it won’t retain its texture and flavor after thawing.
Yes, you can use sour cream as a substitute for yogurt in this recipe. It’s less tangy than yogurt, but it still has a lot of moisture and richness that makes the cake extra light and fluffy.
Yes, you can! Adding fresh berries like blueberries or raspberries to the batter will give your plain cake a burst of fruity flavor. You can also add dried fruits such as raisins and prunes.
This recipe has only 287 calories per slice.
What To Serve With Plain Butter Cake
I love having a slice of this moist butter cake with a cup of coffee or tea as a mid-day treat. And sometimes, I even have a little bite after dinner to satisfy my sweet tooth.
If you’re having an afternoon tea party, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Butter Cake (The Best!)
Ingredients
- 7 oz. (200g) cake flour , or all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 7 oz. (200g) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons plain yogurt , preferred or full milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the pan with some butter. Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in the salt and mix well. Set aside.Pro tip: You can either use an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) loaf pan or a 9×9-inch (23×23-cm) square or round pan.
- Use an electronic hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar until well combined or pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the first egg. Beat well after each addition of egg until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes after adding each egg. Scrape down the sides for even mixing. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well. Fold in the flour and mix well. Add in the plain yogurt or whole milk.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. Shake it lightly to distribute the cake batter evenly. Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40 – 50 minutes. To prevent the top of the cake from over browning, cover the top of the baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil once the cake top is set. Use a cake tester to test doneness.Pro tip: If you don’t have a cake tester, you can use a toothpick or a skewer to check the doneness of your cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready!
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool on the wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Always bring your ingredients to room temperature, so they all blend smoothly and evenly. It helps achieve that soft, light, and fluffy texture we all want. And trust me, I’ve seen how much difference it makes!
- Use high-quality butter to achieve the best flavor and texture. I love using Challenge unsalted butter in the U.S. In Asia, I recommend the Anchor brand.
- For a smoother batter, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar.
- Don’t forget to sift the dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) to prevent any lumps.
- Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour so you don’t end up with a dense cake.
- I prefer yogurt over milk as it makes the cake extra soft and moist.
- To avoid over browning on the top of the cake, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil halfway through baking. Make sure NOT TO COVER from the start (or when the batter goes into the oven) or it won’t rise properly.
- If you’re covering with foil, make sure it doesn’t touch the batter so you don’t ruin the smooth top once it’s fully baked.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Instead of adding milk, add orange juice and zest of one orange. So good. Really nice with chopped almonds too.
Sounds like a good idea. Thanks!
I’ve tried this recipe three times using loaf pans, baked at 175degC. the first time, batter curdled after addition of eggs (they were slightly cold), but after adding flour, the batter was smooth and the cake turned out perfect, other than it being slightly damp on top, and it cracked on top.
second time, batter curdled too after addition of eggs (eggs were room temperature), but batter was really watery, and the cake texture after baking looked like the inside of tapioca kueh.
third time, the batter curdled again, with room temperature eggs. Batter was thick. however, the top of the cake cracked as well, and the cracked part couldn’t cook. i baked it for a longer time, which resulted in the cake becoming dry and a little hard, but still i could see a small portion of the cake on top looked a little undercooked.
any ideas at all what I could do to get it right?
I covered the top of the cake with aluminum foil to avoid over browning. I never had an issue with the recipe, but may have to bake longer if it’s not cooked.
Hi,
Had tried your receipe 4 times but i can’t seem to get the right consistency. Either top part browning gluey inside or I lower the oven heat it becomes not cook.
Is it because the yogurt, eggs or butter.
Wish to hear from you.
You need a cake tester to test the inside of cake. If the top part gets browned too fast, then put on lowest rack of oven or cover with aluminum foil. Depending on the oven this cake might be baked longer.
Hi,
Can I know if we can use round tin to bake? If yes, what should be the right size? 6 or 7 inch?
Yes, 6 inch.
Thanks for the prompt response! :)
I tried to bake yesterday at 180 degree but seems like it brown quite quickly so top part is like “crispy” and my center part still “gluey” when done for 40mins….do u know what seems to be the problem?
Should I bake at 190 Degree and cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent top part from browning so quickly?
Yes cover the top with aluminium foil.
I’m a terrible baker, I only learnt so that I can bake my hubby’s dream butter cake, moist and buttery. This butter recipe is it. Search over! My butter cake last night has been elevated to Mother-in-law’s standard after so many tries of so many butter cakes recipes. If you have an MiL who is a good cook, then you’d know it’s a bit like winning the domestic Masterchef….Recipe’s really easy too! Many thanks :-)
Hi Lily, yes this butter cake recipe is so good! Congrats and happy for you. :)
Thank you so much for the simple recipe. I managed to bake 8 cup cakes using half of the portion as I only have a mini electric oven. And, half way through, I realised I bought the wrong essence so I had to do without it. It still turned up delicious. I will have to find time to try your other cakes.
I tried to make this cake, however i noticed there was an ad for betroot underneath. I added beetroot to my cake and it never taste very nice. Your recipie upset me very much
Why do you post a recipe that ruined my life?
Hi Ita, the ad is an ad, I have no idea what ads show up on my site. There is no beetroot in this butter cake recipe.
sorry why i asked you was because planning for a birthday party in couple of days.tx
hi
kindly advise me,can i double or triple the recipe? tx
You shouldn’t but you can make 3 loaves for example.
Thanks for the recipe! Best butter cake recipe indeed. References for those who are living in spore:
1) I used 200g Australian golden chunk unsalted butter
2) reduced castor sugar to 180g (I think 200g will be just as nice)
3) 200g plain flour
4) 4tbps milk, I used farmhouse low fat milk
I baked the cake at 190c for 40mins as per recipe but it was undercooked so I extended the baking time to 50mins. Likely I have a hot oven, the cake browned and rose quickly and had big crack in the middle. Will attempt the recipe again and will try to lower the temperature to 180c for 50mins. Hope the result will be good too. Happy baking!
Alvina,
That’s a great help for us as Singaporean :)