Buttermilk is one of my favourite ingredients to use when it comes to baking! I use it in so many of my recipes, including my soft vanilla cake and red velvet cake. If you’re in a pinch and don’t have buttermilk on hand, or can’t easily access it, you can make a great buttermilk substitute right at home.
What is buttermilk?
Buttermilk is a type of milk that’s traditionally made from the liquid that’s left over after churning butter. Modern buttermilk however, is typically made by adding good bacteria to milk. The bacteria ferment the lactose in the milk, creating lactic acid. This gives buttermilk its characteristic tangy flavor and thickened consistency. The buttermilk is then pasteurized and homogenized to extend its shelf life and improve its texture.
Why is buttermilk good for baking?
Buttermilk is great for baking because it helps to create soft, fluffy baked goods, and adds flavor and moisture. There are three main ways it does this:
- The acid in buttermilk reacts with baking soda to help the batter rise, giving baked goods a light and fluffy texture.
- The acidic content as well as fat, helps to tenderize the gluten from the flour by breaking down the protein strands. This results in a softer, more tender baked good.
- Buttermilk also adds a tangy flavor to baked goods, which can help to balance out sweet ingredients.
How to make buttermilk
In some places around the world buttermilk can be difficult to find, but there is a really easy way to make a great homemade substitute!
Firstly, measure 1 cup of milk and remove 1 tablespoon. If you don’t need to be super precise about having exactly 1 cup of buttermilk, then you can skip the step where you remove 1 tablespoon of the milk 🙂
After it’s had some time to rest, your milk should be curdled. And that is it! You have buttermilk ready to use 🙂
Homemade Buttermilk
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar - lemon juice okay too
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of milk in a bowl/cup, and remove 1 tablespoon of it (see note 1).
- Add in 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the milk and mix it together. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Your milk should now look curdled and is ready to use as buttermilk.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
62 Comments
Hi MK!
Since I came across your tutorials on YouTube, I’ve been glued. I’m about to try out your vanilla cake recipe, and I’m sure it will turn out nice.
Thanks for being a blessing to the bakers!!
So so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the content Esther! 😀 Hope you enjoy the vanilla cake recipe 🙂
Hi MK,
You are just awesome and you are extremely talented in baking. Your recipes will never fail. Can see ur hard work in all ur recipes God bless
Thank you so much Vidhya! That really means a lot 🙂 really appreciate all the love and support!
Wow, I’m from your YouTube and I love your video. I want to ask, can you use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar for this recipe
Thanks so much Fortune! 🙂 And I haven’t tried apple cider myself but many other bakers do use it so I think it should be okay 🙂
Where have you been all my Life? LOL 😆 Your Amazing and a True Blessing for Bakers. I made your Blueberry Muffins for my Husband he Loves Blueberry’s and they were Wonderful my Husband said ❤ he is very hard to Please needless to say in 2 days they were gone and I never got to eat one. I’m making your Strawberry Cake tomorrow I can’t wait. Thanks so much for your Cake Release recipe as well works really nicely. Thank You MK keep posting your Amazing Recipes. 👏 I am a BIG Fan of yours.
Love and Happiness to you ❤
Haha so so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the muffins Tammy! Hope you enjoy the strawberry cake just as much 🙂
Morning MK
My homemade buttercream is yummy thanks
Your recipes are the best
You’re an exceptional teacher
How much vinegar to use in a cup of flour
Gladys
Aww thanks so much for your kind words Gladys! It really means a lot 🙂 and for cakes I use about 1/2 tsp of vinegar per cup of flour 🙂
Morning MK
My homemade buttercream is yummy
Awesome! So happy to hear that Gladys 🙂
Hi MK. Love your site, your recipe, but most of all the effort and passion you have put in. It is incredible.
1 question. I’ve only baked a few eggless cakes in the past (vanilla, choc and ginger) – so, not a lot of experience – and I always sub yogurt or a yogurt/water mix to replicate butter milk, and it’s always worked out really nicely for me. Occasionally I add half tsp of ACV to it.
Have I just been lucky or is this truly a valid buttercream replacement?
Thanks so much Sonny! 🙂 In terms of the yoghurt/water substitute for buttermilk, I haven’t tried it personally but I have come across many others who have with success, so sounds like it is a commonly used substitute for buttermilk! 🙂
Jazakallah khair Mariam aapi for the recipe and details of every single ingredients I love you and your recipes I am biggg fan of your you know that lots of love from India ….hope you remember me
No problem at all Rabiah! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the content 🙂 much love from NZ to India!
You’re the best baker and teacher. You’re very sweet as well. 🍒
Aww thank you so much Judy! 😀 Appreciate all the love and support 🙂
Please can you use any milk at all, for example using evaporated milk?
Hi Mercy! 🙂 Hmm I’ve never tried making buttermilk with anything other than regular dairy milk so I’m not too sure about that sorry!
Really like ur way to explain
Thank you Poonam! 🙂