The Magic Of Buttermilk Plus 5 Substitutions

Buttermilk is one of those ingredients that can seem a little mysterious. Despite its name, it’s not milk with butter in it—far from it! This humble kitchen staple has a fascinating history, is an essential player in many baking recipes, and is easy to make substitutions for those times you just don’t have any on hand. Read on for more!

I never used to buy buttermilk that often until I created the red velvet cake recipe. I never got so many compliments on a cake. Soon enough people were begging me for a white velvet cake recipe and a black velvet cake recipe.

How Buttermilk Is Made

Traditionally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter from cream. In this process, the cream would naturally ferment, thanks to the friendly bacteria present, creating a tangy and slightly acidic liquid.

Modern buttermilk, however, is usually cultured buttermilk, made by adding live bacterial cultures to pasteurized milk. These bacteria (commonly Lactococcus lactis or Lactobacillus bulgaricus) ferment the lactose in milk, creating lactic acid. This process thickens the milk slightly and gives buttermilk its signature tangy flavor and acidity.

Buttermilk is low in fat and contains most of the protein originally in the milk. True buttermilk ferments naturally into a thick, tangy cream and is acidic in nature. Don't worry, cultured buttermilk has also been pasteurized (just like all commercial milk) to kill any bacteria and make it safe for drinking. 

Why Is Buttermilk So Good For Baking?

The lactic acid found in buttermilk is the secret to its power in baking. Here’s why:

• Tenderizes Gluten: The lactic acid in buttermilk helps break down gluten in baked goods, resulting in softer, more tender textures. This is why buttermilk biscuits, cakes, and buttermilk pancakes made with buttermilk are so fluffy.
• Leavening Agent Partner: When paired with baking soda, the acid in buttermilk reacts to create carbon dioxide bubbles, which help your baked goods rise beautifully.
• Flavor Booster: Its tangy flavor adds depth to cakes, muffins, and even bread.

How do you make a homemade buttermilk substitute?

Don’t worry if you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge; there are plenty of substitutes that mimic its acidity and thickness:

1. Milk + Acid: Mix 1 cup of milk (whole or low-fat) with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly.
2. Yogurt + Milk: Thin out plain yogurt with 1-2 Tablespoons of milk until it reaches buttermilk consistency. This is an excellent option for baking.
3. Sour Cream + Water: Mix equal parts sour cream and water to create a tangy buttermilk substitute.
4. Non-Dairy Milk + Acid: Use almond, soy, or oat milk, and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per cup to create a plant-based alternative to buttermilk.
5. Buttermilk Powder: If you have powdered buttermilk in your pantry, simply rehydrate it according to the package instructions.

Can you freeze buttermilk?

If you're like me and you can't resist a deal, you might be tempted to buy buttermilk in big containers from places like COSTCO or Smart Food Service. If you've got more buttermilk than you can use, you can easily freeze it. 

I HIGHLY suggest freezing it in pre-measured portions for easy measuring later. 

A popular technique is to pour buttermilk into ice cube trays. One ounce per cube so you can easily count out how many ounces you need depending on the recipe you are making. 

Defrost and go! How easy is that?

To measure my ice cubes accurately, I use my kitchen scale. Place the tray on. your scale and press the tare button to bring the weight back to zero. 

Pour your buttermilk into the first cube until you reach one ounce then stop. Move onto the next cube and continue this way until the. the whole tray is full. 

Ready to see what buttermilk can do? Check out these recipes!

White velvet buttermilk cake
Red velvet buttermilk cake
Pink velvet buttermilk cake
Black velvet buttermilk cake
Sweet Irish soda bread
Lemon blueberry buttermilk cake

Recipe