23 Buttermilk Desserts to Help You Use Up That Carton

Updated: Feb. 27, 2023

Use that leftover buttermilk to make decadent buttermilk desserts! From pound cake to chocolate ganache cake, a splash of buttermilk adds plenty of flavor.

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Buttermilk Pound Cake

Now that I’ve retired from teaching, I have more time to bake. This buttermilk pound cake is the one I make most often. It is a truly southern recipe, and one I think can’t be topped—once people taste it, they won’t go back to their other recipes with buttermilk. —Gracie Hanchey, De Ridder, Louisiana

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Decadent Fudge Cake

Everyone loves the rich flavor in this decadent cake made with four types of chocolate. —Anna Hogge, Yorktown, Virginia
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Homemade Confetti Cake

This is a moist and fluffy vanilla cake with lots of sprinkles and a whipped vanilla buttercream. It's almost impossible not to feel happy when you see the fun pop of rainbow confetti! —Courtney Rich, Highland, UT
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Almond Joy Cake

This is a fantastic Almond Joy cake recipe—tastes just like the candy bar. —Daria Burcar, Rochester, Michigan
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Strawberry Buttermilk Skillet Shortcake

This scratch-made strawberry buttermilk cake is a family favorite. The recipe is over 100 years old, and I remember my grandma making it. We still carry on the family tradition by making this old-fashioned recipe each summer. —Claudia Lamascolo, Melbourne, Florida
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Mother’s Walnut Cake

Even though Mother baked this tall, beautiful cake often when I was growing up, it was a real treat every time. I like the walnuts in the cake and the frosting. Mother frequently used black walnuts from our trees.—Helen Vail, Glenside, Pennsylvania
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Mama’s Buttermilk Coconut Pie

My mama showed me how to make this pie about 40 years ago, just as her mama showed her how to make it. I was 6 when Mawmaw passed away, but I can still remember her cooking in the kitchen in her beautiful cotton dresses dusted with flour. I am honored to teach my daughter how to make this dessert, too. —Lisa Allen, Joppa, Alabama
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Chocolate Ganache Cake

Here’s to that chocolate fix we all need! I use cream in both the filling and glaze of this beautiful dessert. —Kathy Kittell, Lenexa, Kansas
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Incredible Coconut Cake

I found this coconut cake recipe in a newspaper many years ago and modified it to suit my taste. This is my all-time favorite cake, and my family and friends absolutely love it. —Lynne Bassler, Indiana, Pennsylvania
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Coconut Italian Cream Cake

I’d never tasted an Italian cream cake before moving to Colorado. Now I bake for people in the area, and this beauty is one of the most requested. —Ann Bush, Colorado City, Colorado
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German Chocolate Cake

This German chocolate cake is my husband’s favorite! Each bite has crunch from the pecans, and sweetness from coconut and chocolate. —Joyce Platfoot, Wapakoneta, Ohio
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Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

This fabulous cake and caramel frosting are so tender, it melts in your mouth. It's been a family favorite since the '70s and it goes over really well at church potluck meals. —Anna Jean Allen, West Liberty, Kentucky
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Best Red Velvet Cake

It's just not Christmas at our house until this festive cake appears. This is different from other red velvet cake recipes I’ve had; the icing is as light as snow. —Kathryn Davison, Charlotte, North Carolina
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Lemon Ricotta Cake

This lemon ricotta cake recipe is a family gem that was passed down from my grandmother and mother. Garnished with shaved lemon zest, the moist four-layer cake is the perfect dessert when you want to impress. —Nanette Slaughter, Sammamish, Washington
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Butterscotch Cake

I get lots of compliments and recipe requests whenever I make this eye-catching cake. The filling is similar to German chocolate cake. —Judy Lamon, Louisville, Tennessee
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Old-Time Buttermilk Pie

This recipe is older than I am…and I was born in 1919! My mother and grandmother made this pie with buttermilk and eggs from our farm and set it on the tables at church meetings and social gatherings. I did the same and now our children make it, too! —Kate Mathews, Shreveport, Louisiana
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Pink Lemonade Stand Cake

If you love a moist and creamy cake, this one’s for you. The lemon juice and lemonade give the layers a tangy, citrusy touch, and the cream cheese frosting with sprinkles makes it extra pretty. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Lemon Raspberry Buckle

I've given a fresh summery twist to the classic blueberry buckle everyone loves by swapping out the blueberries for raspberries (my favorite) and adding sweet and tart lemon curd. This berry buckle cake recipe tastes great with vanilla ice cream! —Jenna Fleming, Lowville, New York
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Spiced Devil's Food Cake

One of my mom's friends gave her this recipe when I was a child, and it has been a family favorite ever since. When your chocolate sweet tooth acts up, this really hits the spot! —Linda Yeamans, Ashland, Oregon
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Maple Walnut Cake

This maple-flavored cake with candied walnuts honors beloved my grandpa, who made maple syrup when I was a child. It honors his memory and has proven to be a favorite with family and friends throughout the years. —Lori Fee, Middlesex, New York
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Chocolate Almond Cake

Fluffy white homemade frosting tops this rich chocolate almond cake. Sliced toasted almonds on top add a little crunch. —Sherri Gentry, Dallas, Oregon
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Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

These pies are soft, cakey cookies studded with tart, juicy blueberries and filled with tangy cream cheese frosting. I bring them to family and school events and they are always the first thing gone! Make sure to continually scrape the side of the bowl with a spatula while mixing the batter and frosting. —Kathy Martino, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Brooklyn Blackout Cake

If you love chocolate, you will LOVE this cake. I found this recipe when looking for a special cake to make my chocolate-loving daughter-in-law's birthday. Be sure to give the pudding and the cake enough time to cool or the end results will be disappointing. —Donna Bardocz, Howell, Michigan

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