Preheat oven to 425F (220C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Use a box grater to grate the butter into the flour mixture (alternatively, cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter). Stir to evenly distribute through the dry ingredients.

Drizzle buttermilk evenly over the mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined and ingredients are moistened and beginning to cling together.

Turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and use your hands to gently work the dough together.

Once the dough is clinging together, gently flatten it to be about an inch thick and fold it over itself. Gently flatten the layers together, then rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again. Repeat this step 5-6 times, working quickly and taking care to not overwork the dough.

Use your hands to gently flatten the dough to be 1” (2.5cm) thick. Use a 2 ½” (6.3cm) round biscuit cutter to make close cuts in the dough, pressing straight down (don’t twist the cutter). Repeat until you’ve cut as many biscuits as possible, then re-form any scraps to get as many biscuits as you can from the dough (note: biscuits formed from the scraps usually bake up a bit more wonky looking).

Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing biscuits about 1” (2.5cm) apart. Transfer to center rack of 425F (220C) preheated oven and bake for 13 minutes, until tops are just beginning to turn light golden brown.

Allow to cool several minutes, then serve warm.