This Kentucky Butter Cake recipe is CRAZY moist, buttery and coated with a sweet buttery sauce that crusts the outside and soaks into the cake making it amazing for days. What you get is a stunning, sweet, buttery, soft cake that is as perfect on its own as it is topped with strawberries and whipped cream!
Kentucky Butter Cake is Officially My Most Favorite Vanilla Pound Cake
This is definitely the winner of the Official Pound Cake Category. Let me explain why…
First, Kentucky Butter Cake is easy to make. Second its flavor is simple and buttery and vanilla-ish. Third its texture is perfection. And fourth…the MOST important part of this cake…is it’s topped with a RIDICULOUS butter/sugar/vanilla sauce that soaks into the cake while also leaving it crispy and sweet on top. It’s like a giant glazed cake doughnut, only better. Better because the cake absorbs so much of the sauce making it dense sweet and really unique. I am in love love love.
What To Expect:
- I am going to tell you this Kentucky Butter Cake is better the second day. And even the third day too. And I never say that! Don’t get me wrong, if you can’t wait, go ahead and eat it the day you make it…but I am telling you…if you can plan ahead at all let this cake take a nap overnight. You will be rewarded.
- Serve this with whipped cream and strawberries for the best strawberry shortcake of your life!
- The buttery crumb in this pound cake is unmatched.
- Simple ingredients, maximum flavor!
Ingredients:
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Buttermilk
Butter Glaze
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
How to make Kentucky Butter Cake
The batter goes together in a snap…
And here’s the thing. The bundt pan… you will need to HEAVILY grease this guy. The cake needs to cool completely in the pan after you pour the sauce on top. So get out your Crisco or butter and give the pan a healthy slather. Then dust it with a layer of flour for extra help.
I have never had very good luck with the sprays for my bundt cakes. I feel like I have tried them all, but if you have had good luck with a baking spray, go ahead and use that. I just want to stress you need a good grease on this pan before you pour your batter in!
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C
- Grease a 10″ bundt pan with butter or shortening very liberally. Dust the pan with flour and set aside.
- Place all the cake ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 30 seconds and then increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.
- When the cake is done make the glaze. Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.
- Poke holes all over the warm cake using a knife and pour the glaze evenly on the cake while still in the pan.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan and then invert the cake onto a serving plate.
- I actually like to make this cake a day in advance, finding it to be more moist and flavorful when it rests overnight.
Tips:
- Allow the bundt cake to cool completely in the pan so the sauce has time to soak in. It will set up on top…
- When it’s time, flip that gorgeous lady out of the pan and pray to the bundt gods all goes well. You will have to loosen the cake at its edges with a butter knife to help the process along.
- Dusting it with powdered sugar not only makes it pretty, but helps hide any imperfections in the cake.
Serving Ideas:
The slices are perfect, the flavor is perfect, and you will probably be eating this for breakfast, lunch, and dessert until it’s gone!
- On its own because it’s perfect!
- With fresh fruit and whipped cream!
- Warm with a scoop of ice cream
- Use any leftover sliced thin for French Toast!
The bottom, that was once the top, with the crackly butter sauce is MY LIFE.
Variations:
- Add in a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to add a little different flavor!
- Use bourbon or rum in the glaze instead of water to give it a boozy twist!
- Add mini chocolate chips if you love chocolate!
Looking for more Bundt Cake Recipes? Try These:
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Kentucky Butter Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 12 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
This is the most epic pound cake recipe ever!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup butter, cubed at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
Butter Glaze
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C
- Grease a 10″ bundt pan with butter or shortening very liberally. Dust the pan with flour and set aside.
- Place all the cake ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 30 seconds and then increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.
- When the cake is done make the glaze. Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.
- Poke holes all over the warm cake using a knife and pour the glaze evenly on the cake while still in the pan.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan and then invert the cake onto a serving plate.
- I actually like to make this cake a day in advance, finding it to be more moist and flavorful when it rests overnight.
Notes
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 514
- Sugar: 47.1 g
- Sodium: 296.3 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 71.4 g
- Protein: 6.2 g
- Cholesterol: 118.5 mg
Keywords: butter, sugar, cake, bundt cake, vanilla cake, pound cake
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Helpful Tip… Out of buttermilk? Check out my post on How To Make Buttermilk at home!
For the glaze, can I use heavy cream instead of water?
I’m diabetic. Can I use a sugar substitute in this recipe?
This cake is delicious! I added the zest of two lemons and two limes because I needed to use them up. Came out perfectly and was an easy one bowl recipe. I’ll definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Can I put this into a 13×9 pan?
Do you normally use salted or unsalted butter? I am planning to make it this weekend for a baby shower!
I normally use salted butter. It’s what I keep in the house most often, and just prefer it! It’s a personal preference, however, and you can use unsalted if you prefer!
I made this this morning because I bought some strawberries yesterday and suddenly I was craving something like strawberry shortcake lol. The baker in me automatically started the batter the way I usually do – cream the butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, beat and then alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk. I’ve never had much luck with my bundt pan no matter what I do so I used a tube pan instead and lined the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. If it gets better the next day I’m in trouble because this cake is absolutely delicious now, if it gets any better I won’t be able to stay out of the “just a little slice” throughout the day lol.
★★★★★