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.
Serving Tip
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.
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!
Once it’s baked poke some holes all over the Kentucky butter cake and whip up your sweet butter sauce.
Pour it all over the warm cake…
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.
Oh and dusting it with powdered sugar not only makes it pretty, but helps hide any imperfections in the cake.
Then slice it and try your hardest not to groan when you take a slice.
The bottom, that was once the top, with the crackly butter sauce is MY LIFE.
Looking for more Bundt Cake Recipes? Try These:
PrintKentucky Butter Cake
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Prep Time: 20 minutes -
Cook Time: 75 minutes
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Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
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Yield: serves 12 1x -
Category: Cake
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Method: baking
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Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
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Print Recipe
PinDescription:
This is the most epic pound cake recipe ever!
Ingredients:
Cake
- 1 cup butter, cubed at room temperature (I use and love Challenge Butter)
- 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
Keywords:: butter, sugar, cake, bundt cake, vanilla cake, pound cake
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Helpful Tip… Out of buttermilk? Here’s a great buttermilk substitution!
Hi! I’m Shelly and I’m an addict. Of the buttercream sort. I started this site a few years ago as a way to justify my sugary, buttery obsession with desserts. It has worked out well for me so far, because as it turns out you guys all love sugary, buttery desserts too! It feels good to know you're not alone, doesn’t it?
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LOVED this cake and decided to make it my pound cake I use in my patriotic truffle for Memorial Day. SO DELICIOUS layered with the fruit and whip cream. I think next time I will make it a true Kentucky cake and substitute some Kentucky Bourbon for the water in the glaze. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!!
I have been making this cake for years. This time I added almond extract instead of vanilla and 1 tsp of cinnamon. I used vanilla extract for the glaze and added a bit more cinnamon. Just wanted to switch it up a bit.
I made this cake once, now it is my every cake! Sometimes I put apples and nuts on the bottom or what ever u like. I flip the cake over than pour the rest of the butter cream on. top and bottom. Both are yummy. Thank you for this recipe.
Made this today and it’s great! I added some lemon juice and zest to the glaze and cut back on that sugar.
Why wouldn’t you release the cake when slightly cooled, yet still warm, and then pour the glaze? Just my thoughts is having it al deep to the bottom is kinda missing the crackly glazed point…
You can do it however you would like, but I like doing it this way, because you don’t lose any of the glaze, it all soaks in. If you did it outside the pan it will drip off!
I do it both ways because I like the glaze so much
★★★★
Do you think I would be able to bake this cake in a 9×5 loaf pan or would I have to divide it into 2? I have someone who wants it in a loaf not a bundt pan.
I think 2 8×4 loaf pans would work! Or sure 9×5 pans they will just be a little shorter!
Why is it called Kentucky butter cake? I would think it would have bourbon in the recipe. I saw one comment that added a bourbon sauce. I’ll look for that recipe.
I don’t make the rules 🙂 Also you can just add a splash of bourbon to the glaze! Easy peasy!
I had problems with the icing and I know it was me. How do you mix butter and sugar to keep it from being gritty? I tried a couple of times, no luck. The cake turned out perfect. Please advise.
Hi Diane For the Butter Glaze…make sure to follow the instructions carefully. There are 4 ingredients to the Butter Glaze. 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.
I’d like to make this as a layer cake instead. How many 8″ pans do you think it would make?
I layered in the center cinnamon and sugar mixture: just adds a little more niceness to the recipe . It’s always a hit. Never lasts if I bring it in to work
★★★★★
Can this cake be frozen?
★★★★★
Yes!
Any advice on freezing? I plan on making 6 of these for Mother’s Day this coming weekend and hope to bake ahead and freeze. Have you done this before? Bake and glaze and then wrap well? I love this recipe and can’t wait to make these as gifts!
★★★★★
the glaze does get a bit sticky when it’s thawed out, but they still taste great! No real advice!
I don’t have a bundt pan and would like to try making the cake so any suggestions.
I just finished letting my cakes cool after glazing them and had a small piece. This is HANDS DOWN the best cake recipe I’ve ever tasted. Didn’t have a Bundt pan so I used two 8x8x2 dark cake pans, well-greased + parchment paper and baked at 325°F for 50 minutes. Toothpick came out clean when I pierced them to check for doneness. Creamed butter and sugar first on medium speed for a good 5-7 minutes. Turned mixer down to lowest “Stir” setting and slowly added eggs 1 by 1 letting each incorporate before adding the next one. Then vanilla and… Read more »
Hi. That is the way I mix it too. Makes a better textured cake. Try baking it in two loaf pans instead of layer pans. Makes nice slices and soaks up the sauce just like the bundt pan. Sometimes I do this when I am giving gifts and I want a smaller cake. Happy baking.
I made this for Christmas Eve, I creamed the butter and sugar as well as eggs and vanilla first then added the other ingredients. I also subbed 1/4 of the white sugar for 1/4 cup brown sugar and used white sugar for the other 1/2 cup of white sugar required for the glaze. I also added a splash of whiskey to the glaze! It is currently cooling and I will update my post with the results once my family and I get to try it! So far I give a 5 stars based on the easiness and the smell! One… Read more »
I made this with my granddaughters and it turned out perfectly. Love the taste and the sugar glaze.
★★★★★