This Kentucky butter cake is a rich, buttery, and incredibly moist bundt cake infused with a luscious vanilla butter sauce glaze! After the cake batter is prepared and baked, holes are poked in the bottom to allow the sweet butter glaze to soak completely throughout the cake. The result is a decadent dessert with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is completely addicting!
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Super Moist Southern Bundt Cake
If you've never tried or heard of a Kentucky butter cake before, you're in for a really special treat! This Southern classic dessert is full of indulgent flavor and has an addicting texture with tons of moisture.
Kentucky butter cake is a type of cake similar to a pound cake (but not as dense), traditionally baked in a bundt pan. It's finished with a sweet butter glaze that soaks in the cake and is brushed on top for a crisp coating.
🌎 Origin
Although you'd think that Kentucky butter cake originated from the state of Kentucky, it actually hails from Platte City, Missouri! In 1963, Neil Lewis entered this delicious cake recipe into the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest and got first place!
Its rich, decadent flavor and moist texture have made this butter cake popular ever since.
🥘 Ingredients
All of the ingredients this tasty cake recipe calls for are pantry staples; make sure you have plenty of butter on hand! Use great quality butter for your sauce to improve your butter cake results!
Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour - 3 cups of all-purpose flour that's spooned and leveled.
- Sugar - 2 cups of granulated sugar.
- Salt - 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon of baking powder or use a baking powder substitute.
- Baking Soda - ½ teaspoon of baking soda or use a baking soda substitute.
- Butter - 1 cup of butter that's softened at room temperature. You can also use a butter substitute.
- Buttermilk - 1 cup of buttermilk at room temperature or use a buttermilk substitute.
- Eggs - 4 large eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or a vanilla extract substitute.
Butter Sauce Ingredients
- Sugar - ¾ cup of granulated sugar.
- Butter - 5 tablespoons of butter.
- Water - 3 tablespoons of water.
- Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- Rum (optional) - 1 teaspoon of spiced rum is a tasty addition.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 Making A Kentucky Butter Cake
Although the instructions may seem lengthy, this delicious Kentucky butter cake is completely beginner-friendly! Take out a 10-inch bundt pan, mixing bowl, silicone whisk, stand mixer (or electric mixer), saucepan, measuring cups, and measuring spoons to get started!
1 10-inch bundt cake is 16 servings, so there is plenty to share with your friends and family!
Prep & Mix The Batter
Step 1: Prepare. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C/Gas Mark 3). Grease and flour, or use non-stick baking spray (with flour), a 10-inch bundt pan (12-cup or 3-quart bundt pan size).
Step 2: Whisk ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients in your first bowl (a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer), including 3 cups (375 grams) of unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 cups (400 g) of white sugar, 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt, 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon (2 grams) of baking soda in a large bowl.
Then, grab another bowl for the wet ingredients and whisk together 1 cup (236.59 milliliters) of buttermilk, 4 large eggs (200 grams), and 2 teaspoons (9.86 milliliters) of vanilla extract plus the optional 1 teaspoon (4.93 milliliters) of spiced rum if desired. Set the wet ingredient mixture aside (it’s completely okay if the mixture begins to look curdled).
Step 3: Add butter and blend. Blend in the softened 1 cup (227 grams) of butter and half of the buttermilk mixture into your dry ingredients with an electric mixer or stand mixer on low speed.
The mixture will get to a crumbly consistency in about a minute. Add the remaining buttermilk mixture, slowly drizzling into the crumbled mixture while your mixer is on low.
Step 4: Beat batter. Once fully combined, beat the batter for 3 minutes on medium speed. Transfer into your prepared bundt pan.
Bake & Make The Butter Sauce Glaze
Step 5: Bake cake. Bake at 325°F (165°C/Gas Mark 3) for 1 hour or until a cake tester, knife, bamboo skewer, or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 6: Make butter glaze. Start the butter sauce while the cake is baking and getting close to being done. Heat the ¾ cup (150 grams) of sugar, 5 tablespoons of (70 grams) butter, 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) of water, and 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat.
Step 7: Boil butter glaze. Bring the sauce to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer. Stir for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Soak The Baked Kentucky Butter Cake
Step 8: Transfer the cake. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Step 9: Poke holes. Prick holes in the cake while it’s warm, just out of the oven, and still in the bundt pan. Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to poke approximately 3-4 dozen holes about ¾ of the way through the cake.
Step 10: Pour glaze. Slowly pour or spoon the butter sauce glaze over the bottom of the cake until the glaze has sunk into the cake. If any of the butter glaze pools on the cake, poke more holes to help it sink in fully.
Step 11: Cool cake. Leave the butter cake in the pan on the cooling rack before removing it from the pan. Let cool for about 30 minutes.
Remove From Pan & Soak The Cake
Step 12: Brush glaze. Turn the cake upside down onto a serving platter. Use a brush or spoon to evenly coat the remaining glaze over the cake's top and sides, allowing it to soak in as you apply it. (Take your time to apply the glaze gradually, allowing it to be absorbed).
Step 13: Dust the cake and serve. Allow the thoroughly soaked butter cake to sit at room temperature for one hour before serving. When you're ready to serve, gently dust confectioners' sugar over the cake with a fine sieve.
The best part about this Kentucky butter cake is that you don't have to do extra work to decorate it! It's incredibly delicious, or you can serve your cake slices with some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and roasted berries! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- See my buttermilk substitutes for making homemade buttermilk if you don't have any buttermilk on hand.
- Grease and flour your bundt pan thoroughly to prevent the cake from sticking. You can also use a baking spray for convenience.
- Allow your butter, eggs, and buttermilk to come to room temperature. Room-temperature ingredients blend more easily, resulting in a smoother batter that bakes better.
- I will usually do everything I can to avoid using more than one bowl to mix cookies, cake, you name it. In this case, don't skip the extra bowls. The results are worth it! 🙂
- It's important to let the cake cool in the bundt pan for about 30 minutes before inverting it onto a serving platter. This helps the cake set and release from the pan more easily.
🥄 Make Ahead Options
You can make this cake a day ahead and store it in an airtight container. In fact, the flavor of the cake improves if you let it sit for a day, allowing the butter sauce to continue to infuse the cake.
🥡 Storing
Cover any remaining cake with cling film or store it in a cake dome at room temperature. The cake can be enjoyed for up to 3-4 days without refrigeration.
Freezing
You can freeze the cake for a maximum of 3 months. Once it has completely cooled, wrap it twice with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or you can opt for a sturdy freezer bag. To serve, allow it to thaw overnight on the countertop.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
A Kentucky butter cake is a dense, moist, and rich dessert made with a buttery cake base that's soaked in a sweet butter sauce after baking. It's a beloved Southern dessert known for its indulgent flavor.
While buttermilk adds a tangy flavor and tenderness to the cake, you can substitute it with regular milk if desired. To mimic buttermilk's acidity, you can add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for a few minutes before using it in this recipe!
While the traditional recipe is delightful, you can experiment with different flavorings in the cake or glaze. Some popular variations include adding citrus zest, 1 teaspoon of spiced rum, or combining vanilla and almond extract. You could also incorporate a layer of pecans or walnuts.
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📖 Recipe Card
Kentucky Butter Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon and leveled)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter (softened, at room temperature)
- 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter Sauce Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- 5 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon spiced rum (optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Prep & Mix The Batter
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C/Gas Mark 3). Grease and flour, or use non-stick baking spray (with flour), a 10-inch bundt pan (12-cup or 3-quart bundt pan size).
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer), including 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 cups white sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon baking soda in a large bowl. Then, in a second bowl, whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 4 large eggs, and 2 teaspoon vanilla extract plus the optional 1 teaspoon spiced rum if desired. Set the wet ingredient mixture aside (it’s okay if the mixture begins to look curdled).
- Blend in the softened 1 cup butter and half of the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients with an electric mixer or stand mixer on low speed. The mixture will get to a crumbly consistency in about a minute. Add the remaining buttermilk mixture, slowly drizzling into the crumbled mixture while your mixer is on low.
- Once fully combined, beat the batter for 3 minutes on medium speed. Transfer into your prepared bundt pan.
Bake & Make The Butter Sauce Glaze
- Bake at 325°F (165°C/Gas Mark 3) for 1 hour or until a cake tester, knife, bamboo skewer, or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Start the butter sauce while the cake is baking and getting close to being done. Heat the ¾ cup sugar, 5 tablespoon butter, 3 tablespoon water, and 2 teaspoon vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring the sauce to a boil then immediately reduce the heat and simmer. Stir for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Soak The Baked Kentucky Butter Cake
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
- Prick holes in the cake while it’s warm, just out of the oven, and still in the bundt pan. Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to poke approximately 3-4 dozen holes about ¾ of the way through the cake.
- Slowly pour or spoon the butter sauce glaze over the bottom of the cake until the glaze has sunk into the cake. If any of the butter glaze pools on the cake, poke more holes to help it sink in fully.
- Leave the butter cake in the pan, on the cooling rack, before removing from pan. Let cool for about 30 minutes.
Remove From Pan & Soak The Cake
- Turn the cake upside down onto a serving platter. Use a brush or spoon to evenly coat the remaining glaze over the cake's top and sides, allowing it to soak in as you apply it. (Take your time to apply the glaze gradually, allowing it to be absorbed).
- Allow the thoroughly soaked butter cake to sit at room temperature for one hour before serving. When you're ready to serve, use a fine sieve to gently dust confectioners' sugar over the cake.
Notes
- See my buttermilk substitutes for making homemade buttermilk.
- Grease and flour your bundt pan thoroughly to prevent the cake from sticking. You can also use a baking spray for convenience.
- Allow your butter, eggs, and buttermilk to come to room temperature.
- I will usually do everything I can to avoid using more than one bowl to mix cookies, cake, you name it. In this case, don't skip the extra bowls. The results are worth it!
- It's important to let the cake cool in the bundt pan for about 30 minutes before inverting it onto a serving platter. This helps the cake set and release from the pan more easily.
- Storing: Cover any remaining cake with cling film or store it in a cake dome at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cake for a maximum of 3 months. Once it has completely cooled, wrap it twice with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or you can opt for a sturdy freezer bag. To serve, allow it to thaw overnight on the countertop.
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