Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe from Scratch
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5
Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe from Scratch
Description
The Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe from Scratch uses simple, traditional ingredients like flour, buttermilk, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla to craft a moist and flavorful bundt cake. Proper preparation of the bundt pan with butter and flour helps ensure easy removal after baking. The batter is mixed carefully to incorporate the sugar and achieve a smooth consistency before baking at 325°F.
During baking, the cake develops a golden crust with small cracks on top, indicating a well-risen and tender interior. Once baked, the cake is cooled and then topped with a warm vanilla butter glaze made by dissolving sugar and butter together with water and vanilla, which seeps into the crumb to add moisture and flavor.
The cake pairs well with a simple beverage or can be served at gatherings where a classic moist butter cake is desired. Variations include managing baking conditions at high altitude by adjusting temperature and leavening slightly.
Practical tips suggest substituting buttermilk with milk plus vinegar or lemon juice and warming eggs if not at room temperature. High altitude baking adjustments recommend reduced leavening and increased temperature. The recipe provides guidance to successfully bake the cake under varying conditions.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour I use unbleached
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
CAKE
- 1 cup butter room temp, cubed
- 2 cups sugar I use all-natural cane sugar, regular white may be used
- 4 large egg room temp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract not teaspoon
VANILLA BUTTER GLAZE
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar unbleached cane sugar (granulated may be substituted)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare your 10-12 cup bundt pan by slathering with butter, using a pastry brush if needed to get up and down the sides and the center tube siding. Dust the bundt pan with a few tablespoons of flour, knocking out any excess. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 325° F, see Notes for high altitude adjustments.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer works too) place ingredients in order listed. Mix on low for 30 seconds to combine ingredients, slowly increasing speed to medium for 3-4 minutes. Mix a bit longer if you've used natural cane sugar as it's more granular. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
- The cake should be a beautiful golden color and have some small cracks on top. Remove from oven and set on cooling rack.
Butter Glaze
- In a small saucepan, place all glaze ingredients and stir consistently over medium-low heat. Stir until butter and sugar is dissolved, if using natural cane sugar, reduce your heat slightly and stir, cooking a bit longer. Do not boil. Remove from stovetop once the glaze has thickened slightly and set aside.
- Using a butterknife or chopstick, poke holes all over cake, trying to go all of the way to the bottom of the cake, this will allow that glaze to seep through the entire cake. Pour warm glaze evenly over the warm cake, I like to pour a little extra at the edges and center, so those get extra crunchy with the glaze as it cools. Allow cake to cool completely in pan.
- Once cooled, invert pan onto serving plate. It might help to carefully insert a butter knife along the edges and sides of cake if it's sticking a bit. If that doesn't do the trick, place cake in preheated 325°F oven for 5 minutes, remove and invert immediately. Allow to cool before dusting with sugar. Dust cooled cake with powdered sugar.
- If desired, serve cake with warmed Bourbon Vanilla Sauce. Cake is fresh for up to 3 days, a week in the fridge or up to a couple months if frozen.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it stand for 5 minutes before using.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, immerse them in warm water for 10 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
- For baking above 7,000 feet altitude, reduce baking soda and baking powder by ¼ teaspoon and increase oven temperature to 350°F; otherwise, bake at 325°F.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12-16 slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 513 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 513kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 71g | 24% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 118mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 483mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 93mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 47g | 94% |
| Vitamin A | 753IU | 15% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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