
0 from 78 votes
Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe from Scratch
This Kentucky Butter Cake is simply delicious and ridiculously easy! You can’t mess it up! Rich buttery pound cake drenched in a vanilla sauce and if desired, served with Vanilla Bourbon Caramel sauce.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 12 -16 slices
Calories: 513 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
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 eggs 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.
Cup of Yum
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.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- No Buttermilk? No problem, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk, stir and let stand 5 minutes.
- Forget to bring your eggs to room temp? Simply immerse eggs in bowl of warm water for 10 minutes while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
- High Altitude Adjustments
- I did not alter the ingredients at all for high altitude, if you are above 7,000 feet, you may want to reduce your baking soda and baking powder by ¼ teaspoon.
- Otherwise make as directed, but do BAKE AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE, preheat and bake at 350 degrees, unless you are using a dark coated pan.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
513kcal
(26%)
Carbohydrates
71g
(24%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
118mg
(39%)
Sodium
483mg
(20%)
Potassium
93mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
47g
(94%)
Vitamin A
753IU
(15%)
Calcium
64mg
(6%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12-16 slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 513
% 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.