• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I Heart Eating
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
      • Work with Me
    • Rules and Disclosures
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts » Kentucky Butter Cake

    Kentucky Butter Cake

    Published: Jul 20, 2020 · Modified: Mar 2, 2021 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Kentucky butter cake is a super moist butter cake topped with a rich, sugary butter glaze. This easy recipe makes the ultimate butter cake!

    Slice of kentucky butter cake on a white plate

    Kentucky butter cake takes simple butter cakes to the next level by adding a sweet, buttery glaze over the cake. The glaze makes the cake incredibly moist and gives the cake an extra bit of sweetness and richness.

    The cake is delicious served by itself, but it's also fantastic served with fresh summer fruit like berries or peaches.

    How to make Kentucky butter cake

    Creamed butter and sugar in a silver mixing bowlIn a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until well-combined.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.

    Add the buttermilk, and mix in until well-combined.

    Kentucky butter cake batter in a silver bundt pan

    Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in until combined but don't overmix.

    Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

    Butter glaze pouring onto a kentucky butter cakeTo make the glaze, add the butter, sugar, water, and vanilla to a saucepan. Heat, stirring regularly, over medium-low heat until the butter melts and sugar has dissolved. The mixture should be just heated to combine but not brought to a boil.

    Poke holes in the cake. I like to use a long wooden skewer. Pour the glaze over the cake.

    Kentucky butter cake cooling in the pan

    Let the cake cool to room temperature in the pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and invert the cake to serve.

    Whole kentucky butter cake on a white cake platterTips

    • Butter: the butter should be softened but shouldn't be smooshy. It should dent when pressed but shouldn't lose its shape.
    • Room temperature: The ingredients will combine better if at room temperature.
    • Glaze: The glaze just needs to be heated enough to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar. It shouldn't be brought to a boil.
    • Pouring the glaze: Depending on how many holes you poke, you may find that you need to pour the glaze over the cake a bit at a time to avoid it spilling out.

    How to store

    This cake will keep for up to 4 days when stored covered at room temperature. Since this cake is  so moist, if you find that the cake is getting overly soft as it sits, you can store it in the fridge.

    How to freeze 

    This cake freezes well. I like to cut the leftover cake into slices because then I can defrost as many, or as few, slices as I need.

    I wrap each individual slice in plastic wrap and place the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe baggie.

    Slices of kentucky butter cake on a white plate

    More cake recipes!

    • Greek Yogurt Pound Cake
    • Chocolate Pound Cake
    • Marble Bundt Cake

    If you’ve tried this Kentucky butter cake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Slice of kentucky butter cake on a white plate

    Kentucky Butter Cake

    Moist Kentucky butter cake recipe - complete with sweet butter glaze!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 366kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • Bundt Pan

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 1 cup butter softened
    • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
    • 4 large eggs at room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda

    Glaze

    • ⅓ cup butter
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325 F. Generously grease and flour a 10-12 cup bundt pan. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until well-combined.
    • Scrape down the bowl as needed.
    • Add the buttermilk, and mix in until well-combined.
    • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in until combined but don't overmix.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
    • Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Set cake aside while you prepare the glaze.
    • To make the glaze, add the butter, sugar, water, and vanilla to a saucepan.
    • Heat, stirring regularly, over medium-low heat until the butter melts and sugar has dissolved. The mixture should be just heated to combine but not brought to a boil.
    • Poke holes in the cake. I like to use a long wooden skewer.
    • Pour the glaze over the cake.
    • Let the cake cool to room temperature in the pan.
    • Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and invert the cake to serve.

    Notes

    • Butter: the butter should be softened but shouldn't be smooshy. It should dent when pressed but shouldn't lose its shape. 
    • Room temperature: The ingredients will combine better if at room temperature. 
    • Glaze: The glaze just needs to be heated enough to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar. It shouldn't be brought to a boil. 
    • Pouring the glaze: Depending on how many holes you poke, you may find that you need to pour the glaze over the cake a bit at a time to avoid it spilling out. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 539IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!
    « Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
    Chocolate Oreo Cookies »
    • Facebook
    • Email

    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda

      February 15, 2022 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I made this for a Valentine's Day ladies brunch and served it with strawberries and whipped cream.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 15, 2022 at 10:19 am

        Thank you! That sounds delicious.

        Reply
    2. Chef David S

      July 21, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      How long have you known about this cake? I have been making it for 25 years... even play with flavors for the glaze!!! I am from and live back in KY and the bourbon glaze is the best one!!!

      Reply
      • Kate

        July 22, 2020 at 8:06 am

        I've been making this cake for several years, but I'm not sure when I first heard about it. How fun! I've thought about trying out citrus in the glaze. I'm from a neighboring state and don't live too far from KY, so maybe that's how the recipe has made its way over here.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe:




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

    More about me →

    Summer Favorites

    • Zucchini Bread
    • Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
    • Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Homemade Funnel Cake
    • Golden Graham S'mores
    • Broccoli Salad

    Popular Posts

    • Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Brownie Cookie Recipe
    • Whipped Buttercream Frosting without Powdered Sugar
    • Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins

    Subscribe via email

    to stay in the loop on new posts!

    Footer

    As Featured In

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Legal
    • Rules and Disclosures

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Press

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 I Heart Eating