Kentucky butter cake is a super moist butter cake topped with a rich, sugary butter glaze. This easy recipe makes the ultimate butter cake!
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
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.
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.
Tips
Tips- 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.
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Kentucky Butter Cake
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
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Glaze
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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.
Chef David S says
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!!!
Kate says
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.