Kentucky butter cake is a 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.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. The butter should be softened but shouldn’t be smooshy. It should dent when pressed but shouldn’t lose its shape.
- Buttermilk: Whole milk or low-fat buttermilk will work. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute.
- Flour: Weighing the flour is the most accurate way to measure it (click on “metric” just above the ingredients for the weights). To properly measure the flour, sift or stir to break it up, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level. Do not pack the flour.
How to make Kentucky butter cake
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients is given below.
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until well-combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Step 2: Add the buttermilk, and mix in until well-combined.
Step 3: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in until combined but don’t overmix.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, and bake.
Step 5: To make the glaze, add the butter, sugar, water, and vanilla to a saucepan.
Step 6: Poke holes in the cake. I like to use a long wooden skewer.
Step 7: 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.
Step 8: Pour the glaze over the cake.
Step 9: Let the cake cool to room temperature in the pan.
Step 10: Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and invert the cake to serve.
Recipe Tips!
- Room temperature ingredients: The ingredients will combine better if at room temperature.
- Heating the 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 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.
Storage
This cake will keep for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container 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.
More bundt cake recipes!
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Kentucky Butter Cake
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
- 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.
Nutrition
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This post originally published July 20, 2020. This post is regularly updated.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Dolores Samora says
Thank you Kate for sharing
I always wanted to make Kentucky butter cake, definitely gonna make this!
Linda says
Delicious! I made this for a Valentine’s Day ladies brunch and served it with strawberries and whipped cream.
Kate says
Thank you! That sounds delicious.
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.