Kentucky Butter Cake

 

Kentucky butter cake is a classic cake that is buttery and sweet. Coated with a sugary glaze, this rich cake has a slightly crispy outside and a sweet, tender center.
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Table of Contents
  1. Kentucky Butter Cake Ingredients
  2. Substitutions and Additions
  3. How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake
  4. How to Serve Kentucky Butter Cake
  5. Storage
  6. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  7. MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
  8. JUMP TO RECIPE

Kentucky butter cake is deliciously moist, buttery, and coated with a smooth sugary glaze. This simple, old-fashioned homemade dessert is perfect to serve anytime you crave something sweet.

If you love vintage cake recipes you’ll want to make bumpy cake, cherry chip cake, and oatmeal cake.

Kentucky Butter Cake Ingredients

You will need:

Cake

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons rum extract
  • ½ teaspoon butter extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Glaze

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup salted butter
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons rum extract

Substitutions and Additions

RUM EXTRACT: You could use rum or bourbon liquor in place of rum extract. You’ll want to use six teaspoons of liquor in place of two teaspoons of extract.  

BUTTER EXTRACT: If you can’t get hold of this, you could use vanilla extract in a pinch, but your cake won’t taste quite as buttery.  

BUTTERMILK: If you don’t have buttermilk, use a cup of regular milk and add either a tablespoon of vinegar or a tablespoon of lemon juice.

BAKING SODA: If you don’t have baking soda, just add an extra half tablespoon of baking powder. 

POWDERED SUGAR: If the outside of the cake has any imperfections, you could dust it with powdered sugar to hide them and make it look pretty. 

How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and lightly flour a (10-inch) bundt pan. Set aside.

PRO TIP: The ingredients will be easiest to combine if everything is at room temperature. If you have time bring the butter, eggs, and buttermilk to room temperature before you begin.

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, eggs, softened butter, rum extract, butter extract, and buttermilk. Using a hand mixer on the high speed setting, cream together the wet mixture until it is light and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes.

STEP THREE: Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Continue to beat together on medium-low, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until the mixture is combined and no flour streaks remain. 

PRO TIP: Be careful not to overmix the cake batter or your cake will be tough.  

STEP FOUR: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Place in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

STEP FIVE: Remove the bundt cake from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes.

PRO TIP: To check that the cake is done, insert a toothpick. It should come out clean.

STEP SIX: While the cake is cooling, make your sauce by adding a medium saucepan over medium-low heat to the stovetop. Add sugar, butter, water, and rum extract. Whisk together stirring often until the mixture is melted together and combined. You don’t want this sauce to boil so watch it carefully and remove it from the heat right before it begins to bubble.

STEP SEVEN: Once the sauce has been removed from the stovetop, reserve ⅓ cup in a small bowl. Pour the remaining sauce over the cake while still in the bundt pan.

STEP EIGHT: Once the cake has soaked up all of the sauce, carefully turn the bundt pan over onto a serving dish. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the top of the cake before serving.

PRO TIP: You can serve this delicious cake right away, but it will taste even better if you let it rest overnight before tucking in the next day. 

How to Serve Kentucky Butter Cake

This amazing buttery cake is yummy topped with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Enjoy a slice of cake with a glass of iced tea or a cup of coffee. 

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep Kentucky cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you live in a warmer climate then you may wish to refrigerate it.  

IN THE FREEZER: This Kentucky butter cake recipe can be frozen for up to three months. Be sure to keep the air out by wrapping it in foil and placing it in a heavy-duty freezer bag.

Kentucky butter cake is a simple, classic cake that is buttery and sweet, just like the name suggests!  Drenched in a buttery glaze, this rich cake has a slightly crispy outside and a sweet, tender center. Made in a bundt pan, Kentucky butter cake makes a beautiful dessert centerpiece for your meal. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What size of bundt pan should I use? 

A 10-inch/12 cup bundt pan is the size you should use for this recipe.

Can I make this cake ahead of time? 

This Kentucky butter cake tastes much better if made one day ahead of time – the buttery flavor develops and the cake becomes moister.

Can I turn this into a poke cake? 

There are several variations on this recipe that have you poke holes in the cake and if you would like to do that here, you can. Use a wooden spoon, poke holes in the bottom of the cake before you flip it onto a cake plate and then pour your glaze. The sweet butter glaze will soak into the holes in the cake to make it extra moist.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

Kentucky Butter Cake

Kentucky butter cake is a classic cake that is buttery and sweet. Coated with a sugary glaze, this rich cake has a slightly crispy outside and a sweet, tender center.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons rum extract
  • ½ teaspoon butter extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Glaze

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • cup salted butter
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons rum extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and lightly flour a (10-inch) bundt pan. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, eggs, softened butter, rum extract, butter extract, and buttermilk. Using a hand mixer on the high speed setting, cream together the wet mixture until it is light and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes.
  • Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Continue to beat together on medium-low, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until the mixture is combined and no flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix the batter or it will yield a tough cake.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Place in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove the bundt cake from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
  • While the cake is cooling, make your sauce by adding a medium saucepan over medium-low heat to the stovetop. Add sugar, butter, water, and rum extract. Whisk together stirring often until the mixture is melted together and combined. You don’t want this sauce to boil so watch it carefully and remove it from the heat right before it begins to bubble.
  • Once the sauce has been removed from the stovetop, reserve ⅓ cup in a small bowl. Pour the remaining sauce over the cake while still in the bundt pan.
  • Once the cake has soaked up all of the sauce, carefully turn the bundt pan over onto a serving dish. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the top of the cake before serving.

Notes

The ingredients will be easiest to combine if everything is at room temperature. If you have time bring the butter, eggs, and buttermilk to room temperature before you begin.
Be careful not to overmix the cake batter or your cake will be tough.
To check that the cake is done, insert a toothpick. It should come out clean.
You can serve this delicious cake right away, but it will taste even better if you let it rest overnight before tucking in the next day.

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