kentucky butter cake

Kentucky Butter Cake is a simple, moist and delicious vanilla buttermilk cake brushed with vanilla sugar glaze to create a delicious sugar crust that resembles a glazed cake donut. Serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of warm glaze on top.

I don’t know why it’s called Kentucky Butter Cake.

Is it because it’s a buttermilk cake? Perhaps it’s the luscious vanilla sugar glaze drizzled all over and inside this cake? Or is butter literally the main ingredient in this recipe? Either way, this is definitely my favorite cake of all time. Years ago, my friend Colleen surprised me with a mini bundt version of her Kentucky Butter Cake. Loved it at first bite.

It’s essentially a vanilla buttermilk cake, and once it’s baked, you punch a hole in it and pour in a spoonful of sweet vanilla glaze, letting it soak into the cake. Once the cake is inverted onto a plate or stand, brush the outside of the cake with the same glaze, which will set and create a delicious texture. To serve, reheat the rest of the glaze and spoon a little bit over the top of each slice. pure perfection.

Since then, I’ve made it about a dozen times. It’s my favorite cake and I have yet to meet anyone who has fallen in love with it.

To make this Kentucky Butter Cake you will need:

Unbleached all-purpose flour – base for cake batter. Good quality salt – Use pink Himalayan salt or sea salt. Baking powder – Lightens the dough and helps it rise. Baking soda – Reacts with the buttermilk to make it light and airy. Unsalted butter – adds richness and softness to the cake. Granulated sugar (white) – adds sweetness and flavor. Eggs – Add richness and flavor. Buttermilk – Adds a delicious tangy flavor and reacts with baking soda to create a light and fluffy cake. Pure Vanilla Extract – Adds warmth and enhances all the other flavors in this recipe.

For glaze:

Unsalted butter – gives rich flavor. Granulated sugar (white) – sweetens the glaze and creates a delicious crust on the outside of the cake when set. Water – helps thin the glaze. Pure Vanilla Extract – Adds warmth to the glaze.

Preheat oven to 325°F or 160°C.

This is my go-to method for greasing a bundt pan. Melt about 1 tablespoon of butter and use a pastry brush to generously brush the inside of a 12-cup bundt pan. Please do not use too much in areas where it may accumulate at the bottom.

Before adding the tablespoon of flour to the pan, make sure you’ve covered every inch with butter. Shake and pat to coat, remove excess with a tip and set aside in the prepared bundt pan.

Combine 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.

Add 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 2 cups granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Next, add 4 eggs, 1 cup of buttermilk, and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low speed until combined, scraping the bottom of the sides of the bowl halfway through. It’s okay if it looks a little lumpy or clotted afterwards. Adding the dry ingredients brings everything together.

Don’t have buttermilk?

You can easily make your own buttermilk by mixing 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk, or by mixing half and half.

Then gradually add the dry ingredients.

Mix until just incorporated.

Because the batter is so thick, I like to spoon the Kentucky Butter Cake batter into a pre-prepared bundt pan. Tap the pan on the counter to settle the dough, then smooth the surface with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.

Make the glaze:

When you have 5 minutes left, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Heat over low heat and stir until melted. Do not boil.

Once the cake is baked and hot from the oven, use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over.

Then spoon the glaze over the cake. The glaze will seep into those holes, leaving little pockets of deliciousness.

Let the cake cool for 15-20 minutes.

Then remove the cake pan by sliding the cake pan or standing underneath and carefully flipping it over. If necessary, reheat the second half of the glaze over low heat.

Brush remaining glaze all over cake until glossy. I usually apply two coats 😉.

It’s so beautiful! Now it’s time to slice.

Slice the cake and top with a little whipped cream and a little of the remaining glaze.

It’s very simple. It’s very delicious.

How to store bundt cake:

Store the bundt cake in an airtight container. My bundt pan came in one, but I linked one on Amazon for the printable recipe. This cake can be stored at room temperature for 5 days. If you are making a bundt cake with dairy-containing icing, store it in the refrigerator.

How to freeze a Bount Cake:

Once cooled completely, wrap tightly with two pieces of plastic wrap. Then wrap it in aluminum foil and freeze. You can also wrap the slices individually and freeze them.

How to thaw a bundt cake:

Remove and thaw on the counter at room temperature.

For even more cake recipes, check out my growing collection here.

enjoy! If you try this Kentucky Butter Cake recipe, please let me know! Take a photo and tag me on Twitter or Instagram!

This recipe was originally posted on March 31, 2010 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photos, and helpful information.