Kentucky Butter Cake

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AmericanDessert

Kentucky Butter Cake

A classic Kentucky butter cake with a rich buttermilk Bundt crumb and a warm buttery vanilla sugar glaze that soaks into the cake.

Total

120 min

Servings

14

Level

Medium

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 cups All-purpose flour, 360 g
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Fine salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter, 227 g, softened
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar, 400 g
  • 4 Large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Cultured buttermilk, room temperature

Butter Glaze

  • 5 tbsp Unsalted butter, 71 g
  • 3/4 cup Granulated sugar, 150 g
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Heat oven to 325°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, reaching every ridge.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

4 min

Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions. Mix only until combined.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 60–70 minutes, until a long tester comes out clean.

65 min

While the cake finishes baking, combine butter, sugar, and water for the glaze in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low until butter melts and sugar mostly dissolves, about 2–3 minutes; do not boil hard.

2 min

Remove glaze from heat and stir in vanilla.

With the cake still in its pan, poke holes all over the exposed surface with a skewer. Slowly spoon about two-thirds of the warm glaze over the cake.

Let cake stand in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack or serving plate.

15 min

Brush or spoon the remaining glaze over the warm exterior. Cool before slicing.

Nutrition per serving

500

Calories

6g

Protein

66g

Carbs

24g

Fat

Chef's Notes & Storage

The butter-sugar glaze is the identity of Kentucky butter cake; it should soak into the warm cake rather than become a thick frosting. Rum extract can be offered as a variation, but vanilla is the canonical version here. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.
Part of:Cakes

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