When it says “buttery” right in the title, you know this cake’s going to be something special. Just ask home cook Joan Gertz from Palmetto, Florida. As soon as she found the recipe for her Blue-Ribbon Butter Cake in an old cookbook, she couldn’t wait to try it. “I knew it had been someone’s favorite because of the well-worn page,” she says. It’s easy to see why: this tender cake comes together in a few easy steps with simple ingredients and-of course-lots of buttery goodness.
But the real standout is the cake’s almond-y sauce that gets poured over the top and soaks right into the cake itself. And it’s easy to customize: Got chocolate on the brain? Mix in a little cocoa powder! Are you a lemon lover? Swap in lemon extract for that perfect pucker. Or just leave it as is-this simple cake has just a touch of sweetness, making it the perfect end to dinner or a lovely way to start your day at breakfast, too.
This just may become your go-to cake for every gathering, but if you’re looking to give your fluted tube pan a few more spins, check out some of our other favorite Bundt cake recipes that make any occasion extra special.
Check Out Even More Blue-Ribbon Recipes
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Blue-Ribbon Butter Cake
I found this buttercake recipe in an old cookbook I bought at a garage sale and couldn’t wait to try it. I knew it had been someone’s favorite because of the well-worn page. —Joan Gertz, Palmetto, Florida
Golden Peach Pie
Years ago, I entered this pie in the Park County Fair in Livingston. It won a first-place blue ribbon plus a purple ribbon for best all-around! Family and friends agree with the judges—it's a perfectly peachy pie. —Shirley Olson, Polson, Montana
Fudge Pecan Brownie Tart
I love inventing my own recipes and entering contests—I won a blue ribbon at the Iowa State Fair for this one!
Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake
Inspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas
Frosted Cashew Cookies
We savor these cookies every Christmas, but they're special year-round with coffee or tucked into a lunch box. I won a ribbon with these cookies at my county fair.—Sheila Wyum, Rutland, North Dakota
Golden Apple Pie
Pies are the dessert I like best to prepare. This one's the favorite for family get-togethers, and it has been awarded blue ribbons at a couple of local fairs. —Theresa Brazil, Petaluma, California
Rhubarb-Filled Cookies
I won a blue ribbon at our local fair for these tender cookies. They're so pretty with the ruby-red filling peeking through the dough. Try making these special cookies and watch the smiles appear. —Pauline Bondy, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Sweet Corn Muffins
I love making corn bread and corn muffins, but often the results are not moist or sweet enough for my taste. So I experimented until I came up with these light, pleasantly sweet muffins. They ended up winning a blue ribbon at our county fair. —Patty Bourne, Owings, Maryland
Texas Pecan Pie
I won a blue ribbon for this pie at the Texas State Fair. In the military for over 20 years, I didn't really start cooking until after I retired. Now I enjoy spending my time in the kitchen.—Michelle Shockley, Wichita, Kansas
Double Chocolate Scones
Chocolate lovers will adore these moist, decadent scones that won me a blue ribbon in a baking competition. They’re perfect for a tea or brunch, and the mix of cocoa and chocolate chips makes them sweet enough for dessert. —Stephanie Sorbie, Glendale, Arizona
Cookie Jar Gingersnaps
My grandma kept two cookie jars in her pantry. One of the jars, which I now have, always had these crisp and chewy gingersnaps in it. They're still my favorite cookie recipe. My daughter, Becky, used this recipe for a 4-H fair and won a blue ribbon. —Deb Handy, Pomona, Kansas
Blueberry Lattice Bars
Since our area has an annual blueberry festival, my daughters and I are always looking for new berry recipes to enter in the cooking contest. These lovely, yummy bars won a blue ribbon one year. —Debbie Ayers, Baileyville, Maine
Amish Sugar Cookies
These easy-to-make, old-fashioned sugar cookies simply melt in your mouth! This is one of the best Amish cookie recipes I've ever had. I've passed this one around to many friends, and after I gave it to my sister, she entered the cookies in a local fair and won the best of show prize! —Sylvia Ford, Kennett, Missouri
Sesame Wheat Braids
When I started making this bread, my husband and our six children liked it so much I was baking every day. I was thrilled when the judges at our county fair gave these braids a blue ribbon and best of show award! —Nancy Montgomery, Hartville, Ohio
Blue-Ribbon Doughnuts
What could be more delicious than a warm homemade doughnut? I've been making these tasty treats for my children and grandchildren for many years. —Kay McEwen, Sussex, New Brunswick
Tropical Muffins
I entered these muffins at our county fair and won the grand champion award for baked goods. They're so moist, they don't need butter. —Sylvia Osborn, Clay Center, Kansas
Winning Apricot Bars
This recipe is down-home baking at its best, and it really represents all regions of the country. It's won blue ribbons at county fairs and cookie contests in several states! Easy to make, it's perfect for potluck suppers, bake sales, lunchboxes or just plain snacking.—Jill Moritz, Irvine, California
Muenster Bread
Many years ago my sister and I won blue ribbons in 4-H with this bread. The recipe makes a beautiful round golden loaf. With a layer of cheese peeking out of every slice, it's definitely worth the effort. —Melanie Mero, Ida, Michigan
Five-Star Brownies
There's a bit of my state's history behind these brownies' name and shape. In 1990, when I entered them at our state fair, Kansas was celebrating the 100th birthday of a famous native son, Dwight Eisenhower. In fact, that occasion was the theme of the fair. So I renamed my brownies, in honor of the rank he'd achieved as a general and cut them out with a star cookie cutter. They ended up winning a blue ribbon! —Pam Buerki Rogers, Victoria, Kansas
Apple-Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
A layer of sweetened cream cheese topped with a tart fruit filling makes this apple cherry cheese pie popular with family, friends and co-workers. It won the blue ribbon at a local fair. —Donna L. Rettew, Jonestown, Pennsylvania
Blue Ribbon Beefy Burritos
I have a son who lives in Mexico, so we don’t see him very often. When I make these burritos, it feels as if he is right there at the table with us, inhaling them. —Marina Castle, Canyon Country, California
Corn Chowder with Potatoes
I developed this soup out of two others to create my own low-calorie recipe. It turned out so well that I entered it in my county fair and won a blue ribbon. —Alyce Wyman, Pembina, North Dakota
Blue-Ribbon Herb Rolls
These rolls have been a favorite of ours for nearly 25 years. I even baked them in an old wood stove when we lived on a farm. I developed the recipe using several techniques I learned while studying the art of bread making. The recipe won a blue ribbon at our county fair. —Mary Ann Evans, Tarpon Springs, Florida
Blue-Ribbon Apple Pie
This pie is special to me because I won a blue ribbon for it at the local fair and was able to compete at the state farm show. —Collette Gaugler, Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
Blue Ribbon Red Velvet Cake
This two-layer beauty features a striking red interior. It calls for more baking cocoa than most red velvet cakes, making it extra chocolaty. Feel free to change the color of the food coloring to suit the occasion. I'm proud to say that this recipe won a blue ribbon in the holiday cake division at the 2006 Alaska State Fair. I think this award winning red velvet cake recipe will be a winner in your house, too! —Cindi DeClue, Anchorage, Alaska
Cheese & Garlic Biscuits
My biscuits won the Best Quick Bread division at my county fair. One of the judges liked it so much, she asked for the recipe! These buttery, savory biscuits go with just about anything. —Tall Pines Farm, Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio
Lime Mint Jelly
This holly-green jelly won a Best of Show at the county fair and I was so thrilled. Flavored with lime, it's delicious on roasted meats. —Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio
Brown Sugar Icebox Cookies
My daughters and I have been "fair-ly" successful competitors at county fairs and bake-offs for more than 20 years. This is one of the those winning recipes.—Eilene Bogar, Minier, Illinois
Blue-Ribbon Rye Bread
My kids once had a little bread business, selling homemade loaves to neighbors and other people in the community, including this rye that won best of show at our county fair. —Susanne Spicker, North Ogden, Utah
Cherry No-Bake Cookies
I've always loved my no-bake cookie recipe, but I was never able to place at the fair with it. So I mixed in some maraschino cherries, added a few drops of almond extract, and voila! We won a blue ribbon at the county fair in 2010. —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan