Kentucky Butter Cake

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling

Makes

16 servings

Updated: Jul. 17, 2023
I found this Kentucky butter cake 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

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • BUTTER SAUCE:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
  2. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges and center tube of pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack over waxed paper.
  3. For sauce, combine the sugar, butter and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in extracts.
  4. Poke holes in the top of the warm cake; spoon 1/4 cup sauce over cake. Let stand until sauce is absorbed. Repeat twice. Poke holes into sides of cake; brush remaining sauce over sides. Cool completely.

Blue-Ribbon Butter Cake Tips

Are butter cake and pound cake the same?

While both cakes are known for being deliciously buttery and rich with a fine, moist crumb, there is a difference between the two. Butter cakes (also referred to as creamed cakes) have a lighter texture and greater volume than pound cakes. Pound cakes (named because they originally contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour) tend to be denser. Learn how to make old-fashioned pound cake by following this step-by-step guide.

What ingredient makes cake moist?

In this recipe, buttermilk is the key ingredient to keeping this cake nice and moist. Buttermilk is a somewhat magical ingredient in cakes, sparking an acidic reaction with the baking soda and countering the development of gluten in the flour. This produces a tender and moist cake. No cake mistakes being made here! Be sure to use a long serrated knife to slice each piece to avoid squishing or tearing this delicate cake.

What butter is best for cakes?

Unsalted butter is traditionally recommended for baking, as it allows you to control how much salt goes into your baked goods. It also has a light, fresh and smooth flavor that is the perfect template upon which to build your cake. If you do use salted butter, simply adjust the salt in your recipe accordingly, keeping in mind that most butter brands add about ¼ teaspoon salt per ½ cup butter. Read this butter guide to understand the differences of each type.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 410 calories, 19g fat (11g saturated fat), 100mg cholesterol, 344mg sodium, 56g carbohydrate (38g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.