Name: Kentucky Butter Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 12 servings

Southern Tradition in Every Slice

Kentucky butter cake genuinely represents Southern baking at its most indulgent. This rich, moist pound cake features tender crumb that’s soaked with sweet butter glaze while still warm. The glaze penetrates every pore of the cake, creating incredibly moist texture with crispy-sweet exterior that’s genuinely addictive. Whether served with morning coffee, as afternoon snack, or dressed up with whipped cream and berries for dessert, Kentucky butter cake genuinely delivers buttery perfection that keeps people coming back for another slice.

What Makes Kentucky Butter Cake Special

Kentucky butter cake genuinely differs from regular pound cake through its signature butter glaze. The warm cake gets poked with holes, then sweet butter sauce is poured over and soaks into every part. This technique creates incredibly moist interior while the exterior develops delicate sugar crust. The combination genuinely produces cake that stays fresh for days while becoming even more flavorful as the glaze continues permeating the crumb.

Classic Kentucky Butter Cake

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Bake Time: 60-65 Minutes Serves: 12-14

This authentic recipe genuinely delivers perfectly moist cake with rich butter flavor enhanced by sweet glaze that soaks into every bite.

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated 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, room temperature

Butter Glaze Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Prepare the Cake:

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
Generously grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan, making sure to coat all crevices.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream softened butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Mix just until combined after each addition—don’t overmix.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
Tap pan gently on counter a few times to release air bubbles.
Bake for 60-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.

Make the Butter Glaze:

When cake has about 10 minutes left to bake, prepare the glaze.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and water.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves completely.
Do not let mixture come to a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Keep glaze warm while cake finishes baking.

Glaze the Cake:

As soon as cake comes out of oven, poke holes all over the top using wooden skewer or toothpick.
Poke holes deep but not all the way through to the bottom.
Slowly pour about one-third of the warm glaze over the warm cake.
Let glaze soak in completely (about 5 minutes).
Pour another third of glaze over cake and let soak in.
Pour remaining glaze over cake.
Let cake cool completely in the pan on wire rack (at least 2 hours).
The glaze will create a sweet crust as it cools.
Once completely cool, invert cake onto serving plate.
Slice and serve at room temperature.

Essential Tip: Both cake and glaze should be warm when you combine them—this genuinely allows maximum glaze absorption. For more butter cake recipes, Once Upon a Chef offers excellent techniques.

Mastering the Cake Base

The cake itself genuinely provides foundation for this Southern classic. These techniques ensure tender, moist crumb every time.

Creaming Butter and Sugar Properly

Beat butter and sugar for full 4-5 minutes until mixture is light, fluffy, and nearly white in color. This process incorporates air that genuinely creates tender texture. Don’t rush—proper creaming makes significant difference in final cake structure. The mixture should increase in volume noticeably.

Room Temperature Ingredients

Butter, eggs, and buttermilk at room temperature genuinely blend together smoothly. Cold ingredients create lumpy batter that doesn’t mix properly. Take ingredients out of refrigerator 30-60 minutes before baking. This simple step produces much better texture in finished cake.

Alternating Dry and Wet Ingredients

Adding flour and buttermilk alternately prevents overmixing and creates tender crumb. Start and end with flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined after each addition. This technique genuinely prevents tough, dense cake that results from overmixing.

Don’t Overmix

Mix batter only until ingredients are just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough texture. A few small lumps are okay—they’ll disappear during baking. The goal genuinely is tender, melt-in-your-mouth cake, not dense brick.

Creating the Perfect Butter Glaze

Dissolving Sugar Completely

Stir glaze constantly over medium heat until sugar dissolves completely. No sugar granules should remain. Run your finger through mixture on spoon—if it feels smooth, sugar is dissolved. Undissolved sugar genuinely creates grainy glaze instead of smooth one.

Don’t Let It Boil

Heat glaze until butter melts and sugar dissolves, but don’t let it boil. Boiling changes consistency and can make glaze too thin or crystallize the sugar. Keep heat at medium and watch carefully. Remove from heat as soon as everything melts together smoothly.

Keep Glaze Warm

Warm glaze soaks into warm cake much better than cool glaze. If glaze cools too much before using, reheat gently. The warmth genuinely helps glaze penetrate deep into cake rather than just sitting on surface. This absorption creates that signature moistness.

Add Glaze in Stages

Pour glaze over cake in three batches, letting each batch soak in before adding more. This technique genuinely ensures maximum absorption. Pouring all glaze at once causes runoff before cake can absorb it. Patience here produces incredibly moist final result.

Expert Baking and Glazing Tips

Grease and flour pan thoroughly:

Bundt pans with intricate designs need careful greasing. Use butter or shortening to coat every crevice, then dust with flour. Tap out excess flour. This step genuinely prevents sticking and ensures cake releases cleanly. Baking spray with flour works excellently too.

Poke holes strategically:

Use wooden skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over top of warm cake. Space holes about 1 inch apart. Poke deep but not all the way through. These channels genuinely allow glaze to penetrate throughout cake rather than just coating surface. For glazing techniques, Cookies and Cups provides helpful guidance.

Cool completely in pan:

Let glazed cake cool completely in bundt pan—at least 2 hours or overnight. The glaze needs time to set and create that crispy-sweet exterior. Rushing this step genuinely causes cake to fall apart when removed from pan. Patience produces perfect results.

Check doneness carefully:

Insert toothpick into deepest part of cake. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The cake will continue cooking slightly from residual heat. Overbaking genuinely dries out the cake. Start checking at 60 minutes to avoid overbaking.

Store at room temperature:

Cover cooled cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. The glaze genuinely acts as preservative and keeps cake incredibly moist. Don’t refrigerate—it dries out the texture. This cake actually improves after day one as glaze continues permeating crumb.

Delicious Variations

Rum Butter Cake

Add 1 teaspoon rum extract to cake batter. Use 2 teaspoons rum or rum extract in glaze instead of vanilla. The rum flavor genuinely creates sophisticated variation perfect for adults. This traditional variation appears in many Kentucky homes during holidays.

Almond Butter Cake

Replace vanilla extract with almond extract in both cake and glaze. The almond flavor genuinely complements butter beautifully. Some bakers use half vanilla, half almond for more subtle flavor. Garnish with sliced almonds for extra elegance.

Lemon Butter Cake

Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest to cake batter. Use lemon extract in glaze along with or instead of vanilla. The citrus genuinely brightens rich butter flavor. Serve with lemon curd or fresh berries for summery variation.

Coconut Butter Cake

Fold 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut into batter before baking. Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract to glaze. The tropical flavor genuinely creates unique twist. Toast additional coconut and sprinkle over glazed cake for beautiful presentation.

Brown Butter Cake

Brown the butter before using in cake batter—let cool completely first. The nutty flavor genuinely elevates this already rich cake. This variation requires extra time but produces incredibly sophisticated result. Use brown butter in glaze too for maximum impact.

Serving Suggestions

Simple and Classic

Serve slices of Kentucky butter cake on their own with hot coffee or cold milk. The cake genuinely shines without embellishment. Its rich flavor and moist texture need no additions. This simple serving style lets the buttery goodness speak for itself.

With Fresh Berries

Top slices with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or mixed berries. Add dollop of whipped cream. The fruit’s brightness genuinely balances rich cake. Macerate berries in sugar for 15 minutes before serving to create light syrup.

With Ice Cream

Serve warm cake slices with vanilla ice cream. The temperature contrast genuinely creates restaurant-quality dessert. Drizzle with caramel sauce for extra indulgence. This transforms simple cake into special occasion dessert.

For Breakfast or Brunch

The sweet glaze genuinely makes this cake acceptable breakfast treat—similar to coffee cake. Serve with fresh fruit and coffee. Its dense texture holds up well to morning serving. Many Southern families enjoy leftover butter cake for breakfast.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cake stuck in pan

Insufficient greasing causes sticking. Grease and flour every crevice of bundt pan thoroughly. Let cake cool completely before attempting to remove—warm cake breaks apart. Run knife around edges and center tube before inverting. Next time, use baking spray with flour for easier release.

Cake is dry

Overbaking or not enough glaze causes dryness. Check doneness at 60 minutes and remove promptly when done. Make sure to pour all the glaze over cake and let it soak in completely. The glaze genuinely is what creates that signature moistness.

Glaze didn’t soak in

Cold cake or cold glaze prevents absorption. Both cake and glaze must be warm. Make sure to poke plenty of holes deep into cake. Pour glaze slowly in stages, letting each addition soak in. Rushing this process genuinely prevents proper absorption.

Cake has tunnel holes

Overmixing batter creates large air pockets and tunnels. Mix just until ingredients combine—a few lumps are okay. Don’t beat batter after adding flour. The gentle mixing genuinely creates even, tender crumb without holes or tunnels.

Top cracked during baking

Surface cracks are normal for pound cakes and don’t affect taste or texture. The glaze covers any cracks anyway. If concerned, reduce oven temperature to 315°F and bake slightly longer. Lower temperature genuinely creates more even rise with less cracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pan?

Yes! Use two 9×5-inch loaf pans and reduce baking time to 45-50 minutes. A 9×13-inch pan also works—bake for 40-45 minutes. Bundt pan genuinely provides prettiest presentation, but other pans work well. Adjust baking time based on pan depth.

Can I make this ahead?

Absolutely! This cake genuinely tastes better the next day after glaze fully penetrates. Make up to 3 days ahead and store tightly covered at room temperature. The moisture and flavor improve over time. It’s perfect for entertaining since it requires no last-minute preparation.

Can I freeze Kentucky butter cake?

Yes! Wrap cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature while still wrapped. The texture genuinely remains excellent after freezing. Don’t refrigerate after thawing—keep at room temperature.

Why use buttermilk?

Buttermilk’s acidity tenderizes cake and creates fine, moist crumb. It also adds subtle tang that balances sweetness. If unavailable, make substitute by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk. Let sit 5 minutes before using.

Can I reduce the sugar?

This cake is meant to be sweet—reducing sugar genuinely affects texture and moisture. The glaze contains less sugar than you might think since much drips off. If concerned about sweetness, reduce glaze sugar by 2 tablespoons. Don’t reduce cake sugar or structure suffers.