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Best Ever Old-Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe

a golden moist kentucky butter bundt cake, cut open showing one perfect slice coated with sugar-butter glaz
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5 from 8 reviews

This easy, old-fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake is rich, buttery, and soft. Magical butter-sugar syrup creates an irresistible crumbly, melt-in-your mouth crust.

Ingredients

Scale

PAN RELEASE

  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour

CAKE

  • 3 cups (390 grams) All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups White granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 cup Buttermilk* (see note)
  • 1 cup Butter, unsalted, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Dark rum
  • 4 large Eggs, room temperature

BUTTER-SUGAR SAUCE

  • 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Water
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla or rum extract

Instructions

FOR THE PAN RELEASE

  1. Stir together the melted butter and flour in a small bowl until a paste forms.
  2. Using a pastry brush, coat all interior surfaces of a 12 cup Bundt pan.
  3. (If mixture becomes too thick to brush on, microwave it for about 10 seconds, or until warm and softened.)

FOR CAKE

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the cake ingredients. Use the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, about 2 minutes (an electric hand mixer will work as well).
  3. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt Pan.
  5. Bake for 60 – 75 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and prick the cake all over, with a long wooden skewer.

FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE

  1. About 5 minutes before the cake is done combine the sugar, water and butter in a medium saucepan and heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Use a long skewer to poke at least 30 holes into the bottom of the cake.
  2. Pour ¾ cup of the butter sauce all over the exposed portion of the hot cake.
  3. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert cake onto a serving platter.
  4. Spoon, pour, or brush the remaining sauce over the cake.
  5. Allow the cake to cool for 1 hour before serving.
  6. However, if you love warm cake, go ahead and dig in.
  7. The cake is great by itself, but also tastes great with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

  • Buttermilk substitute: Use 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar, then pour milk on top to make 1 cup.
  • DO NOT USE THE IMAGES as a proper visual for the glaze. It's too thick in the images.
  • Make sure you listen to Cheryl's episode, "I Thought My Mother Was The Strongest Woman In The World" while you make her Kentucky Butter Cake.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thestoriedrecipe.com/kentucky-cake-recipe/