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A golden-brown Kentucky Butter Cake dusted with powdered sugar sits on a white plate on a marble surface.
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Kentucky Butter Cake

Kentucky Butter Cake is a classic vanilla Bundt cake made with buttermilk and everyday pantry ingredients, then soaked with a warm butter-vanilla syrup for its signature moist crumb and lightly sugary crust.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 324kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Butter Sauce:

  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Spray a 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
  • Make the cake: Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Blend in buttermilk, butter, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Beat for 3 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.
  • When the cake is almost finished baking, make the butter sauce: Combine sugar, butter, water, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until fully melted and combined; do not boil.
  • Remove the cake from the oven. Prick holes in the still-warm cake, then slowly pour butter sauce over the top. Let cake cool before removing from pan, about 30 minutes.

Notes

  1. Preparing the Bundt: Grease the Bundt pan very well to help prevent sticking.
  2. The Butter Syrup: Pour the warm butter syrup over the cake while it is still warm so it can soak into the crumb. If the syrup pools at the top of the cake, poke more holes into the top, allowing the syrup to seep down into the crumb.
  3. Cooling the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan before inverting.
  4. Making Ahead & Storage: This cake is excellent the day it is made and even better the next day. Store tightly covered at room temperature for several days, or refrigerate for longer storage.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 346IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg