Check out this Scrumptious Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe (Just in time for the Holidays)
What is a Kentucky Butter Cake?
Kentucky Butter Cake is an old fashioned vanilla buttermilk pound cake soaked in butter and sugar syrup. The syrup makes the cake extremely moist, while also creating a perfect crisp on the surface (almost resembling a glazed donut.) Although kids absolutely love this cake, it’s no secret that adults do too. Importantly, the cake isn’t too sweet and it has the perfect buttery flavor. Need the perfect snack to go along with your coffee or tea? This is your answer! This butter cake is easy to make from ingredients your most likely already have in your kitchen. Additionally, the cake tastes better the next day – now that’s a bonus!
Why is it Called Kentucky Butter Cake?
Although it is unclear as to why the cake is named after the state of Kentucky, the story has it that the recipe has been around since 1963. Nell Lewis of Platte City, Missouri entered the cake into the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest and won. Nevertheless, it’s the perfect recipe for National Cake Day as it is dense, but not too dense, it’s truly a perfect combination.
Recipe for Kentucky Butter Cake:
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Butter Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour Bundt pan
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
- Mix in eggs all a one time.
- Add vanilla to the buttermilk.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture., alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Pour batter into the pan and bake for 60 minutes.
- Make butter sauce closer to bake finishing time. Bring butter, water, and sugar to a low boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, then stir in the vanilla.
- After cake is removed from oven, poke holes in cake.
- Pour butter mixture down into holes, letting the cake cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove the Kentucky Butter Cake from pan after 10 minutes or else Don’t let it cool much longer before removing from pan or else it will stick.
- Optional – Dust with Powdered Sugar
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