Kentucky Butter Cake from Scratch
Sweet and simple, Kentucky butter cake is soaked in a vanilla butter sauce and a popular dessert choice for the Kentucky Derby! This old-fashioned recipe is halfway between a yellow cake and pound cake.
Anything flavored with butter and vanilla is bound to be delicious, right? This Kentucky butter cakes proves my point. The warm poke cake absorbs a butter sauce to make each slice super flavorful. It has a tender, moist texture and light vanilla taste. You’ll love how easy this Southern dessert is to make from scratch!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery flavor. Needless to say, this cake has a satisfying butter flavor that melts in your mouth.
- Soft and tender. The texture is halfway between a yellow cake and pound cake. Not too light, but definitely not dense.
- Basic ingredients. This dessert packs a punch with ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen.
- Drool-worthy butter sauce. The sauce is really what makes this recipe divine. It’s soaked into the cake for extra flavor and moisture.
- Perfect for the Kentucky Derby. If you are watching the horse races with friends, consider bringing a Kentucky butter cake to the party (mint julep cupcakes too!)
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Obviously you’ll need butter for this recipe! Unsalted butter is preferred. Different brands of salted butter contain varying amounts of salt so it’s best to control the measurement and add it separately.
- Eggs: Large eggs help bind the ingredients and make a rich flavor. Bring them to room temperature before using.
- Vanilla: A good amount of the flavor comes from the vanilla extract so use a good quality brand, such as Nielsen Massey.
- Buttermilk: The acidity in buttermilk helps makes a tender and fluffy cake.
- Baking powder and soda: These leavening agents help the batter rise. Check that they are fresh and not expired for best results.
Refer to the recipe card for full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Make a different sauce. If you want a little kick in your dessert, try a bourbon or rum sauce. Replace the water in the sauce with an equal amount of Kentucky bourbon, rum or Brandy. Another good option is salted caramel sauce.
Use a different cake pan. The batter will also fit in a 13×9 baking pan or two 8-inch round pans. Baking time will be shorter, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Add some mix-ins. Want some more flavor? Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts. Fresh berries are also a good addition!
How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake
- Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Beat butter and eggs until light and creamy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
- Transfer batter to a 12-cup bundt pan and bake at 350 F for 55 to 65 minutes.
- Make the butter sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook butter, sugar, vanilla dn water until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
- Poke holes in the warm cake using a skewer. Pour butter sauce over the cake and let it sit for 30 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Expert Tips
Use room temperature ingredients. This is really important to get a nice tender texture for the cake. The butter should be room temperature—soft to the touch, but not greasy. Eggs and buttermilk should also be room temperature.
Try my cake pan release for bundt pans. This paste makes cakes come out of the pan with no crumbs left behind. It’s a life saver for bundt pans, which can have intricate designs.
Add the butter sauce while the cake is still warm. It will absorb the sauce more easily. Let the cake cool for about 10 to 15 minutes, then poke the holes in it and add the sauce. Let it sit for half an hour before inverting on a wire rack.
Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale. It’s more accurate than using measuring cups. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife (don’t pack it down).
Storage Tips
Make ahead the a cake a day in advance. I find that letting the butter sauce soak overnight really guarantees an unforgettable taste and texture.
Store butter cake covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap the cooled cake (or slices) in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Store in the freezer, then defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature and serving.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Place 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Add whole or low-fat milk and fill to the 1 cup measure mark. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes before using in the recipe.
Butter cake is lighter in texture and larger than pound cakes, which are more dense.
It’s unclear, but there is a recipe by Nell Lewis, which dates back to 1963 in the Pillsbury recipe archives. It is safe to say this is definitely a recipe originating in the American South because butter and buttermilk are prevalent in Southern baking.
Related Recipes
Looking for more Kentucky Derby recipes? Try these next!
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.
Get the Recipe: Kentucky Butter Cake from Scratch
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Butter Sauce
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (or use cake pan release). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350℉ for 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out with little to no crumbs.
- While the cake bakes, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, water and vanilla. Cook and stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it on a wire rack just to make sure it comes out of the pan without a problem. Place the cake back in the pan and skewer the top, poking holes 1 inch apart all over the top.
- While the cake is still warm and in the pan, pour the sauce over the top. If it pools at all, poke a few more holes to help the sauce soak in.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 more minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. If there's any extra sauce you can brush it over the top of the cake. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.
