Y’all I love a good ole Kentucky butter cake so I had to deliver the best one you will ever have. My trick is browning the butter to enhance that nutty butter taste throughout. I tested it until I got the texture just right. It’s a hit y’all. I also add a nice glaze that gets soaked into the moist crumb too. Get at it boos.
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How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake
Step 1: Mixing the Cake Batter
- It all starts with completely cooled browned butter. I like to do this the day before because it takes a while to cool down all the way.
- Add the browned butter and shortening. Beat them for two minutes at high speed.
- Add the sugar slowly to the bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture is very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Add your eggs in one at a time, making sure to scrape the sides as needed to fully incorporate them.
- Add the flour and mix into the butter, sugar, and egg mixture using the lowest speed.
- Pour in your buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- Mix just until everything is combined. Be sure not to over-mix your batter!
- Pour the cake batter into a prepared cake pan.
Step 2: Make the Butter Glaze
While your cake is baking, you’ve gotta make that sweet brown butter glaze that is going to take your cake from good to unbelievable. It comes together simply and with ease.
- Melt the butter in a skillet.
- Continue to cook until it’s browned and then remove from the heat.
- Add the sugar, water, and vanilla.
- Whisk together until the sugar dissolves.
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Step 3: Assemble the Cake
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert it onto a platter.
- Poke several holes all over your cake using a wooden skewer.
- Pour the glaze all over the cake so it seeps in and distributes all through the cake.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve it up!
Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe
Kentucky butter cake is a Southern delight! Made with a buttery soft pound cake and a crystalized sugar glaze this Kentucky better cake is the real deal!
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Servings: 16 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp shortening or oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the Brown Butter Glaze
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- In a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, a white foam will begin to appear over the top of the butter.
- Watch carefully as the butter’s color changes to brown and the smell of the butter becomes somewhat nutty.
- As soon as the butter is an amber brown color, remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator until it the butter has become solid again (can take 1-2 hours so I sometimes do this the night before baking the cake).
- Once butter is solid, preheat oven to 325 degrees then liberally spray 10 cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter and shortening and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in sugar beat on high speed for an additional seven minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add salt, baking powder and baking soda. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Lastly, pour in buttermilk and vanilla extract, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.
- Add batter to prepared cake pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out mostly clean but still moist. While cake is baking, work on the butter sauce below.
For the Brown Butter Sauce
- While cake cools, add butter to saucepan and again melt then brown until the butter turns an amber color.
- Turn off heat and whisk in sugar, water and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Remove cake from the oven and poke warm cake with a toothpick or skewer in several places all over the cake then pour 3/4s of the sauce into the cake, allowing it to seep in.
- Once sauce is settled, remove cake from pan then brush remaining sauce over the top.
Notes
Storage
Y’all keep this note: This cake gets even better as it sits. When you want to store, cool the cake completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Keep it at room temp.How long will Kentucky butter cake last?
It will last at room temperature for up to four days. You can extend its freshness by keeping it in the fridge for up to a week however the fridge dries out cakes.Can I freeze ?
Yep fo sho. Wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to three months.Nutrition
Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 555IU | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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Recipe Tips
- Watch the Butter Closely. You want it to brown and not burn. The butter will first melt and then begin to foam a bit as it cooks. Then you will start to see browned flakes appear on the bottom of the pan. Cook until it’s an amber color and then remove it from the heat.
- Cooled Browned Butter. The cooling process can take a few hours so I suggest making your butter the night before.
- Do Not Over Mix. This is THE key to tender cakes! Mixing too much causes the gluten to activate more which leads to a more dense texture.
- Make to Poke Holes Over the Whole Cake. The holes will allow the glaze to thoroughly seep into the cake so make sure you cover the entire thing so it soaks into the cake evenly.
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This looks and sounds amazing. I love the the thorough instructions and tips. The write-up also gives you a really good idea of how it will taste. I’m going to cook this next week.
Hi. After I poured the glaze it solidified and now the cake kinda looks like a glazed donut. I’m not sure what went wrong.
You may have thickened it too much. It should still be super loose.
What kind of sugar are you using? I use Organic granulated cane sugar isn’t as fine as the white sugar I no longer buy so it takes longer to break down in the butter. I will most likely skip that part next time.
Do you cool cake before pouring brown butter mixture on cake? When you say this mixture has solidified, does that mean that it has cooled and harden. Explain please.
You don’t have to. I let it cool just slightly.
I made this – my first Bundt cake! It was superb! I used a wooden shish kebab stick to punch the holes for the glaze, and that worked well. I did not add powdered sugar on top as shown in your pictures. I serves with a few raspberries & whipped cream and it was a hit!
My cake did not rise a ton, still perfect – next time I will try mixing less. THANK YOU
This cake was easy to make and came out so delicious! Perfect dessert when you don’t want to be overloaded with sugary sweetness, my husband loved it!
This was quite possibly the BEST thing I have ever baked. The recipe turned out perfect and the flavor was to die for. I’m adding it to my favorites. To make it extra special, I made my own fresh whipped cream and served with a strawberry lemon puree
I just made this cake and it tastes amazing but it sunk while cooking and i didnt open the oven door I dont know why that happened any ideas?
Ahh you may have overbeaten your cake. Especially after adding the flour. This cake usually never sinks so this is what I’m thinking may have happened.
This is amazing!! My husband and I wanted to eat the whole cake at once! It has that wonderful pound cake taste but not as heavy. And the browned butter!!! So delicious! I took the Kentucky part of this and replaced the water in the glaze with some good Kentucky bourbon! OMG! The recipe takes a bit longer but is definitely worth it!! My new go to recipe.
I’m obsessed with anything butter cake and this did not disappoint! It is delicious!! I made it GF with 1:1 cup flour and it turned out great 🙂
The best cake recipe I’ve found. Followed it exactly and the flavor and texture were both exceptional. Definitely take the time to let the brown butter solidify in order to give it the right consistency. The only modification I made was to dust my cake pan with a little raw sugar. Gave it a very nice crust which held up well when adding the brown butter glaze. My wife and mother both loved it and have been eating slices of it everyday for dessert, with coffee/tea at breakfast, and even with a little whipped cream and berries. Will be keeping this one in heavy rotation.