Kentucky Butter Cake

An easy-to-make scrumptious butter vanilla cake with a four-ingredient glaze that creates an amazing crust and soaks into the cake, keeping it moist for days.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Southern

Keyword butter bundt cake, butter cake, butter poke cake, cake, vanilla butter cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 416kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Butter Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Butter Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons brandy water can be substituted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour or spray with nonstick cooking spray a 10-inch Bundt cake pan (12 cups).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
Mix milk and vinegar together in a separate small bowl or measuring cup.
Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture stirring just until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the buttermilk mixture and dry ingredients in intervals alternating between the two: stirring just until combined. Scrap down the bowl and beater as needed. Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven but do not remove from the pan.
Poke holes in the butter cake using the smaller end of a chopstick or similar-sized instrument. Go close but not all the way through to the bottom.
In a small saucepan, add sugar, butter, and brandy. Place over medium-low heat and stir very frequently until melted. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Reserve 1/3 cup of the butter glaze.
Slowly and carefully pour over the poked holes. Allow the cake to cool on a wire cooling rack for 30 minutes from the time it is removed from the oven to the time it is inverted. Once inverted and cooled, gently brush the remaining glaze over the top of the cake.

Notes

Butter and flour the cake pan very well, as a lot is happening here, and you don't want it to stick. I love Bakers Joy which is a nonstick baking spray, but I was out of it this time, so I really had to work with the butter and flour to get all those nooks and crannies.
You can substitute one cup of buttermilk for the milk and vinegar or save the money and mix it yourself like in the recipe.
Use the smaller end of a chopstick, a thick bamboo skewer, or even a straw to poke holes in the cake.
Alcohol and its fumes are flammable, so put the brandy for the butter glaze in the pan away from the flame.
As always, preheat your oven and load the cake on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
The cake should cool for about 30 minutes after taking it out of the oven before inverting, so plan everything accordingly. Too short of time or too long of time could cause the cake to stick.
Do not let the butter sauce boil. Stay right there with it so you can keep a close eye on it.
Top each with fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries, followed by a dollop of whipped cream.
This cake is even more delicious on the second day. Trust me on that one!
Store this cake wrapped with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition