Kentucky Butter Cake
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This old-fashioned vanilla butter cake drenched in syrup is the 1963 winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
I have no clue why this delicious butter cake is named for the state of Kentucky, but the recipe has been around since at least 1963, when Nell Lewis of Platte City, Missouri entered it into the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest and won. It’s an old-fashioned vanilla buttermilk pound cake drenched in a luscious butter and sugar syrup. The syrup not only adds exceptional moisture to the cake, but it also creates a crisp coating on the surface, almost like a glazed donut. Kids love it, grown-ups love it—this simple butter cake is hard to beat. A big thank you to my longtime reader, Karen Tannenbaum, for sharing the recipe with me.
What you’ll need To Make Kentucky Butter Cake
Before we get to the step-by-step instructions, a few words about the method. This butter cake is a “high-ratio” cake, which means that the weight of the sugar equals or exceeds the weight of the flour. Instead of the more common “creaming” method (where the butter and sugar are beaten together before the eggs, flour, and liquid are added), high-ratio cakes can be made using the “high-ratio” method, which involves mixing all the dry ingredients with the butter and some of the liquid first, then adding the remaining liquid ingredients.
The high-ratio method is not only easier than the traditional creaming method, but it also yields super tender and fine-textured cakes. (Other high-ratio cakes on the site include yellow cake, pound cake, rum cake, and marble cake.)
How to make kentucky butter cake
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.
Whisk and set aside. (Note that the mixture will start to look curdled as it sits; that’s okay.)
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
Add the soft butter and half of the buttermilk mixture. 
Mix on low speed until moistened but still a little crumbly, about 1 minute.
With the mixer running on low, gradually add the remaining buttermilk mixture.
Increase the speed to medium and mix for three minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter should look pale and creamy.
Transfer the batter to a Bundt pan sprayed with Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pan on a cooling rack.
How to make the glaze
While the cake cools, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, granulated sugar, water, and vanilla.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
Using a skewer or toothpick, poke about 40 holes in the bottom of the still-warm cake, going about 3/4 of the way down.
Spoon half of the glaze evenly over the bottom of the cake. 
If the glaze starts to pool on the surface, poke more holes to help it sink in. Leave the cake on the rack to cool for 30 minutes.
Invert the cake onto a serving platter.
Brush the remaining glaze evenly over the top and sides of the cake, letting it soak in as you go. (Go slowly so that the cake absorbs the glaze.)
Let the cake sit for at least one hour before serving. Right before serving, use a fine sieve to dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar.
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Kentucky Butter Cake
This old-fashioned vanilla butter cake drenched in syrup is the 1963 winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
For the Glaze
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Set aside. (Note that the mixture will start to look curdled as it sits; that's okay.)
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Add the soft butter and half of the buttermilk mixture and mix on low speed until moistened but still a little crumbly, about 1 minute. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the remaining buttermilk mixture, then increase the speed to medium and mix for three minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter should look pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again, making sure the batter is evenly mixed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pan on a cooling rack. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke about 40 holes in the bottom of the still-warm cake, going about ¾ of the way down. Spoon half of the glaze evenly over the bottom of the cake. If the glaze starts to pool on the surface, poke more holes to help it sink in. Leave the cake on the rack to cool for 30 minutes.
- Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Brush or spoon the remaining glaze evenly over the top and sides of the cake, letting it soak in as you go. (Go slowly so that the glaze gets absorbed.) Let the cake sit for at least one hour before serving. Right before serving, use a fine sieve to dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar.
For the Glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, granulated sugar, water, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This cake keeps well for several days. Once cool, store in a cake dome (or cover with plastic wrap) at room temperature until ready to serve.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Calories: 379
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 87 mg
- Cholesterol: 254 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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I have your new cookbook that features the Kentucky Bourbon Cake, which my mom made and said it was amazing! Given pregnancy and little kids that might want to eat some dessert, would this recipe be a more “kid friendly” option? Or can I substitute the bourbon glaze with this cake’s glaze? Any suggestion would be helpful, thank you!
The Kentucky bourbon cake should be fine for both you (considering you’re pregnant) and your kids, but I’d go with this one so you don’t have any concerns. It’s delicious!
I made this for the guys I work with and they told me I wasn’t allowed to bring this cake again. They each ate 4 pieces and didn’t save me a piece!! It is the most delicious cake! I took it to my family get together and everyone asked for the recipe. I am making it again,right now, for my daughter to take to her dad for his birthday. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
I would love to make this but there is just two of us.
Can I cut recipe in half and use a different size pan, like a loaf pan?
Would it be freezable please?
thanks a bunch!
Yes, I think a half recipe of this would work in an 8.5 x 4.5-in loaf pan. And it freezes nicely. See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions. Enjoy!
Make the recipe as written and freeze most of it in serving sized portions! You can enjoy whenever you like!
I have cut this and frozen it. It’s so delicious that it won’t stay in the freezer long. You’ll want to eat it!
This is by far my husband’s favorite cake. It’s simple to make and comes out rich and buttery each time I’ve made it. It’s definitely a winner at my house!
Hi Jenn!
I have beeb baking a lot of your recipes lately and seriously every time it yields a delish result!
I have noticed that your bundt cake recipes often require either a 10Cup pan or a 10″/25cm pan.
I am needing to buy a bundt pan and was wondering if you can recommend one size that would work with all your bundt cake recipes?
Thanks so much!
Hi Jennifer, I’d go with a standard 10-inch (12 cup capacity) Bundt pan. Hope that helps, and so glad you enjoy the recipes!
Hi Jenn,
Would this work if I make my own buttermilk using white vinegar and 2% milk ?
Sure, Mlak, that would be fine. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Can I make this cake in a torte pan? Looks delicious
Hi Susan, I don’t think that will work — sorry!
Hi,
Can I make this into cupcakes?
Sure, but it may be a little messy with the glaze. Please LMK how they come out if you try it!
Oops—as I was just re-reading the recipe, I realized the directions say to add salt to the glaze, but there is no mention of salt in the ingredients for the glaze. Did I miss something?
No, Carolynn, that’s a mistake on my part; there’s no salt needed in the glaze. I’m going to correct it now. Sorry for any confusion!
I just made this cake for the first time. Had some issues getting it out of the pan—maybe the Bakers Joy spray was old😞. I added 1/4 c bourbon to the glaze, which was fabulous! Then at the end, I added a cup of confectioners sugar and some buttermilk to the melted butter mixture and drizzled over the top so I could add multi-colored sprinkles to make it a birthday bundt cake! Even with some parts missing from the sides, it looks delightful. Thanks Jenn.
Hello. I did make this cake today. In fact I made 3. It was delicious. Made some for neighbors. They absolutely loved it. I will definitely make again. Very easy to make.