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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Looking forward to making this cake today!! As mentioned in a previous comment, if I make half of this cake and my pan is a loaf pan, do you bake it for the same amount of time as above? Thinking it should be for less. Can you give me some advice?
Hi Dianne, I’d start checking it at 50 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Only change was to use lemon juice in place of vanilla and water in the glaze. It was a perfect cake, got rave reviews, and was a great base for strawberries and whipped cream
I made this cake tonight and it’s awesome. The cake is moist, tender and delicious! Thank you for this recipe; I will definitely make it again.
Made the bourbon version from the cookbook for a dinner party and people were super into this cake! And it’s so easy to make, too. I will definitely be making this frequently!
PS.. Using Rum extract in place of Vanilla is a terrific variation!!
This recipe makes the very best cake on the planet- period! It is absolutely wonderful in every way…great flavor, perfect crumble, a bit crunchy on top & not too sweet, It is amazingly delicious!! 🍒❤️😊
Hi Jenn,
I don’t have a Bundt pan — can I use a regular cake pan instead? Thank you!!
Cheers,
Pat (big fan)
Hi Pat, You can use two 8-inch round pans. The cook time will be less so you’ll need to keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
Like so many others have stated – Jenn has become my absolute “go-to” for any/all recipes. I have no concerns trying a recipe for the first time with company, as long as I have taken it from this website or the 2 “OUAC” books that I now have. This is so simple but so delicious and a crowd pleaser. Thank you so much Jenn – for this recipe and every other one. I will be making this cake yet again tomorrow for a birthday celebration – for any Canadians out there – it is like a sour cream glazed donut from Tim’s. Drench it in the sauce and maybe even make a double batch of sauce to serve when you slice the cake (only if you went too fast on the final step of glazing the cake. Go slow – it is worth it!)
This is absolute dessert perfection; I have probably baked it at least a dozen times. Follow exactly as written, occasionally I’ll add a splash of almond extract if we want some zest, but it’s so perfect just as it is. My husband is a total dessert snob and keeps asking for this over and over again. Only tip: I use a metal straw for extra thick glaze lines.
I made this and it was in fact delicious. I kept thinking the sugar wasn’t dissolving for the glaze because it would cool in the pan and then harden and not be a syrup. I added some water and that solved it but I didn’t get the “frosted” glaze look as the syrup hardens once I poured it on the cake so now I get it 🙂 The bourbon was perfect amount to not be overly boozy – I had to reduce rum on the french apple cake because that was very boozy. Bourbon plays really well with this recipe. Also I was on vacation and didn’t have vanilla extract and the only thing in the house I could substitute was Mrs. Butterworths maple syrup. It worked thankfully 🙂 I know what you are thinking…..well how the heck did you have buttermilk and not vanilla extract. So the truth is I forgot the buttermilk when I went to grocery store so I went back a second time to pick that up and when I discovered I didn’t have vanilla I refused to show my face in that store again and looked at the “maple syrup” and said….be kind.