Kentucky Butter Cake
For a sweet, decadent, and easy dessert, it's tough to beat an old-fashioned Kentucky butter cake!
Servings 12 slices
Calories 556kcal
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 cups cake flour (such as Swan's Down brand)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole buttermilk, well-shaken at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
GLAZE
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 2 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
BAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or tube pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, bourbon, and vanilla extract.
- Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar; beat on low speed just until incorporated. Mix in ½ of the buttermilk mixture. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients; beat on low speed until combined. Mix in the remaining buttermilk mixture, and then the remaining flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until the ingredients combine.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Tap gently on the counter a couple of time to release any big air bubbles.
- Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. My cakes are done in just 60 minutes, so check your cake early.
- Leave the cake in the pan and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
MAKE THE GLAZE
- Combine the sugar, butter, and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking or stirring often, until the mixture is smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract.
GLAZE THE CAKE
- While the cake is still in the pan, use a long wooden stick to poke holes all over.
- Gradually pour about ½ of the glaze over the cake, allowing time for the glaze to soak into the holes.
- Invert the cake onto a serving tray. Drizzle the remaining glaze over top.
- Let the cake cool completely and the glaze set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Grease the pan really well and then coat with flour, or use a nonstick baking spray.
- Properly measure the flour by spooning the flour into the cup and lightly leveling with the straight edge of a knife. Packing the measuring cup too tightly and using too much flour will result in a dry cake.
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they blend together smoothly, resulting in a pound cake with maximum volume.
- Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, at least 3-4 minutes. Whipping this air into the batter will help the cake rise during baking.
- Recipe adapted from Recipes from Miss Daisy's cookbook.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 822IU | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg