Kentucky Butter Cake

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 moistens the cake (and I mean really moistens) 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. Why does this matter? 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” or “quick-mix” method. This involves mixing all the dry ingredients with the butter and some of the liquid first, then adding the remaining liquid ingredients.

This method is not only faster and easier than the traditional creaming method, but it also yields incredibly tender and fine-textured cakes.

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, vanilla, and salt.

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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