How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake
Visual leaner? Watch this cake get made from start to finish!
It’s that time again, people! Pound cake time!! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a pound cake recipe, right? Today we are making Kentucky Butter Cake, and baaaaby….. whoever invented this cake plays entirely too much!! It’s so simple yet so good and addictive!
My husband and I decided to do a high protein veggie diet this week. I made cake in advance for us to eat on our cheat day this weekend. Ummmm yeah…about that. We crashed and burned.
We devoured that poor cake the day it came out of the oven. I should have known better, but I thought I had stronger willpower than that. My husband suggested that we finish the cake off so that it won’t tempt us all week. Gosh, he has the best solutions, I tell ya!
I’m so tempted to say Kentucky Butter Cake is my new favorite, but we all know how that goes. But man, this cake is incredible.
What is Kentucky Butter Cake?
Kentucky Butter Cake starts with a super whipped batter pound cake batter. It has notes of vanilla and Rum. After it’s baked, holes are poked into and then drenched in vanilla rum-flavored buttery syrup. Yeah, this cake is taking no prisoners! It’s coming for all waistlines and man, is it worth it!!
Why is it called Kentucky Butter Cake?
If you’re wondering how this cake got its name, then that makes two of us. Seriously, I’ve been researching like crazy, and even on google, I can’t find an authentic story of how this cake came about. I came across a story about it being a Pillsbury bake-off winner and then another story that debunked that one. My guess is that the cake was made in Kentucky, and since it has lots of butter and a butter sauce, it’s called a Kentucky Butter Cake. Boom! No, but seriously, if you find the real story behind this cake, do share!
Kentucky Butter Cake With Rum or Brandy?
For me, Rum wins hands down! My preference is a bit of rum extract. It just gives the cake a nice hint of warm rum flavor that goes so great with the butter vanilla flavor. Some people opt to replace the water in the recipe with Rum for an even deeper rum flavor or brandy or brandy extract.
Kentucky butter cake is known for being super moist and tender, thanks to all that buttery syrup that oozes between the crumbs. It’s the perfect cake for shipping since it stays moist for so long.
Serve this cake the next day!
It’s true! To me, all pound cakes taste better the next day, but Kentucky Butter Cake is on a whole different level of fantastic the next day! The Rum has settled into this balanced flavor, and the buttery syrup has absorbed and is no longer wet. It’s pure perfection!! Definitely worth the wait!!
Kentucky Butter Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
BUTTER SYRUP
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl cream together butter and shortening on low speed, until combined.
- Alternate adding the eggs and sugar, mixing after each addition, just until combined, until batter is fluffy.
- Mix in vanilla extract and rum extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk until the batter is combined and fluffy.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan and give the pan a few shakes to release any air bubbles and level the surface.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes on the middle rack until cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Remove cake from oven and poke holes into the cake, being careful not to poke holes all the way through to the top. Set aside
- To make the syrup, melt butter in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the sugar and water and stir until sugar has dissolved.
- Keep stirring until butter mixture becomes foamy and thickens to the texture of a loose syrup (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add in vanilla and rum extract.
- Spoon the butter mixture over that cake so that is goes down in the holes. (Reserve about 1/4-1/2 cup of the mixture for brushing the outside of the cake.)
- Let sit for about 10 minutes or until the syrup is no longer sticky. (Don't let it sit for too long or the cake will become stuck in the pan)
- Carefully remove cake from cake pan and allow the cake to cool and the syrup to absorb, for about an hour.
- Reheat the leftover syrup and brush it all over the cake.
- Serve. (See tip for serving the next day)
Haven’t tried this yet because it’s still cooling. But it smells amazing! I substituted bourbon for the water in the glaze and THAT tastes fabulous! Can’t wait to try it.
Good morning! I made this cake over the weekend using a bundt pan and it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!
Can I use a round (tube) cake pan to bake this cake instead of a bundt pan?
My son loves to bake.I had ask him if he wanted to bake this recipe for me so he did last night and OMGG!! did I fall inlove with this recipe!? I sure did and it pairs well with a cup of coffee ☕️.. This cake is sooo good! A must keep recipe and thank you!
I made this cake and it is delish! It looked soo good I couldn’t wait till the next day. I had to try a small piece! Lol
Diva
You need to start making these to sell. I would put you on Shark Tank in a hot minute.
This cake is to die for. Sell it to everyone through them. You have a winner in this cake. Let me know about the shark tank too. You will have to make at least 1 dozen of them to take with you to the interview, but this cake is well worth all you do.
Forgot to add baking powder and it still came out great! Drizzling lemon on it gave it a great flavor too
Can I use just plain shortening? We don’t have butter flavoured here.
Oh My Goodness, this cake is just like I remember it being. It is so good. I’m so happy I found this recipe. Thank you so much. I can’t even try being on a diet now that I have this recipe.
What size pan was used for this cake? I followed the recipe and the batter ran over. I made due and the cake still came out excellent. This is one up my top cake recipes from you!
My aunt makes this but she adds a homemade strawberry puree and whipped cream! Its delicious!
I can’t hardly wait to make this cake. I knew a lady who made this cake all the time. I never knew what it was called. At the Holiday time, she would make several of them, because she always wanted extra in case people dropped by for dessert and coffee. I always did. I never got the recipe before she passed away but I have it now, and I’m going to tear it up. Thank you so much baby girl for this recipe!!!!!
What size bundt pan, please?
Can you use cake flour instead of all purpose?
Kentuckian here. I can honestly say I have no idea why this is called a Kentucky Butter Cake. Total honesty at home its just pound cake. This cake is at every reunion, church anniversary AKA Homecoming, Easter table and pretty much any event in between. Google Kentucky Jam Cake…you won’t be sorry.
LOL, I guess it’s just one of those recipes!
Hi Monique. Girl I made this cake the other day and I gave it an entire day before I cut it. When i tell you this cake was the bomb digity. That rum extract and that syrup my lawd. Cake came out perfect. Moist , delious. Wil make this cake again and again and again. This Kentucy Butter Cake won my HEART.
This cake was phenomenal, I made it with my grandson and it was a hit. I will make it again. It was easy, moist and tasty
How can I make this for a person of one? Need to break down measurements for half loaf.
I am not a baker AT ALL but, this cake looked
Soooo good I had to give it a try. Girl when I tell you this was a show to see. I accidentally mixed some of the sugar into the flour,
Almost forgot to add the shorting, and got flour EVERYWHERE try to use the hand mixer lol. But, I got through it and now I’m waiting for this project to cool so my family and I can enjoy it. Wish us luck !!
Oh wow!lol
this is my 3rd time making this cake tomorrow will be my fourth. thank you so much
Delicious cake! Thumbs up for sure. I did not use all the syrup that came with it. I also used salted butter and omitted adding salt to balance it. The syrup created a sugary coat to the top which made it a little crunchy…it was delicious! I will make again! Highly recommended. Oh, and I added a teaspoon of rum (McCormick) instead of 1/2.
Made it for guests, who loved it. Will make it again! Delicious!
Your recipe is very easy to follow, the cake turned out perfect and is so delicious! Rum extract makes it taste like a little slice of heaven. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!
whyyyyyyy is all I ask, why you do this to me? it ain’t right posting a cake like this!
It was delicious thank you!!
I’m trying it for the first time and I trust it’s going to be great
It is good…but didn’t rise as high as it was in the picture.
How can I make this cake as cupcakes. What would be the cooking time and temperature.
I don’t know about the name, but it definitely was a bake off winner that was published in a Pillsbury Bake Off Winner booklet.
I’m making this Kentucky Butter Cake today! I’m hoping it’s as delicious as your video.
Absolutely the best tasting and the texture is sooooo smooth and moist. Thanks Monique!
This cake was SOOOO good. I promised my dad and grandma I’d make them a cake the next time he was in town and I wanted to do something different. My grandmother “dropped” the plate meant for her roommate, so she ended up eating hers and her roommate’s pieces. My cousin couldn’t stop eating the pieces I sent for her and her husband. And my dad wanted way more rum, and was mad I gave half the cake away to others LOL. This will be my go-to from now on!
I made this cake for the first time two days ago and it is being requested again, so I made another one today. This cake is delicious and addictive!! Thank you for such a great recipe!!
This cake is sooo good. I made a tweek and made a pina colada version of it using crushed pineapple and a little pineapple juice in the batter and crushed pineapple and coconut rum in the glaze.
Haven’t made it yet. Scared it will be too sweet with sugar in the cake and the syrup. Any thoughts on this?
It’s definitely sweet, but in a balanced way if that makes sense lol.
I made this today but didn’t have shortening, rum extract or buttermilk, instead used all butter and plain Greek yogurt. Just left out the rum, figured it’d just taste like a regular pound cake. Very impatiently waiting until after dinner to eat it. In my oven it too about 1 hr 35 min to make. Thank you for the recipe!
This Kentucky Butter Cake is absolutely delicious! Made it today for the first time and shared with friends. I will be making it again. Thanks.
First off I want to let you know you are a gift to me lol . I’m looking to make this for Easter, but is it possible to make this in a bundt pan instead of a loaf pan? Also which brand of rum extract did you use for this ?
Hello Diva,
What brand of rum extract did you use for this recipe?
Mine tasted very good but it came out dry slightly. I’m not sure why I followed the recipe to the T. Any suggestions to add more moisture? It’s already really sweet so I didnt want to add any more syrup.
Can you substitute another 1/2 cup butter for the shortening?
This was a Pillsbury Bake-off Winner from back in the 60s or 70s. I use to have the Pillsbury bake-off book (not sure if I still do). I don’t remember the name of the person who made it but I do remember making it many times. It’s delicious. The only thing is that I am pretty sure there was no shortening in the recipe.
The Tunnel of Fudge cake as also a winner too.
I gave up sweets for Lent. Guess what I’m baking for Easter!!
I am so excited to make this Kentucky Butter Cake. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Can’t wait to try this! Would you mind sharing the brand of buttermilk you use? Every time I make a cake recipe with buttermilk it doesn’t turn out right. Thank you!
Make sure you use full fat buttermilk. Low fat kind will not turn out right. The brand I use is Gourmet. It has more than a quart but less than a half gallon in the bottle.
Hi,
While this isn’t my recipe I do plan on making it. I suggest using whole fat buttermilk, also another trick is letting the buttermilk come to room temperature. Set it out ten minutes are so before you start the rest of the steps. Those two things can make a lot of difference when it comes to the quality of the cake .
I also am in Kentucky and you knocked this one out of the park !! Is is fabulous…I have not used buttermilk in it before and I think that is what makes is the best I have ever had. Thanks for sharing.
Hi there. Looks great. I’m not a baker… But I was told and held by my Momma to use cake flour. I see this recipe use all purpose flour, can/how do I sub cake flour for the all purpose?
Hi,
While this isn’t my recipe I maybe if some assistance.
For every cup of all purpose flour substitute 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour
Since this calls for 3 cups of all purpose flour You’ll need 3 cups plus six table spoons of cake flour. Hope this helps!
I grew up in Kentucky, can’t wait to try this!