Kentucky Butter Cake: A Rich, Buttery Bundt Cake

There are some recipes that are worth the extra butter—and Kentucky Butter Cake is definitely one of them!

The whole fam helped me make this one, which always makes baking a little more fun. And when I tell you this cake is BUTTERY, I mean it. It starts with a rich homemade Bundt cake, but the real magic happens after it comes out of the oven. You poke holes all over the warm cake and pour a homemade butter sauce over it so it can soak right in.

The result is a moist, dense, buttery cake with a sweet, slightly crisp outside. And the best part? It’s actually better the next day.

That is my kind of dessert. Make it ahead, get it out of the way, and dessert is ready when you need it!

Why You’ll Love This Kentucky Butter Cake

This is one of those simple cakes that doesn’t need a bunch of decorations or fancy frosting to be good.

• Perfect for making ahead — the flavor and texture get even better as it sits.
• No frosting required — the butter sauce does all the work.
• Great for a crowd — one Bundt cake gives you plenty of servings.
• Simple ingredients — most are basic baking staples.
• So moist — that warm butter sauce soaks right into the cake.

Kentucky Butter Cake Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Butter Sauce

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup water
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

For the Bundt Pan

• Softened butter or shortening
• Flour

How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake

1. Prepare the Bundt Pan

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Grease a 10-inch, 12-cup Bundt pan really well. Make sure you get into every little groove because there is nothing more disappointing than making a beautiful Bundt cake and leaving half of it stuck in the pan!

Coat the greased pan with a little flour.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate measuring cup or bowl, stir the vanilla into the buttermilk.

3. Cream the Butter and Sugar

Beat the softened butter and 2 cups of sugar together for about 3–4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Don’t rush this step. Giving the butter and sugar enough time to cream together helps give the cake its texture.

4. Add the Eggs

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition.

5. Finish the Batter

With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture.

Start and finish with the flour and mix only until everything is combined.

Spoon the batter evenly into your prepared Bundt pan and give the pan a few gentle taps on the counter to help remove any large air pockets.

6. Bake

Bake at 325°F for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs.

Let the cake rest in the pan for about 5 minutes.

The Best Part: Butter Sauce!

While the cake is still warm, use a chopstick, skewer or something similar to poke holes all over it. You want the holes to go most of the way through the cake without going completely through.

Add the sugar, butter, water and salt to a saucepan and heat over low heat until the butter is melted and everything is combined.

Don’t let the sauce boil.

Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla and cinnamon, if you’re using it.

Set aside about ¼ cup of the butter sauce.

Slowly pour or spoon the rest of the warm sauce over the cake while it’s still in the Bundt pan. Go slowly so the cake has time to absorb all that buttery goodness.

Let it sit for about 30 minutes.

Carefully loosen the edges and invert the cake onto your serving plate.

Once the cake has completely cooled, gently warm the reserved butter sauce and brush or spoon it over the outside of the cake.

Finding Easy Tip: Make It the Day Before!

Here’s the part I really love about this recipe: don’t make it the day you need it!

Kentucky Butter Cake gets even better after it sits overnight. The butter sauce has time to work its way through the cake, making it even more moist and flavorful.

If you’re having people over, make the cake the night before, cover it, and dessert is DONE.

One less thing to worry about the day everyone comes over? Yes, please.

What If I Don’t Have Buttermilk?

No buttermilk? Don’t make a special trip to the store.

Pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup, then add regular milk until you reach 1 cup.

Stir it together and let it sit for about 10 minutes before adding it to the recipe.

Easy!

What to Serve With Kentucky Butter Cake

This cake really doesn’t need anything else, but if you’re serving it for a special occasion, try it with:

• Fresh strawberries or mixed berries
• Whipped cream
• Vanilla ice cream
• A light dusting of powdered sugar
• Coffee — definitely coffee!

How to Store Kentucky Butter Cake

Let the cake cool completely, then keep it tightly covered at room temperature.

It’s especially good the next day and should stay delicious for several days—which makes it a great dessert to bake ahead for holidays, parties or company.

A Cake Worth Making Again

I love an impressive dessert that doesn’t require me to pipe frosting, decorate layers or spend half the day making it look perfect.

Kentucky Butter Cake is simple, old-fashioned and REALLY good.

And getting to make this one with my son made it even better.

If you’re looking for a dessert you can make ahead and have ready to go when you need it, save this Kentucky Butter Cake recipe.

For more easy recipes, shortcuts and ideas that make busy life a little easier, stick around Finding Easy!

Recipe Credit: This recipe was adapted from the Kentucky Butter Cake recipe by Carlsbad Cravings. Visit Carlsbad Cravings for the original recipe and their complete recipe notes.