Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake

Intensely buttery and moist, this Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake practically melts in your mouth! The cake is drenched in a rich butter sauce and topped with a salted caramel glaze that adds a salty-sweet twist to the classic bundt cake.  

What Is Kentucky Butter Cake? 

Kentucky butter cake is an incredibly rich, slightly dense, and very buttery bundt cake. It’s similar to pound cake, but it’s lighter in texture and has a more pronounced butter flavor thanks to the butter sauce that’s poured over the cake after it’s taken out of the oven. 

What makes this version so special is the salted caramel glaze that’s drizzled over the cake before serving. That hint of salt makes for a more interesting cake, in my opinion. The contrast of salty and sweet flavors makes this Kentucky butter bundt cake stand out from the crowd! 

This cake would be the perfect addition to any Easter, Mother’s Day, or Memorial Day dessert tables. And, of course, it would be the perfect sweet treat to serve while watching the Kentucky Derby! 

Since the cake is drenched in butter sauce, it stays beautifully moist for days. It’s a wonderful make-ahead dessert to keep in mind for any upcoming parties or family gatherings you have on the books. 

If you’re watching the Kentucky Derby this year, make sure to pair the butter cake with Blackberry Mint Juleps. The mint julep has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939!

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need 

You’ll need a few specific pieces of kitchen equipment to make this impressive (yet easy!) salted caramel butter cake:

• Measuring Cups and Spoons — Needed for any baking recipe. 
• Liquid Measuring Cup — For measuring the buttermilk. 
• Mixing Bowls — You’ll need to combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them to the wet ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer. 
• 10- or 12-Cup Bundt Pan — Use a plain bundt pan or one with a fun design. 
• Stand Mixer — If you don’t have a stand mixer, you may use a large mixing bowl and an electric handheld mixer instead. 
• Silicone Spatula — This is a fairly thick cake batter, so you’ll want to periodically scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure everything is combined evenly. 
• Medium Saucepan — For preparing both the butter sauce and the caramel glaze. 
• Cooling Rack — The bundt cake must cool on a rack after being inverted. 
• Parchment Paper — I like to place a large piece of parchment paper beneath the cooling rack to catch the excess butter sauce that drips off of the cake. 

Ingredients in Kentucky Butter Cake

This salted caramel bundt cake recipe has three components: the butter cake, the butter sauce, and the salted caramel glaze. Here’s everything you’ll need to add to your shopping list for this recipe: 

• All-purpose flour 
• Baking powder
• Table salt 
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar 
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract 
• Buttermilk 
• Water
• Salted caramel sauce

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this salted caramel Kentucky butter cake, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Ingredient Substitutions 

• Baking Powder — Can be replaced with DIY baking powder, if you ran out. You’ll need baking soda and cream of tartar to make your own baking powder substitute. 
• Buttermilk — There are a few different ways to make buttermilk yourself, but for this particular recipe I prefer combining whole milk and either lemon juice or white vinegar. 
• Salted Caramel Sauce — Homemade salted caramel sauce will of course taste the best, but if you’re in a rush you can also use your favorite store-bought salted caramel sauce. 

How to Make Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake 

This crowd-pleasing cake is very simple to prepare! It’s essentially a massive poke cake, and because it’s made in a bundt pan you don’t have to worry about stacking cake layers or decorating it with frosting. 

Step 1: Make the Butter Cake 

1. Preheat your oven and liberally grease your bundt pan. 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter smooth. Then, add the sugar. 
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
4. Add one-third of the dry ingredients, mix until combined, then add one-third of the buttermilk. Repeat this process until the cake batter comes together. 
5. Turn the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Step 2: Make the Butter Sauce

1. In a saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, water, and vanilla. Simmer for 1 minute and then remove from the heat. 
2. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, poke it all over with a fork and pour HALF of the butter sauce over top. 
3. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. 
4. Once inverted, poke holes all over the top of the cake and pour on the remaining butter sauce. 

Step 3: Top with Salted Caramel Sauce 

1. Make the salted caramel sauce. 
2. When the butter bundt cake is completely cool, drizzle with salted caramel sauce. 
3. Slice and serve! 

The above is simply a quick summary of this butter cake recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

FAQs About This Recipe 

Got questions about how to make this salted caramel Kentucky butter cake? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

What’s the difference between Kentucky butter cake and pound cake?

Kentucky butter cake looks and tastes very similar to pound cake, but there are a few key differences between the two. 

• Pound cake was originally made using a full pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. It’s a moist yet very dense cake, with a rich and buttery flavor.  
• Kentucky butter cake is lighter in texture yet still super rich thanks to the butter sauce. Unlike pound cake, butter cakes contain baking powder which adds some lift. The buttermilk keeps the cake ultra tender and moist.

What’s the best type of butter for butter cakes? 

You’ll want to use high-quality unsalted butter to make this recipe. There are 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) of butter in the recipe, and if you use salted butter the cake could wind up being too salty. 

What size bundt pan should I use? 

I made this Kentucky butter cake in a 12-cup bundt pan, but it will also work in a 10-cup pan. 

How do I prevent bundt cakes from sticking to the pan? 

In a bowl, whisk together equal parts shortening, a neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil), and flour — 1⁄4 cup each will be ample amounts.

Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, use a pastry brush to coat the inside of your bundt pan generously. Your bundt cake should come out easily without sticking to the pan whatsoever! 

Can this recipe be made without a bundt pan? 

Possibly, but Kentucky butter cake is traditionally made in a bundt pan. 

Alternate baking pan options include an 11×7-inch pan, which holds 10 cups of batter, OR a 9×13-inch pan, which holds 14 cups of batter. 

Note that bundt pans are very deep and therefore the butter cake needs to bake for a full hour.  Rectangular baking dishes are much shallower, so you’ll need to adjust the baking time accordingly. Watch your cake very closely if you use a different kind of baking pan! 

Can the salted caramel sauce be omitted? 

Yes, you may omit the salted caramel sauce if you want to make a classic Kentucky butter cake. Then serve with a side of whipped cream (with a splash of bourbon!) and/or fresh fruit.

Storage Instructions 

Store the salted caramel Kentucky butter cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The butter sauce keeps the cake ultra fresh and very moist. 

If you don’t use all of the caramel sauce for the cake, leftovers can be stored in the fridge and can be gently reheated in the microwave to loosen it to a pourable consistency. 

Can the Cake Be Frozen? 

Yes, the entire cake can be frozen without the caramel glaze on top. Or, individual slices can be double wrapped and frozen for up to one month. 

Defrost the frozen cake in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before drizzling with caramel sauce and enjoying.

Try Making This Kentucky Butter Cake at Home! 

Next time you’re looking for an easy butter cake recipe, give this Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake a try! 

Did you think it was intensely buttery and moist? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo! 

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