Pioneer Woman Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe

This moist, dense Pioneer Woman Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe is made with rich buttermilk and a sweet butter glaze, ready in just under two hours. The buttery vanilla sauce saturates the warm sponge through poked holes, creating an irresistible crystallized sugar crust on the outside. I love serving this simple yet elegant dessert for Sunday brunch or holiday gatherings.

The Secret To Getting It Right

I realized the hard way that impatience ruins this cake completely if you rush the process. If you try to flip the bundt pan before the cake has cooled completely, the heavy, syrup-soaked crumb will likely stick or collapse.

Allowing the glaze to set while the cake stays in the pan seals the moisture inside and helps the exterior firm up. It transforms a standard pound cake texture into something almost like a glazed donut in cake form, which is worth the wait.

Pioneer Woman Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Butter Glaze:

• ⅓ cup salted butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

How To Make Pioneer Woman Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe

1. Prep the Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan generously with butter or shortening, then dust with flour to ensure the cake releases later.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda at low speed until blended.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the buttermilk, softened butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Beat on low speed to moisten the ingredients, then increase to medium speed and beat for 3 minutes until creamy.
4. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Make the Glaze: About 5 minutes before the cake is done, combine the butter, sugar, water, and vanilla in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter melts and sugar dissolves, but do not let it boil.
6. Poke and Pour: Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes all over it using a skewer or chopstick. Pour the warm butter glaze slowly over the cake while it is still in the pan, letting it soak in.
7. Cool Completely: Let the cake cool in the pan completely (at least 2 hours) before inverting it onto a serving plate.

Recipe Tips

• Grease Generously: This cake is sticky due to the sugar glaze, so use a baking spray containing flour or manually grease and flour every crevice of your Bundt pan.
• Don’t Boil the Glaze: You only want to melt the sugar and butter together; boiling it can turn the mixture into candy rather than a soaking syrup.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature to prevent the batter from curdling when mixed with the butter.

What To Serve With Kentucky Butter Cake

Since this cake is incredibly rich and sweet, fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries cut through the sugar perfectly. A dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream also pairs beautifully with the dense crumb.

How To Store

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; the flavor actually improves the next day. For longer storage, wrap slices in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Why is my cake stuck in the pan?
This usually happens if the cake wasn’t cooled completely or the pan wasn’t greased enough. The glaze acts like glue when hot, so cooling hardens the crust and helps it release.

Can I use unsalted butter?
Yes, but you should increase the salt in the batter to 1 ¼ teaspoons. The salted butter gives this recipe its signature savory-sweet balance.

Can I make this in a regular tube pan?
Yes, a standard tube pan works well. Just keep an eye on the baking time as it might vary slightly depending on the pan material.

Nutrition

• Calories: 485
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 13g
• Cholesterol: 115mg
• Sodium: 340mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 68g
• Protein: 6g

Try More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Bourbon Butterscotch Blondies Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Cranberry Pear Crisp Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Saucepan Chocolate Cookies