Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake
Recipe by:This Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake has a rich, buttery crumb that stays moist with homemade caramel sauce. It was carefully developed to be tender and easy to make without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1 grams) baking soda
- 1 cup (227 grams) butter softened
- 1 cup (220 grams) brown sugar
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) buttermilk room temperature
Butter Glaze and Caramel Sauce
- 14 tablespoons (196 grams) butter
- 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) water or ¼ water, ¼ cup rum or bourbon
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Thoroughly grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with butter, then dust with flour and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on low speed. Once the mixture is combined, increase the speed ot medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.5 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk, mixing on low speed and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Add half of the remaining flour, then all of the remaining buttermilk, and finally the remaining flour. Be careful not to overmix.1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack.
- As soon as the cake is finished baking, begin preparing the butter glaze by placing butter, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter has melted and the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.14 tablespoons butter, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Use a thin skewer to poke holes in the warm cake. Then pour 1 cup of the butter topping evenly over the cake, setting aside the remaining butter sauce to turn into caramel sauce. If the mixture pools on top of the cake, poke a few more holes. Set the cake aside for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to cool completely and absorb all of the glaze.
- Place the saucepan with the remaining butter sauce back onto the stove over medium heat and bring to a steady boil without stirring. Let it boil until it reaches a deep amber color.
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. It will bubble up as you pour it in. Stir gently until the sauce is smooth. Set aside to cool at room temperature. It will thicken as it cools.½ cup heavy cream
- Just before serving, drizzle the caramel sauce over the top of the cake and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.sea salt flakes
Notes
Greasing your Bundt pan well is key to ensuring your cake releases cleanly, especially if your pan has intricate details. There are two reliable ways to prep it:
Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’ve already added the caramel sauce, it’s best to store any leftovers in the refrigerator to keep the sauce fresh. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving for the best texture. Freezing:
You can freeze the cake without the caramel sauce. Wrap the fully cooled, glazed (but not caramel-topped) cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before adding the caramel sauce and serving.
- Butter and flour method: Rub about two tablespoons of soft butter over every part of the pan using your fingers, then dust with two tablespoons of flour. Tilt and rotate the pan to coat every crevice, and tap out the excess.
- Cake goop method: Mix equal parts shortening, oil, and flour, then brush the mixture onto the pan with a pastry brush for a smooth, even nonstick coating.
Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’ve already added the caramel sauce, it’s best to store any leftovers in the refrigerator to keep the sauce fresh. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving for the best texture. Freezing:
You can freeze the cake without the caramel sauce. Wrap the fully cooled, glazed (but not caramel-topped) cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before adding the caramel sauce and serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 934IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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