14 Shares

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend so I figured this would be a good time to share the Kentucky Butter Cake from my cookbook! Even though it doesn’t really have anything to do with the derby! What I love about this cake is that it’s one of those really solid recipes that can stand by itself. It’s a soft and buttery bundt cake that’s 100% perfect on it’s own.

But the “Kentucky” part is adding a bourbon soak, preferably with a brand of Kentucky bourbon if you can get your hands on some, and also tossing a couple of tablespoons of bourbon into the whipped cream. OR you could do a bourbon glaze. OR just a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

It’s a blank canvas and you can enjoy it on its own or top it however you like. You can completely leave off the bourbon soak too if that’s not really your thing. It also goes really well with some fresh, juicy berries. Little drizzle of honey. Mmm.

With Mother’s Day being this weekend as well, I think you could also whip one of these up for mom and she’d totally love it. It’s one of those cakes that’s good for all occasions, honestly.

The main thing to note with this Kentucky Butter Cake is that it’s a bundt and sometimes those things are hard to get out of the pan. Make sure to generously butter and flour the pan and you’ll be set! Another option is to spray the pan with baking spray and then flour it after that.

For more Kentucky Derby recipes, you can take a look at this Kentucky Derby Pie (so yum) and these Honeysuckle Mint Juleps!

For more Mother’s Day inspo, check out these strawberry cupcakes, this browned butter hummingbird cake, this rosemary meyer lemon cake, and this blackberry jam cake!

Happy almost weekend, friends!

print this recipe pin on pinterest ·

Kentucky Butter Cake

Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Kentucky Butter Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup butter room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or use vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Bourbon Soak:

½ cup bourbon
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar

Bourbon Whipped Cream:

1 ½ cups heavy cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp bourbon

Garnishes:

Fresh berries
Powdered sugar
Mint
Honey

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Add eggs and mix until just combined. Add flour mixture and buttermilk. Mix until well blended. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
To make the bourbon soak, combine bourbon, water, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently until sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking until mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Use a wooden pick to poke holes all over the cake in the bundt pan. Drizzle bourbon soak over cake and let sit until cake is cool.
Four the bourbon whipped cream, whip heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. While mixer is running, add powdered sugar and bourbon. Whip until stiff peaks form.
Invert cake onto a cake plate. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve cake with bourbon whipped cream and fresh berries.