Easy Old-Fashioned Butter Pound Cake Recipe

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With a few simple ingredients, and 15 minutes you can make this incredibly easy old fashioned butter pound cake recipe — from scratch. A great recipe for an easy cake with buttery flavor and a tender crumb, that some also call a Kentucky Butter Cake with a to-die for buttery vanilla glaze on top.

This old fashioned pound cake recipe supremely moist, buttery and dense and I’ve taken it up a notch by making this warm vanilla sauce poured over the warm cake, seeping into all the nooks and crannies giving the top a sweet, crunchy, crusty sugary coating, simply dust on a little powdered sugar and you have an easy, delicious, portable dessert.

Want to take it another 10 notches higher? Drizzle this decadent Vanilla Caramel Bourbon Sauce on top and you’ll have people licking their plates, no seriously, I’ve had grown women ask if it’s okay.

I’ve adapted the cake slightly for my ingredients and for high altitude from Cookies & Cups original recipe. You simply toss all of the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer, mix until smooth and you’ve got an amazing Kentucky Butter Cake, that really is just an Old-Fashioned Butter Pound cake recipe!

What is an Old-Fashioned Butter Pound Cake?

Only the best cake you will ever make, perfect for special occasions and this easy recipe is easily made a head of time. Originally a traditional pound cake recipe has a pound of butter, a pound of flour, sugar, and eggs. But this is delicious version reduces the eggs slightly making it a little bit less dense than a classic recipe pound cake.

Simple Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and directions, print the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Butter | at room temperature. Use real butter, it’s not Kentucky Butter cake or Butter pound cake for nothing! Remember if it’s soft coming out of the fridge it’s not real butter. I used unsalted butter, if using salted butter, decrease the salt by ¼ teaspoon.
• Sugar | I use all-natural cane sugar, but regular white sugar may be used
• Eggs | You want all of your ingredients to be room temperature!
• Vanilla Extract | you will use a tablespoon worth, so be sure you have enough! Sometimes I use my homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract! YUM!
• All-purpose Flour | I use organic, unbleached AP flour in my baking, no need for cake flour here, told you it isn’t fussy!
• Salt, Baking Powder, Baking Soda | The trifecta for a perfect rise, with the right amount of density
• Buttermilk | Buttermilk adds wonderful moisture, tang and flavor, you can make your own if you don’t have any.

The Secret to Getting an Old-Fashioned Pound Cake to Release

Start by buttering a 10 cup bundt pan (a 12 cup pan will work too), really, really well! I take a soft stick of butter, hold it by the wrapper and smoosh away, then using a pastry brush, make sure you get into all of the ridges.

Then toss a couple tablespoons of flour into the buttered bundt cake pan, I like to do this over a trash can or sink, slowly turn the pan and pat the sides to allow the flour to coat all sides. This is a great video showing you how.

OR, use a REALLY good baking spray that already contains flour, like this Bak-Klene, a favorite of mine, along with this Gluten-Free version from La Tourangelle Baking Spray. Not all baking sprays work for this cake, so proceed with caution and if in doubt, use the butter and flour method.

How to Make Kentucky Butter Cake

Preheat the oven to 325F (350F for High Altitude) and make sure you have prepped your bundt pan or tube pan very well! See above about getting your cake to release.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place all ingredients in order listed. You may also use an electric mixer (hand mixer) with a large batter bowl.

Pour in buttermilk* mixing on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to medium speed and mix for 3-4 minutes. For best results beat on the longer side, especially if you used all-natural cane sugar.

Pour the cake batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth batter to even out. Place the bundt pan with batter on a cutting board or hot pad and give it a few gentle taps to settle the batter.

Bake for 65-75 minutes until toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven onto wire rack.

Make Vanilla Butter Glaze

Add all ingredients into small pan over medium-low heat and stir until the butter is melted and dissolved. Do not boil.

Poke holes all over the warm cake, using a skewer or a knife, then pour the glaze over the warm cake and allow to cool completely in the pan (this will form the sweet crust on the cake). When cake is completely cooled, invert pan onto serving plate, dust with powdered sugar.

TOP TIPS

• If your bundt cake sticks | simply warm cake in pan in a preheated 325° oven for 5 minutes, invert immediately onto a plate and allow to cool completely. You might need to release the sides of the cake, carefully using a butter knife prior to heating and then releasing.
• Room Temperature | All of your ingredients should be at room temperature, this will ensure the best, tender crumb and moist cake.

This easy pound cake recipe, is a decadent cake and will not disappoint! Give it a try this Christmas, Easter, Derby Day, Mother’s Day or bring to your next potluck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations & Substitutions

• I love a basic cake that with a few slight changes you can make into just about any flavor! Think of the Kentucky Butter cake as a blank canvas!
• Replace the vanilla with lemon extract, almond flavoring (add a little at a time, as almond flavoring can be strong), peppermint, chocolate flavor, and even rum extract.
• Serve topped with your favorite chocolate sauce, or go one better with this hot fudge sauce.
• Or take it to another level with strawberry syrup or cook up a simple strawberry sauce (or raspberries) and serve with fresh berries, kind of like a strawberry shortcake.

High Altitude Adjustments

I did not alter the ingredients at all for high altitude, if you are above 7,000 feet, you may want to reduce your baking soda and baking powder by ¼ teaspoon.

Otherwise make as directed, but do BAKE AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE, preheat and bake at 350 degrees, unless you are using a dark coated pan.

Don’t forget your Mint Juleps and the Caramel Bourbon Sauce! And may the best horse (and jockey) win! Wanna take this totally over the top, try making the cake and sauce with my Bourbon Vanilla Extract.

More great bundt cakes

• Best White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake {Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat Recipe}
• Nothing Bundt Cake Recipe | Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundtlets and Bundt Cake
• Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
• Pear Bundt Cake
• Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake

If you loved this old-fashioned butter pound cake recipe please leave a comment below.

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Kentucky Butter Cake

Author: Kathleen | The Fresh Cooky

4.77 from 34 votes

This Kentucky Butter Cake is simply delicious and ridiculously easy! You can’t mess it up! Rich buttery pound cake drenched in a vanilla sauce and if desired, served with Vanilla Bourbon Caramel sauce.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Sweets

Cuisine American

Servings 12 -16 slices

Calories 474 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  KitchenAid  5-Qt. Artisan Design Series with Glass Bowl – Sea Glass
• ▢
  Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

CAKE

• ▢ 1 cup butter, room temp, cubed
• ▢ 2 cups sugar, I use all-natural cane sugar, regular white may be used
• ▢ 4 large eggs, room temp
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, not teaspoon

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour, I use unbleached
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk*

VANILLA BUTTER GLAZE

• ▢ 1/3 cup butter
• ▢ 3/4 cup natural, unbleached cane sugar (granulated may be substituted)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Prepare your 10-12 cup bundt pan by slathering with butter, using a pastry brush if needed to get up and down the sides and the center tube siding. Dust the bundt pan with a few tablespoons of flour, knocking out any excess. Set aside.
• Preheat your oven to 325° F, see Notes for high altitude adjustments.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer works too) place ingredients in order listed. Mix on low for 30 seconds to combine ingredients, slowly increasing speed to medium for 3-4 minutes. Mix a bit longer if you’ve used natural cane sugar as it’s more granular. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
• The cake should be a beautiful golden color and have some small cracks on top. Remove from oven and set on cooling rack.

Butter Glaze

• In a small saucepan, place all glaze ingredients and stir consistently over medium-low heat. Stir until butter and sugar is dissolved, if using natural cane sugar, reduce your heat slightly and stir, cooking a bit longer. Do not boil. Remove from stovetop once the glaze has thickened slightly and set aside.
• Using a butterknife or chopstick, poke holes all over cake, trying to go all of the way to the bottom of the cake, this will allow that glaze to seep through the entire cake. Pour warm glaze evenly over the warm cake, I like to pour a little extra at the edges and center, so those get extra crunchy with the glaze as it cools. Allow cake to cool completely in pan.
• Once cooled, invert pan onto serving plate. It might help to carefully insert a butter knife along the edges and sides of cake if it's sticking a bit. If that doesn't do the trick, place cake in preheated 325°F oven for 5 minutes, remove and invert immediately. Allow to cool before dusting with sugar. Dust cooled cake with powdered sugar.
• If desired, serve cake with warmed Bourbon Vanilla Sauce. Cake is fresh for up to 3 days, a week in the fridge or up to a couple months if frozen.

✱ Kathleen’s Tips

No Buttermilk? No problem, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk, stir and let stand 5 minutes.

Forget to bring your eggs to room temp? Simply immerse eggs in bowl of warm water for 10 minutes while you prep the rest of your ingredients.

High Altitude Adjustments

I did not alter the ingredients at all for high altitude, if you are above 7,000 feet, you may want to reduce your baking soda and baking powder by ¼ teaspoon.

Otherwise make as directed, but do BAKE AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE, preheat and bake at 350 degrees, unless you are using a dark coated pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Calories: 474 kcal Carbohydrates: 59 g Protein: 7 g Fat: 24 g Saturated Fat: 14 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 120 mg Sodium: 490 mg Potassium: 117 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 35 g Vitamin A: 768 IU Vitamin C: 1 mg Calcium: 82 mg Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About Kathleen Pope

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.