Okay, I’m just gonna say it—Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake is hands-down one of the best things to ever come out of my oven. And that’s saying a lot, because I’ve had my fair share of messy pie crusts, sunken brownies, and don’t-even-ask-about-it banana breads.
But this? This one’s different. It’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s got that rich buttery crumb that practically melts on your tongue—and the caramel glaze? Forget about it. I could pour that stuff over my life and be happy.
The First Time I Made This Cake (And Kinda Messed It Up)
I’ll be honest—first time I made this cake, I didn’t even plan on it. I was supposed to bake a birthday cake for my cousin, but I forgot to buy cocoa powder (rookie move). I had butter, sugar, flour, and a tub of sour cream sitting in the fridge. And by some wild Google spiral, I landed on a butter cake recipe.
But I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I had this jar of salted caramel sauce just hangin’ out in the pantry, and I thought, “Okay, what if we pour this on top and see what happens?”
Y’all. What happened was magic. Pure, buttery, golden-brown magic.
What Is Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake Anyway?
So technically, it’s a moist vanilla-butter cake baked in a bundt pan (because bundt pans just make everything prettier), soaked in a warm butter-sugar-vanilla glaze after baking. What makes Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake special is the hit of salted caramel added to that glaze—or drizzled on top if you’re feelin’ fancy.
It’s rich without being too much, sweet without being cloying, and the salted caramel keeps it from turning into a sugar bomb.
Ingredients You’ll Need (Nothing Weird, Promise)
Here’s what I used the last time I made it—and honestly, I try to keep these on hand all the time:
- 3 sticks of unsalted butter (yep, go big or go home)
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream (don’t skip this—it’s the key to that moist crumb)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the glaze:
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup butter
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tsp vanilla
- A few spoonfuls of salted caramel sauce (store-bought works great)
Optional but highly recommended: a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top.
How To Make It (Without Losing Your Mind)
This cake looks fancy, but it’s not high-maintenance. Here’s how I do it:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease the heck out of your bundt pan. Like, get in there. Use butter and flour or baking spray with flour in it. Don’t skip this or your cake will cling for dear life.
- Cream the butter and sugar until it’s fluffy and pale. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one.
- Mix in sour cream and vanilla. It’ll look kinda curdled—totally normal.
- Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately. I go flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour.
- Pour into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake for about 70 minutes, but start checking around 60. A toothpick should come out clean.
- Make the glaze while the cake is baking: combine sugar, butter, water, and vanilla in a saucepan. Simmer till everything’s melted and syrupy. Then stir in your salted caramel.
- Poke holes in the cake right after it comes out, and pour that warm glaze all over it. Let it soak in and cool completely before turning out.
Don’t rush the cooling part—this cake is tender, and flipping it too soon is a gamble I don’t recommend.
Tips From My Kitchen (Because We’ve All Been There)
- Out of buttermilk? Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes and boom, you’re set.
- Use real butter. I tried margarine once and… nope. Not worth it.
- Don’t skimp on the glaze. That soak is where the flavor magic happens.
How To Serve It (Besides Straight From The Pan)
Sure, you can eat it plain—and trust me, it holds up. But if you wanna make it extra special:
- Warm up a slice in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Drizzle more caramel on top (go wild, you earned it).
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the full experience.
- Sprinkle sea salt right before serving—it really wakes up the flavor.
Final Thoughts (And Why This Cake Lives In My Recipe Box Forever)
This Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake has become my go-to for birthdays, holidays, and just-because nights when I need a little pick-me-up. It’s nostalgic, warm, and somehow feels like a hug from your Southern aunt you haven’t seen in a while.
And every time I bring it to a party, someone always pulls me aside and whispers, “What’s in that glaze?!”
Honestly, I just smile and say, “Butter. Lots of it.”
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