Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake with Bourbon

butter cake on a platter with caramel glaze.

Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake with Bourbon

This Kentucky butter cake is soaked in a boozy, sugary, bourbon butter sauce. As if that's not enough, the moist and delicious cake is topped with a decadent salted caramel glaze and garnished with candied pecans. This cake recipe is a boozy twist on a southern classic!

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: 16 slices

Equipment

1 fluted bunt pan (12 cup capacity)

Ingredients

Butter Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs large
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk room temperature

Bourbon Butter Sauce

½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar packed
¼ cup bourbon

Salted Caramel Glaze

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar packed
⅓ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Butter Cake

Place a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit 20 minutes before baking your cake. Spray pan thoroughly with baking spray* and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed for one minute, or until smooth and creamy. Add granulated sugar, and continue to cream on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low only until incorporated. Slowly mix in vanilla extract. Be careful not to overmix after the eggs have been added to the batter.
With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds. Stir ingredients after each addition but only until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixer to ensure that all ingredients are well combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for approximately 60 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Once a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, your cake is done.

Bourbon Butter Sauce

First, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add water, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Bring everything to a boil and then simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour in the bourbon.
Once the cake is finished, set the pan on a cooling rack. Use a long skewer to poke holes all over the warm cake (it should still be in the pan). Very slowly, pour the sauce over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 3 hours (up to overnight).

Salted Caramel Glaze

Combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. For one minute, continue to stir the mixture continuously as it boils. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
Once boiling, whisk the mixture for 1 minute as it thickens. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
Pour the caramel glaze over the cooled cake and garnish with candied pecans (see link to recipe in notes) if desired.

Heather's Helpful Hints

Releasing the Cake: If you are having trouble releasing the cake, place it in a 325-degree oven for 5-10 minutes. This should warm things up enough for the cake to release.
Bourbon: I prefer Woodford Reserve bourbon in this recipe. However, you should add whatever your favorite bourbon is since that will be a predominant flavor in the cake. If you are abstaining from alcohol, simply use non-alcoholic bourbon instead.
Candied Pecans: Use this recipe for candied pecans, if you want to add them as a garnish.
Buttermilk: You can use full-fat or low-fat buttermilk in this recipe. If you don't have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.
Baking Spray: Use a nonstick cooking spray with flour added such as Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour.

Nutrition

This recipe was found on My Sweet Precision. Thank you for visiting!