Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake: A Beginner’s Guide to Decadent Baking
Enjoy the rich caramel flavors of this Butter Cake. Buttery cake soaked in caramel sauce creates a sweet treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15-25 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Mixing, Sauce Making
- Cuisine: American, Southern
Ingredients
- Flour (3 cups)
- Sugar (2 cups)
- Salt (1 tsp)
- Baking powder (1 tsp)
- Baking soda (½ tsp)
- Buttermilk (1 cup)
- Butter (1 cup)
- Vanilla (2 tsp)
- Eggs (4)
- Sugar (¾ cup)
- Butter (⅓ cup)
- Water (3 tbsp)
- Vanilla (2 tsp)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan (The Preparation Process): Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Generously grease and flour a Bundt pan. This ensures the cake releases easily after baking and prevents it from sticking to the pan. You can also use a baking spray with flour.
- Combine Dry Ingredients (The Dry Mixture): In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisking ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
- Combine Wet Ingredients (The Wet Mixture): In the same bowl, add the buttermilk, room temperature butter, vanilla extract, and large eggs.
- Mix the Batter (The Batter Blending): With an electric mixer set to low speed, mix the ingredients until moistened. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes. This incorporates air into the batter, resulting in a light and fluffy cake. Avoid overmixing, especially once the flour is added, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and result in a tough cake.
- Pour Batter into Pan (The Batter Placement): Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake the Cake (The Baking Brilliance): Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This indicates the cake is fully cooked. The top of the cake should be golden brown.
- Cool the Cake (The Cooling Conclusion): Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. This helps the cake firm up slightly and makes it easier to release from the pan.
- Prepare the Sauce (The Sauce Synthesis): While the cake cools, combine the granulated sugar, butter, water, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.
- Melt the Sauce (The Melting Moment): Stir the sauce continuously until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Do not let the sauce boil, as this can cause it to crystallize.
- Pierce the Cake (The Piercing Process): Once the cake has cooled slightly, pierce it with a fork or skewer, creating small holes for the caramel sauce to seep into. This helps the cake absorb the sauce evenly.
- Pour the Sauce (The Sauce Saturation): Slowly pour the warm caramel sauce over the cake, allowing it to soak into the holes and coat the surface. Ensure the sauce is evenly distributed over the cake.
- Cool Completely (The Cooling Completion): Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving. This allows the caramel sauce to set and the cake to fully absorb the flavors.
Notes
- Grease and flour Bundt pan.
- Don’t boil caramel sauce.
- Cool before slicing.