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Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake

Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake

Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake is a rich and moist Southern dessert featuring a tender butter cake base glazed with a luscious, gooey salted caramel sauce. This sweet and salty treat perfectly balances buttery softness with the distinctive flavor of salted caramel, making it an irresistible crowd-pleaser suitable for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend for variation)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Salted Caramel Glaze

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy-free)
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Batter: Cream together room-temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract. Alternately add sifted flour combined with baking powder and buttermilk to the mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients, to create a smooth, thick batter.
  2. Bake the Cake: Pour batter into a greased Bundt or tube pan. Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The low and slow baking ensures a tender, buttery crumb.
  3. Prepare the Salted Caramel Glaze: While the cake bakes, combine brown sugar, unsalted butter, heavy cream, and sea salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth and thickened, then remove from heat.
  4. Glaze and Cool: When the cake is warm from the oven, poke holes on top with a skewer or fork. Slowly pour the warm salted caramel glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Let the cake cool completely to set the glaze before slicing.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth creaming and better texture.
  • Do not overmix when adding flour to avoid a tough cake.
  • Prepare the glaze while the cake bakes so it can be poured immediately.
  • Choose a high-quality sea salt for the best salty contrast.
  • Let the cake cool fully before slicing to allow the glaze to stabilize.

Nutrition

Keywords: Salted caramel cake, Kentucky butter cake, Southern dessert, caramel glaze, butter cake, moist cake, salted caramel, bundt cake