Best Butter Cake Recipes

BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment or wax paper, or dust lightly with flour.
• Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
• Beat butter and white sugar until fluffy and light in color. Gradually add eggs, beating well after each addition; stir in vanilla. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Stir until just blended (see Cook's Note for Blueberry Cake variation). Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for until cake springs back when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely.

PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Whisk flour, white sugar, and baking soda together in a bowl. Beat 1/2 cup milk, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into flour mixture using an electric mixer on low until smooth.
• Cook and stir water, 1/2 cup butter, vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup peanut butter together in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir peanut butter mixture into flour mixture until batter is well mixed; pour onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup peanut butter together in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth; add 1/3 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk confectioners' sugar into mixture until icing is smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour icing over warm cake.

OOEY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Mix cake mix and 2 eggs together in a bowl. Add butter and vanilla extract; mix until batter is smooth and thick. Spread batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, and 2 eggs together in a bowl until smooth; spread over batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sides of cake are pulled away from dish and browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool cake completely. Sprinkle more confectioners' sugar over cooled cake.

BLUE-RIBBON BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges and center tube of pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack over waxed paper. , For sauce, combine the sugar, butter and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in extracts., Poke holes in the top of the warm cake; spoon 1/4 cup sauce over cake. Let stand until sauce is absorbed. Repeat twice. Poke holes into sides of cake; brush remaining sauce over sides. Cool completely.

BUTTER PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Pour melted butter in a baking pan. Stir in pecans. Toast at 350° for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. , In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in vanilla and 1 cup toasted pecans. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , Meanwhile, for frosting, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy. Add additional milk if needed. Stir in remaining toasted pecans. Spread between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake.

CHOCOLATE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Mix cake mix, butter, 2 eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Pat into the prepared pan.
• Mix cream cheese, cocoa powder, and remaining eggs together in another bowl with an electric mixer. Beat in powdered sugar slowly. Pour over cake layer in the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool.

ULTIMATE BUTTER POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang over 2 sides.
• Combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Pour batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Lift cake out of the loaf pan using the overhanging parchment paper. Place on a wire rack and cool completely before slicing, about 30 minutes.

THE BEST BUTTER PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Put the 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter in a shallow baking pan with the chopped pecans and put the pan in the oven for 15- 20 minutes, stirring the pecans and melted butter every few minutes, until the fragrance is wonderfully toasty.
• Watch carefully near the end to avoid burning.
• Remove from pan and set aside.
• Grease and flour three 8 or 9-inch round layer cake pans.
• Prepare the cake: In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the 3/4 cup (1 1/2) sticks of butter.
• Beat in the 2 cups of sugar, creaming well.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the 2 teaspoons of vanilla to the milk.
• Beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds, alternating with the milk mixture.
• Fold in 1 1/3 cups of the butter-toasted pecans into the cake batter.
• Divide batter equally into the prepared pans.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Cool and remove from pans.
• Prepare the frosting: Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat and stir in the flour.
• Stir until all of the flour has been moistened or at least colored a little by the butter.
• Stir in the milk just a little at a time, stirring constantly and incorporating all the milk each time before adding more, working to incorporate all the flour and avoid lumps.
• Continue until all the milk is in and the mixture is thickened and smooth.
• Transfer to the small bowl of an electric mixer, and beat to remove any lumps you missed.
• Cool completely.
• When the flour mixture is cool, beat in the teaspoon of vanilla, then the softened butter.
• Add the 1 cup of sugar, and beat 2 minutes at medium speed, until the mixture is fluffy and no graininess from sugar remains.
• Fold in the fat-free Cool Whip and the remaining 2/3 cup of butter-toasted pecans.
• Fill and frost the top of the cake.

BOTERKOEK (DUTCH BUTTER CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8 inch round cake pans, or 9 inch pie plates.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, reserving just enough to brush over the tops, about 1 tablespoon. Stir in the almond extract. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter by hand using a sturdy spoon. The dough will be stiff.
• Press evenly into the two prepared pans. Press almond halves into the top where each slice would be. Brush the tops with a thin layer of the reserved egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve.

PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKE (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• To make the cake: Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
• Pat batter into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan with hands into an even layer.
• Prepare filling.
• To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.
• Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together.
• Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.
• Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
• Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.
• Serve with fresh whipped cream or cinnamon-flavored ice cream.

CRANBERRY MOLASSES CAKE WITH SWEET BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, the molasses and water with whisk. In medium bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda. Stir flour mixture into liquid mixture just until moistened; fold in cranberries. Pour mixture in pan.
• Bake 37 to 42 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat Sweet Butter Sauce ingredients to simmering over medium heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and sugar is dissolved.
• Spray edge of sharp knife with cooking spray; cut warm cake into 5 rows by 4 rows. Serve cake with warm butter sauce.

BUTTER PECAN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Place pecans and 1/4 cup butter in a baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently; set aside., In a large bowl, cream sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1-1/3 cups of toasted pecans. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, cream butter and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Add milk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in remaining toasted pecans. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

KENTUCKY BLUE RIBBON ALL-BUTTER POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a tube pan with some butter and dust lightly with flour.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk. Mix in vanilla extract. Pour batter into the prepared tube pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE WITH MAPLE BROWN-BUTTER GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour a 12-cup (or larger) capacity bundt pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and black pepper until well combined.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, butter and olive oil. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds in between each egg. Add the pumpkin purée and sour cream, and mix until well combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until well combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure an evenly mixed batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and firmly tap the pan on the countertop a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.
• Set the cake, still in its pan, on a rack to cool for 20 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely before glazing.
• Make the glaze: Once the cake is cool, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, occasionally scraping the bottom and sides of the pan with a rubber spatula until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty. Don't walk away from the pan during this process. The butter can go from brown and nutty to acrid and burnt in mere moments.
• Transfer butter and all the brown bits from the pan to a heat-safe bowl, and let it cool slightly. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and salt until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If it's too thin, add a bit more confectioners' sugar. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water.
• Transfer the cake to a serving platter and pour the glaze evenly over the top. Sprinkle with pepitas if desired. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing.

CAROL'S BUTTER PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour bottoms of three 9 inch layer pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and brown 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Sift flour with baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cream remaining butter in large mixing bowl. Gradually add 2 cups sugar; cream at high speed of mixer until light and fluffy. At medium speed blend in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. At low speed add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla extract, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition. Stir in 1 1/3 cups pecans. Pour batter into pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched in center. When cool, blend remaining pecans with Creamy Butter Frosting; spread between layers and on top.
• To Make Creamy Butter Frosting: Cream 1/4 cup butter or margarine in mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, salt, 4 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/3 to 1/2 cup cream. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. If necessary, thin with additional cream.

KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend in buttermilk, 1 cup of butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 4 eggs. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Prick holes in the still warm cake. Slowly pour sauce over cake. Let cake cool before removing from pan.
• To Make Butter Sauce: In a saucepan combine the remaining 3/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and the water. Cook over medium heat, until fully melted and combined, but do not boil.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually beat into egg mixture until blended. Stir in coffee (batter will be thin). , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. , For frosting, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar, milk and vanilla. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

APPLE PUDDING CAKE WITH CINNAMON-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening.
• In large bowl, mix brown sugar and softened butter with spoon until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg and salt. Stir in apples. Spread batter in pan.
• Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and sauce is hot. Serve warm sauce over warm cake.

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan, dust lightly with flour and knock out excess.
• Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses.
• In a large bowl, cream together stick of butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until well combined.
• Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture. (Begin and end with flour, and mix after each addition until just combined.)
• Pour batter into pan and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn cake out onto a rack, and then turn right side up again.
• Whisk together confectioners' sugar, cream, and 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Brush glaze over cake, letting it drip down sides.
• In a small, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, combine nuts, 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and 4 teaspoons sugar. Stir constantly and watch carefully until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over top of cake.

APPLE BUTTER SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
• Prepare the topping by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped pecans.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time, thoroughly beating each egg into the butter mixture before adding the next. Add apple butter, vanilla, and wheat germ or bran cereal. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with sour cream; mix well after each addition.
• Pour half the batter into the prepared pan; sprinkle with half of the topping. Pour remaining batter into pan and top with the rest of the topping.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.