Brown Butter Kentucky Bourbon Cake with Salted Caramel

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About this Cake

Kentucky Bourbon Cake (sometimes called Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake) is a traditional dessert that celebrates one of the state’s most important exports. 

this recipe

The export is bourbon, not butter. 😊And you can learn even more about what it is and what makes it so very special at the Kentucky Distillers’ Association website, or this exceptionally beautifully-written Bourbon for Beginners article from the Cocktail Contessa Website. Those websites are an incredible and comprehensive resource for bourbon beginners and enthusiasts, and y’all already know how I feel about deep diving into your ingredients to understand how they impact your outcomes.

While each bourbon has distinctive notes that make it stand alone from the others, this cake really highlights the caramel and vanilla flavor notes that are common to many different types of bourbon. And boy does it feature them prominently! In the cake batter, there’s 63 grams (¼ cup) of bourbon infused in the brown butter (and thus, in the cake batter), aerated through the creaming process so that it more prominently features the nuanced caramel and vanilla notes in this special spirit. (And, depending on the specific bourbon, you could also enliven the dried fruit or spice notes as well!)

In the Bourbon Butter Sauce, we go for a full half cup (125 grams) of bourbon. And here’s where it gets really cool. You can either add that bourbon right at the end of the cook time if you want the strongest bourbon flavor, or, you can add the bourbon at the beginning of the cook time if you want to feature the more mellow bourbon notes without the alcohol bite. I prefer the latter, but I’ve tried the former and it is some kinda good. ❤️

All in all, this cake is an exceptional representation of the beautiful flavor striations found in bourbon. And I’m excited to hear your experiences with this uniquely traditional cake.

Brown Butter Kentucky Bourbon Cake: The Key Ingredients

Making delicious cakes is equal parts art and science. Here are some bite-sized bits about the key ingredients in this amazing cake!

Brown Butter isn’t just melted butter—it’s butter that’s been transformed through heat into a nutty, deep caramelized flavor. The milk solids undergo the glorious Maillard reaction (that’s food science for “delicious browning”), creating those golden specks that distribute throughout your cake. When you add bourbon to cooled brown butter, you’re creating a flavor foundation that will make your taste buds dance!

Bourbon brings so much more than an alcoholic bite to this cake—it contributes complex vanilla and caramel notes that marry perfectly with the brown butter. During baking, most of the alcohol evaporates, removing that famous first-sip Kentucky Chew and leaving behind those gorgeous vanilla and caramel flavors that make Kentucky bourbon famous worldwide.

Buttermilk provides the perfect tangy counterpoint to the richness of this cake, while its proteins help create that moist crumb we want in this cake. The acidity works together with the baking soda to ensure that your cake rises beautifully into the impressive beauty that she is meant to be.

Kosher Salt is the unsung hero that makes every other flavor in this cake pop. It balances the sweetness and enhances the caramel and vanilla notes, creating a sophisticated depth that keeps everyone coming back for “just one more slice.” (spoiler alert: they never, ever take just one more slice.)

Vanilla brings its own extraordinary dimension, especially if you use real vanilla beans. Those distinctive flecks aren’t just pretty—they’re concentrated flavor bombs that elevate this cake from delicious to unforgettable.

For additional information about the other, foundational ingredients in this cake, there are TONS of Baking 101 resources available on the Begin with Butter site!

• To get the skinny on butter: The Basics of Butter
• To learn about the marvel that is sugar: The Science of Sugar
• To do a deep dive into flour: The Five Flours I Keep Handy in My Kitchen
• To learn about the incredible, multi-tasking egg: The Role of Eggs in Your Baked Goods
• To finally figure out the leavening conundrum: Do I Need Baking Soda or Baking Powder
• For a quick chat about buttermilk: Four Common Types of Liquid for Cakes

Understanding these ingredients and their interactions is the key to becoming a more intuitive baker. With this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to create your own variations and troubleshoot any challenges that arise.

The Techniques That Make This Cake So Special

How to Get Perfect Brown Butter for this Recipe

Browning butter isn’t just a technique—it truly changes butter by separating the milk solids from the fats, toasting those milk solids, and adding extremely delicious depth to your final baked goods.

The trickiest part about brown butter is knowing when to stop! Too little time and you’ll miss out on those deep, nutty flavors. Too much time and you’ll have too-dark butter solids that add an acrid, burnt taste to your baked goods (I’ve tried this and do NOT recommend).

Brown butter will go from yellow, to melted, to very golden, and then foamy. Don’t let the foam fool you! Those brown bits might be lurking just below the surface.

My Butter-Browning Tips:

1. Use a light-colored or stainless steel pan if possible—it makes those golden milk solids easier to spot. Instead of a pot, I actually use a stainless steel sauté pan for perfect results!
2. The process seems slow until suddenly it’s not! That foam stage can last several minutes, but once you see those milk solids turning amber, you’re seconds away from perfect or burnt.
3. Have your heat-proof container ready to go before you start—when it’s time to stop, you need to move quickly!

Here is a photo tutorial for those who are more visual! And you can check out my How to Make Brown Butter post for an even more detailed explanation!

The Bourbon Butter Sauce: Finding Your Flavor Sweet Spot

This sauce is where you get to customize your bourbon experience! I’ve made this cake several times, and I’ve learned that how you add the bourbon makes a tremendous difference in your outcome. As always, it’s a matter of taste!

Adding bourbon early in the cooking process mellows its character, while adding it at the end preserves more of that distinctive bourbon kick in the final cake. Neither is wrong—it’s about your preference!

Sauce Success Secrets:

1. Keep the heat gentle—rapid boiling can cause crystallization.
2. When reducing the sauce, patience is key; rush this step and you might end up with something closer to thick bourbon caramel than sauce (though that doesn’t sound half bad).
3. Adding the bourbon early creates a more balanced flavor if you don’t want a liquor-soaked cake.

Salted Caramel: The Decadently Dramatic Final Touch

Let’s be honest—with all of the scary warnings in caramel recipes, caramel can seem like a dangerously daunting kitchen task! But once you’ve mastered this technique, you’ll find yourself wanting to add caramel to everything. It’s an amazingly simple technique that helps add rich flavor to whatever you’re making, and with caution, you can achieve the most delicious results.

The melting sugar stage is where most beginners get nervous. Those clumps that form are totally normal! Just keep gently whisking, and they’ll smooth out as the caramelization continues.

Caramel Confidential:

1. Use a larger pot than you think you need—the mixture bubbles dramatically when adding butter and cream.
2. That balloon whisk I recommend? It’s not just a suggestion. Metal handles conduct heat and can leave you with toasty fingers!
3. The color of your caramel determines its flavor—lighter amber gives you sweet notes while deeper amber introduces those complex, almost coffee-like undertones.

Want to read a step-by-step tutorial? I have one for you! Check out my Classic Salted Caramel Sauce recipe for all of the tips that will help you feel like a caramel superstar!

Want to watch a step-by-step video tutorial? This salted caramel tutorial Instagram post from the Begin with Butter IG page will show you how to safely and deliciously execute this kitchen staple!

Remember, these techniques might feel challenging at first, but they’re absolutely worth mastering. Each one builds skills that will serve you across countless recipes beyond this cake. And, BB? When you get to the end – when you are pouring that thick salted caramel over that bourbon-infused cake – you will feel like you’ve achieved something phenomenal (because you have).

Let’s get onto this absolutely incredible recipe, shall we?

The Recipe

Brown Butter Kentucky Bourbon Cake with Salted Caramel

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This unbelievable Brown Butter Kentucky Bourbon Cake with Salted Caramel is an absolute dream come true. It’s deeply flavored with Kentucky bourbon and vanilla beans, which give it a uniquely decadent and special flavor. Perfect for any time of the year, it’s especially wonderful for Easter and Derby parties!

• Total Time: 5-7 hours
• Yield: 18 slices 1x

Ingredients

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For the Batter:

• 345 grams (1 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, browned and re-solidified in the refrigerator
• 63 (1/4 cup) grams good bourbon
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 384 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 500 grams (2 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 250 grams (1 cup) buttermilk, room temperature

 

For the Bourbon Butter Sauce:

• 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 125 grams (1/2 cup) water
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 114 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 125 grams (1/2 cup) bourbon

For the Classic Salted Caramel Sauce:

• 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 85 grams (~1/3 cup) butter
• 125 grams (1/2 cup) heavy cream
• 1/2 tablespoon flaky salt (like Maldon Sea Salt), or 1 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

To Make the Brown Butter:

1. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Allow the butter to melt fully, then begin gently stirring. Continue stirring constantly. 
3. The butter will go through stages. At first, it will simply look like melted butter. Continue stirring.
4. The next step of brown butter is the foamy step. This is the longest part of the brown butter process. Continue stirring.
5. The foamy brown butter will lessen (but not eliminate entirely), and you’ll start to notice browned bits on the sides and bottom of your saucepan. These are browned milk solids, and this is the objective!
6. Once you see the browned bits on the bottom of your saucepan, remove the brown butter to a heat-proof bowl or mason jar to cool completely. Add bourbon and combine.
7. Once the brown butter has come to room temperature, allow it to chill in the refrigerator until 45 minutes to an hour before your baking time. This butter is going to be creamed for our recipe, so it needs to be re-solidified.

To Make the Batter:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.  It is highly recommended to use an oven thermometer for this recipe, since proper oven temperature will impact the finished product.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. 
3. If using vanilla bean, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the vanilla bean pod lengthwise. Use the knife to scrape the vanilla beans from the pod.
4. Place the granulated sugar in another medium bowl. Add the vanilla beans and massage the beans into the sugar. Alternatively, you can add the sugar to a deli cup, add the vanilla beans to the sugar, securely place the lid on the deli cup, and shake to your heart’s content! Place the vanilla bean pod itself in the buttermilk, so that it can infuse the buttermilk with some more vanilla flavor.
5. Place the room temperature brown butter and neutral oil in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Mix on low speed until smooth.
6. Slowly add the infused granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  
7. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until it’s fully incorporated before adding the next egg.  Scrape the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
8. Add vanilla extract (if using) and mix until thoroughly combined. If you used a vanilla bean in this recipe, you can skip this step.
9. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until nearly combined.
10. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the buttermilk. Add all of the buttermilk and mix on low speed until nearly combined.  
11. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until nearly combined.  Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together.
12. Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.  Keep mixing until the batter is smooth and consistent.
13. Prepare a 12- or 15-cup bundt pan as you normally would. Add the batter to the bundt pan and tap to ensure even distribution and also to break any large bubbles that might be in the batter. 
14. Bake the cake at a true 325°F for 65-75 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 212°F. Poke several holes in the bottom of the cake and use a spoon to add about ⅓ of the Bourbon Butter Sauce. After ten minutes, invert onto a cooling rack and gently use a pastry brush to brush the rest of the Bourbon Butter Sauce into the still-warm cake. Be very careful with this step, as brushing too aggressively will cause the cake to break.  
15. Allow the cake to cool completely.

To Make the Bourbon Butter Sauce

1. Before beginning, determine if you’d like more or less alcohol taste in your final Bourbon Butter Sauce.
2. Add granulated sugar, water, and fine sea salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, allowing it to simmer only until the solids are dissolved.
3. Add butter and allow it to melt fully into the water/sugar mixture. If you want less alcohol taste, add bourbon at this time. Simmer on low/medium heat until the mixture thickens into a loose syrup texture.
4. If you want a more alcohol-forward cake, simmer the sauce, without the bourbon, until the sauce has reduced by half. Once the sauce has reduced, remove from heat and add the bourbon. 
5. Stir together to combine and then spread on the cake. If the sauce has cooled and thickened, heat over medium heat until it loosens and then add to the cake. Allow to cool completely before adding the salted caramel sauce.

To Make the Salted Caramel Sauce

1. Start with caution.  Caramel is hot sugar and the steam it produces can cause burns.
2. Place granulated sugar in the bottom of a large (at least 2 ½-quart), heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Turn heat to high medium and watch sugar carefully as it begins to melt. 
3. Once the sugar begins to melt, stir with a balloon whisk like this one, and gently break up any clumps. It’s important that the whisk not have a metal handle, since a metal handle will conduct heat from the pan.
4. Keep stirring constantly until all of the lumps of sugar melt and the sugar has a slightly nutty smell.
5. Add all of the butter and continue whisking.  The mixture will bubble A LOT when you add the butter and there will be a lot of steam, so be careful with this step.
6. Stir butter into the mixture gently until it’s fully incorporated, then remove the mixture from the heat.
7. Add all of the heavy cream at one time while the mixture is off the heat.  Again, the mixture will bubble so be careful!  Stir the mixture until everything is fully combined.
8. Add the salt and stir to combine.  Caramel will be very loose at this point.
9. Pour caramel into a heat-safe container (like a mason jar) and allow to cool completely on the countertop.
10. Once fully cooled, check the consistency to make sure that it pours very slowly. If it doesn’t pour at all, microwave for 5-second intervals, stirring in between intervals. It is ready when it pours very slowly.

Equipment

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Notes

• Brown the butter slowly over medium-low heat for best flavor development – patience is key!
• Store-bought buttermilk works perfectly, but you can substitute with 250 grams (1 cup) milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a pinch
• The 10-minute cooling period before removing from pan is critical for perfect release
• For best results, bake a day ahead – flavors deepen overnight!
• Use a digital thermometer to check doneness (212°F) for perfect texture every time
• Leftover caramel sauce makes an excellent ice cream topping

• Author: Shani
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 55-65 minutes

Conclusion: This is One of the Most Special Cakes You’ll Ever Make

BB, this cake took its sweet time to come together. While I was lamenting that time before, I am absolutely thrilled that I didn’t rush this one. This cake is one of my favorite cakes of all time, and to earn that accolade, the cake needs to be savored, like a bourbon, neat.

I hope you love this cake, Friend! If you have questions, don’t forget to email me at bakingbestie@beginwithbutter.com to get answers! And don’t forget to share your incredible bakes with us at Instagram!