While dining at one of our favorite restaurants, I was looking at all the desserts I knew their pastry chef had created. There seemed to be so many wonderful choices. Which one should I have? I decided to ask our waiter, and he suggested the butter cake. With all the other exciting options, I hesitated. Then, I decided to trust him and I ordered it.
Wow! The cake was absolutely divine. I always try to take only one or two bites of dessert, but I just couldn’t control myself, it was just that sensational.
I thought, “how hard can it be to prepare this cake?” I did my research, and found this butter cake recipe. The author said she found it in an old recipe book and the page was very worn and yellowed. She had a feeling this was once a favorite cake of the owner of the book. As it turns out, she was right.
One bitter cold afternoon, I attempted to make this butter cake. This is one of the easiest cakes I have ever prepared. And one of the most delicious as well as beautiful. The cake is light and fluffy, despite the heavy ingredients. I was worried about poking holes in the cake, but if you use a very flat knife, (like a steak knife) and insert it into the cake, you will not notice it. You will definitely need a round cake pan or bundt pan, as there is a lot of batter. So much so that mine overflowed while it was baking. Be sure to place an aluminum pan or foil under the cake in case this happens to you. If it does, just cut off the bottom of the cake so it sits straight.
I will be making this heavenly cake again and again. It is perfect to bring to a holiday or family dinner, because it looks like you put a lot more effort into it then you really did. It is a crowd pleaser for sure! A “must try”.
This recipe is courtesy of Taste of Home and will serve 16 (yes it is that big), happy butter cake lovers and may create some new ones too!
Ingredients for Butter Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
For the Butter Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease and flour a round cake pan or bundt pan.
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 prepared pan.
Bake for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack over waxed paper.
For the 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 cake using a sharp knife.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the sauce over cake.
Let stand until it is absorbed.
Repeat twice.
Poke holes into the sides of the cake.
Brush with remaining sauce.
Let cool completely.
It’s that simple!
