When it comes to butter cake, there's no shortage of rich, delicious options to choose from, but two versions stand out: Kentucky butter cake and St. Louis butter cake. If you're curious about what sets these beloved regional treats apart, you're in the right place. Kentucky's version is known for its moist, buttery texture enhanced by a simple glaze, while St. Louis butter cake is all about a gooey, luscious topping. Ready to dive into the sweet details of these iconic cakes? Let's take a closer look at what makes each one special!

Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake

Kentucky Butter CakePhoto byEasy Southern Desserts

Famous for its moist texture and sticky sweet buttery sauce, butter cake is one of those great recipes that you can’t believe you haven’t tried. Just a few simple ingredients and a bundt pan and voila!

A beautifully simple, but show stopping cake is sitting pretty on your Kentucky Derby party table. Or any table! This cake is easy, but special enough to make for any occasion.

I first saw this version of butter cake in an old church cookbook that said to just dump everything together, then bake! Talk about easy, but not the best idea. It also said to add the glaze to the top of the cake before inverting, but I disagree. That made it a little too difficult to remove from the cake pan, so I say invert the cake then pour that sweet butter glaze on top. Not only will it be easier to handle, but it’ll be a much prettier presentation.

You must add the glaze while the cake is warm or it won’t seep into the holes and go down into the cake and give the moist butter cake texture we’re looking for. But, don’t worry if you forget, it’s still delicious on top.

Recipe for Kentucky Butter Cake

Ingredients

• Cake
• 1 cup butter 2 sticks, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Butter Glaze
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350º. Generously butter a bundt pan getting into all the grooves. Add some flour and tap out excess.
• In a stand mixer, cream 1 cup of butter and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing after each until well combined. Add vanilla and mix.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk mixing after each addition.
• Pour into the prepared bundt pan. Even the surface so that it is flat.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It should be golden brown.
• Let it sit on a cooling rack for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack. Place parchment paper under the wire rack.
• While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Add the glaze ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the sugar has melted, do not boil.
• Once the cake has been inverted, poke the top with holes with a toothpick or wooden skewer. While the cake is still hot pour the hot butter mixture over the top, let it go into the holes and drip down the sides. Let the cake cool before slicing.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

St. Louis Butter CakePhoto byEasy Southern Desserts

This rich, delicious dessert is a St. Louis classic , but is it as good as a Kentucky butter cake? With the texture of a lemon bar and the base of a cinnamon roll, this gooey butter cake is made with pantry staples like flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter. Finish it off with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar and you’re all set to enjoy this signature St. Louis delight!

Move over yellow cake mix, there’s a new favorite cake in town. Or is it a cake at all? With its dense cake base, gooey filling, and golden brown top, this dessert is more like a lemon bar or blondie than a traditional butter cake. But, we’re not here to split hairs!

This St. Louis original recipe can be found in local bakeries and is the base of so many sweet memories in Missouri. It’s the kind of dessert that sparks compliments and leaves an imprint on the heart—and palate. Absolutely nothing like a Kentucky Butter Cake but still delicious in it’s own right. It’s also different from a Paula Deen butter cake that has cream cheese in the filling.

How is a St. Louis Butter Cake Different from a Kentucky Butter Cake?

A Ky butter cake is basically a pound cake with a butter glaze that soaks into the top. While a A St. Louis butter cake starts with a yeast based dough, and has a gooey delicious filling on top. It’s actually not like a cake at all.

What really makes this cake special are the truly simple ingredients. Butter and sugar make this cake shine, so there’s no need for extravagant flavors or additives. Since I’m not an expert on Midwest traditions, I adapted this recipe from the New York Times. I am still so surprised at how different this is from a Southern butter cake, about the only similarity is the butter!

Recipe for a St. Louis Butter Cake

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 packet rapid rise yeast 2 1/4 teaspoon
• 3 tbsp milk room temperature
• 6 tbsp butter room temperature
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 to 2 cups flour
• TOPPING
• 3 tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp water
• 12 tbsp butter room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plus 3 tbsp flour
• powdered sugar
• Instructions
• In a small bowl, add warm water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add room temperature milk to the mixture and set aside.

• Cream the butter, sugar and salt together with an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix to combine.
• On low speed, alternately add 1 ¾ cups of flour and yeast mixture until combined. Turn the mixer to medium and beat until it forms a ball of dough, about 6-8 minutes. If it is too sticky to form a ball, add additional flour. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Press the dough into the bottom of a deep dish 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. It should be at least 2 inches deep. (A regular pyrex dish may spill over a bit, but will still work, just place a baking sheet under it when baking to catch any drips.)
• Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Use a small bowl and combine the corn syrup, 2 tablespoons of water and vanilla. Stir until the corn syrup has dissolved. Set aside.
• Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add an egg and beat to combine. Alternately add flour and corn syrup mixture. Spoon it on top of the cake after it has risen. Use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center is just a little jiggly but the outside is firm. It should be golden brown and the top will be uneven. Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting. Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Both St. Louis butter cakes offer unique takes on a classic indulgence, each with its own irresistible charm. Whether you prefer the rich simplicity of Kentucky’s glazed version or the decadent gooeyness of St. Louis’s creation, these butter cakes are sure to win over dessert lovers everywhere.