Kentucky Butter Cake

Kentucky Butter Cake

Ingredients

•     1 cup butter, softened
•     2 cups sugar
•     4 large eggs, room temperature
•     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•     3 cups all-purpose flour
•     1 teaspoon baking powder
•     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•     1/2 teaspoon salt
•     1 cup buttermilk

    BUTTER SAUCE:

•     1 cup sugar
•     1/2 cup butter, cubed
•     1/4 cup water
•     1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
•     1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

    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.