Cakes & Cupcakes
Easy Butterscotch Bundt Cake
October 1, 2020
A rich and buttery brown sugar cake topped with a decadent warm butterscotch glaze. This easy butterscotch bundt cake is […]
A rich and buttery brown sugar cake topped with a decadent warm butterscotch glaze. This easy butterscotch bundt cake is simple to whip up at a moment’s notice and will be everyone’s favorite fall dessert!
If there is one thing we’ve learned from the global pandemic it’s that we should never be without a healthy stash of all purpose flour. Our pantries should always be stocked with an extra large bag of brown sugar and reserving an entire cupboard for all things chocolate sounds about right these days. Butter and eggs now have a new resting place on the kitchen counter just in case the mood washes over us to bake up a batch of cookies, a quick snack cake or a pan full of brown butter blondies. I’ve been relying a lot on old favorites which have become regular staples on steady rotation during these strange times. It’s not lost on anyone that comfort food is having a moment and justifiably so. Our kitchen table is rarely without a smattering of this and that….sweet indulgences that are yours for the taking whenever the craving strikes. As summer turns to fall this easy butterscotch bundt cake is just the kind of cozy and comforting dessert I’m looking for. Made with simple ingredients in under an hour, this bundt will be your trusty new fall favorite that is as easy as it is delicious.
I love the ease and simplicity of a simple bundt cake. Not only are they easy to make and delicious to eat, but add a glossy, drippy glaze and you have yourself a real showstopper. This soft and fluffy brown sugar butterscotch cake is full of sweet, buttery, caramel flavor that stays moist for days after it’s made. It’s the perfect make ahead dessert for all occassions and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
WHAT EXACTLY IS BUTTERSCOTCH?
When it comes down to it, caramel and butterscotch and toffee are really all just like cousins from the same family. They are similar in many ways but there are some subtle differences that set them apart. Each of these confections are made with a delicious combination of butter and sugar. While caramel is traditionally made with white sugar, butter and heavy cream, butterscotch is made with brown sugar which gives it a richer, caramelized flavor. Brown sugar contains molasses so the flavor of butterscotch is deeper and more intense. It’s no secret that I love salted caramel anything. For further proof check out my recipe for these Salted Caramel Cupcakes or my favorite Chocolate Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies. Yes, my love for salted caramel runs deep but I’ll be the first to say that the warm, buttery richness of butterscotch is highly underrated. Trust me when I say that even those who claim they aren’t fans of butterscotch will fall in love with this easy and delicious butterscotch bundt cake.
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR BUTTERSCOTCH BUNDT CAKE
There are no fancy ingredients needed to make this easy butterscotch bundt cake. Just a handful of staples you likely already have hiding out in your pantry. Read on for a list of ingredients you need and some suitable substitutions that will work in a pinch.
Flour. Nothing fancy needed here. Just regular old all-purpose flour will do. Be sure to spoon and level your flour correctly to avoid adding extra flour which can make your cake dry and dense. Feel free to substitute an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend.
Butter. Butter and brown sugar are the two key ingredients that give this cake the ultimate, rich and caramely butterscotch flavor. Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
Eggs. This recipe calls for three large eggs to help give the cake rise and keep it moist. If you don’t have room temperature eggs handy, set them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before mixing your batter.
Sugar. To get that rich, buttery, butterscotch flavor we use a high ratio of brown sugar to white sugar. Dark brown sugar is best for that irresistable caramely taste, but you’ll still get a hint of the butterscotch flavor if you use light brown sugar.
Baking soda + powder. We use both types of leaveners to help give the cake rise and a soft and fluffy crumb that will keep you coming back for seconds (and thirds!).
Salt. A pinch of salt helps to balance the sweetness of the brown sugar. I almost always bake with kosher salt for the very best flavor.
Greek yogurt. This cake stays moist and delicious for days after baking thanks to the addition of full fat Greek yogurt. Sour cream works great too so use whatever you have on hand.
Vanilla. Just a dash of vanilla rounds out the flavors of this scrumptious butterscotch bundt cake.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUNDT CAKE
Do not over mix. Less is more when it comes to mixing your batter. Only mix until a few streaks of flour remain and then give the bowl a couple of quick turns with a large spatula to finish it off. Over mixing can lead to a dense, dry crumb.
Prep your pan. There’s nothing worse than spending time prepping, mixing, and baking your favorite new dessert only to find out that your cake is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Been there and it’s not fun. The cake almost always tastes great but it sure isn’t pretty. For best results, be sure to generously grease a non-stick bundt pan with non-stick baking spray. I like this pan or any of the bundt molds from Nordicware. For more tips and tricks on baking the perfect bundt cake every time, check out this post.
Keep an eye on the oven. All ovens run differently so I highly recommend using an oven thermometer to double check the temp. Check the cake for doneness at the 40 minute mark and if the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the top of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs remaining. Do not over bake the cake or it will be dry and crumbly. I repeat, do not over bake.
It’s all in the flip. This is the moment of truth! Remove the bundt cake from the oven and set the timer for exactly 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto a cooling rack or a cake platter by carefully placing the flat surface on top of the bundt pan. Use hot mits to hold the sides of the bundt and quickly flip the pan and the rack or platter over in one motion. If you prepped your bundt pan well, the cake should slide right out. If a few bits of the cake top stuck to the inside of the pan, do your best to piece them back together. The brown sugar glaze does wonders for hiding any mistakes and the cake will still taste amazing!
Cool completely. It’s tempting, I know. But don’t even think about glazing your bundt cake until it’s cool to the touch or the brown sugar glaze will slide right off the top of the cake. For the prettiest bundts, patience definitely pays off.
TIPS FOR GLAZING A BUNDT CAKE
This bundt cake is positively delicious all on it’s own but a little warm brown sugar glaze never hurt anyone. It’s just the finishing touch that makes you say “ooooh” and “aaahhh” with every bite. To make the glaze you’ll simply whisk a handful of ingredients together over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Continue stirring and do not walk away from the pot or you may risk burning the butterscotch sauce. Once the glaze has become thick and aromatic, remove it from the heat and immediately stir in the sifted confectioner’s sugar. Now comes the fun part. Quickly pour the glaze right over the top of the cooled cake {emphasis on cooled!} and allow the excess to drip down the sides of the bundt. Pro-tip: don’t wait to pour the glaze as it will begin to solidify once removed from the heat. If the glaze becomes stiff and difficult to pour, simply reheat it for a minute over low heat while whisking frequently. Once poured over the cake, the glaze will set in just minutes.
I hope you’ll give this butterscotch bundt cake a try and I’d love to know what you think. Stay cozy out there friends!!
Happy fall baking!
If you love this Easy Butterscotch Bundt Cake, check out these other delicious recipes…
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bundt Cake
Glazed Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Maple Bourbon Glaze
A Better Baker: Bundt Cake Basics
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Easy Butterscotch Bundt Cake
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
A rich and buttery brown sugar cake topped with a decadent warm butterscotch glaze. This easy butterscotch bundt cake is simple to whip up at a moment’s notice and will be everyone’s favorite fall dessert!
Ingredients
For Cake
2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (280 grams)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
For Glaze
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 TBSP maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
Instructions
For Cake
Lower the oven rack to the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350˚ F.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugars and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add one egg at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next one. This will be about 20-30 seconds on medium low after each egg addition. Scrape down sides of bowl between each addition.
Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the Greek yogurt. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed only until barely incorporated. Do not over mix.
Spray a 10-12 cup bundt pan generously with non-stick baking spray. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula and give the pan a firm tap on the counter to eliminate any air pockets.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake is done when you press the top and it springs back. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean or with only a few crumbs remaining. Do not over bake or the bundt will be dry.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. The edges of the cake will start to pull away from the pan while it cools. After 10 minutes, place a cooling rack or cake platter on top of the pan and invert the cake. The cake should easily release from the pan.
Cool completely before adding the glaze.
For Glaze
Once the cake is cool to the touch, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the brown sugar, salt, maple syrup and heavy cream. Bring the glaze to a simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The glaze will thicken as it heats. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the sifted confectioner’s sugar, whisking until fully incorporated and smooth.
Immediately drizzle the butterscotch glaze on the top of the cake and let the excess glaze slide down the side of the cake. Note: If the glaze cools too much it will seize up and not pour smoothly. Work quickly once the glaze is ready. Allow the glaze to set for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Store left over cake in a cool dry place for up to 4 days.
This cake is delicious the day after it is baked making it an ideal make-ahead dessert.
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10 Comments
Camilla
January 9, 2023 at 7:49 pmOne of my favorite recipes! So easy to make and tastes amazing 🙂
Tiffany Edmonds
September 26, 2022 at 7:32 pmCan this be made in a loaf pan?
Heather Mubarak
September 27, 2022 at 5:49 pmHi, I don’t recommend using a loaf pan. The recipe was created for a bundt pan or tube pan.
Lisha
April 24, 2021 at 6:36 pmI recently tried this recipe and the cake was incredibly moist and fluffy. Definitely one of the best cake recipes out there. For the glaze, I used single cream with 25% fat and it worked quite well with the cake. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Heather!
Mahe
February 10, 2021 at 5:36 pmHi ! This looks so good ! Can u use dairy cream with 30-35% fat content for the glaze ? Hoping to hear from you
Heather Mubarak
February 12, 2021 at 2:11 amI’ve only made this glaze as directed in the recipe so I can’t speak to how it will turn out if you swap ingredients. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Hanna
November 25, 2020 at 12:20 pmHi just i want to say thank you for your recipes
Heather Mubarak
November 25, 2020 at 8:59 pmThanks so much! That’s so kind of you!! Thanks for following along here!
Roos
October 13, 2020 at 8:55 amHey, i got a small question, when I was reading the recipe you say mix the flour and the sugars… but in step 2 you say mix the sugars with the butter… do you mean diffrerent sugars or am I reading it wrong?
Greetings
Heather Mubarak
October 13, 2020 at 7:07 pmThanks for catching that typo! Mix the dry ingredients together first. Then you’ll mix the butter and both sugars together for about two minutes before adding eggs and vanilla. Then add the dry ingredients last. Hope you enjoy this butterscotch bundt!