This rich, moist, golden cake is a butter cake, not a pound cake, but a spongy, soft and fancy bundt version.  This beautiful cake was baked by my own blog super-fan and chef extraordinaire, Lindsey.  She is my twelve-year-old niece, and she can whip up anything flat…just try her!  I dare you.

Crepes… pas de probleme, poached eggs…she’s a pro…dorayaki…hers are absolutely soft and sweet and she even has her own pan for these!  Do you even know what that is?  I consider myself a mega-foodie and didn’t know what that was until Chef Lindsey informed me that they are delicious little Japanese filled pancakes. I am trying to get her to guest blog them soon.

When dinner is being prepared, one that is not her favorite, Lindsey is often found in one corner of the kitchen whipping up her own addition.  No complaints on the dinner being made, she just digs right in and makes something to add to the menu.   Last week she spontaneously started making a spinach salad and her own vinaigrette.  I mean what twelve year old spontaneously makes spinach salad? I can’t get my 15 yr. old to eat anything green what-so-ever and this girl is making it herself on the fly!

When she volunteered to bake something for her mother’s family buffet dinner, she was determined to make this Butter Cake from her Teens Cook Dessert cookbook (one of her favorite cookbooks). Her mother told me that she had suggested Lindsey add a different glaze (maybe citrus?) to her cake than the butter sauce that was part of the recipe.  But no, Chef Lindsey knew better and wanted to remain true to the original intent of this cake.

When I looked at this semi-shiny cake and saw a puddle of butter sauce, I was a bit skeptical to be quite honest.  It looked beautiful, but I erroneously assumed the cake might taste too buttery, even a little greasy…but absolutely NO.  It was scrumptious…I could have licked my plate, my fingers and slurped the luscious butter sauce right from the bottom of the serving dish if allowed.  Lindsey, this was a BIG HIT at the dinner party and hopefully on my blog.  I caught several people going for seconds or just pinching a bit more from the cake. Really!

I hope you make this cake because I know you will have the same response as Lindsey did.  Please comment and include Lindsey on the praise…she deserves it! 

—Linds…do you think you could guest blog those amazing Dorayaki? Pretty please?

Butter Cake
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 T. vanilla
1 c. sour Cream
3 c. all purpose flour

Butter Sauce
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 T. vanilla

For the Cake: Heat the oven to 325 degrees and amply grease and flour a bundt pan (or spray coat). In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar, adding eggs one at a time, stirring in between each egg.  Add the salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Add vanilla and beat together on low.  Add 1/3 of the flour to the butter mixture and 1/3 of the sour cream and mix together on low. Repeat this process until all of the sour cream and flour have been well incorporated into the batter.

Bake in the oven for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and cake is soft but bounces back to the touch.  While the cake is baking, prepare your sauce…because you will pour the sauce on while the cake is still in the pan and is still cooling.

For the Sauce: Place the sugar, water, and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the vanilla and stir until combined.  While the cake is still warm, spoon the sauce over the cake, and then allow it to cool completely.  run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cooled cake on to a serving platter.  Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
Try not to lick your fingers (or go for it but wash your hands afterwards!)