Best Bourbon Cake Recipes

KENTUCKY BOURBON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch tube pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
• Soak raisins and cherries in 2 cups of bourbon or whiskey for 48 hours. Before making cake, drain well and reserve the bourbon.
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, nutmeg and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, cream butter with the white sugar. In a separate small bowl, cream yolks and brown sugar until very light.
• In a very large bowl, combine the two sugar mixtures and blend well.
• Alternately add flour mixture and reserved bourbon in three stages, mixing well with each addition.
• Add soaked fruit and fold in. Add nuts and fold in.
• In a clean medium bowl, whip egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter until evenly distributed.
• Pour into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Place a pan of water in the bottom of the oven and bake for 4 to 5 hours at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Ovens vary, so watch the baking time. Test cake with wooden pick. (May take longer than 5 hours).
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out. When almost cool, brush sides and inside hole heavily with bourbon. Wrap cake with bourbon soaked cheesecloth, then with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight and saturate again with bourbon. Cover with plastic wrap and then with foil and store for at least 2 weeks in a cool dry place.

APPLE BOURBON BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons bourbon and the candied ginger. Let stand 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the brown sugar and remaining butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and vanilla. Pour in the bourbon from the ginger mixture (reserve ginger) and whisk until smooth. Stir in zest.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add the dry mixture and sour cream mixture to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating between the two. Fold in the ginger, apples and pecans. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out dry, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in the pan 20 minutes, then run a paring knife around the sides of the pan to release the cake; cool, flat side down, on a wire rack.
• While the cake cools, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup whiskey in a small saucepan. Over low heat, gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice and take off the heat.
• While the cake cools, make 10 slits on top with a paring knife and pour half the bourbon-sugar mixture on the still-warm cake. When the cake is fully cool, flip it and pour the rest of the glaze on the other side, then flip again to serve.

CARROT BUNDT® CAKE WITH ORANGE-BOURBON GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch (12-cup) fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, allspice, and ginger in a medium bowl.
• Beat sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until slightly lightened in color. Add carrots and stir to coat. Fold in dry ingredients with a rubber spatula or large spoon until just barely combined with some small clumps; don't use a hand mixer. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a cooling rack and let cool, right-side up, for 15 minutes. Invert pan onto a plate and gently tap to remove the cake. Let cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, whisk butter, orange juice, orange zest, and bourbon together in a small saucepan over medium heat for glaze until boiling. Boil to fuse flavors, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, a small amount at a time, whisking until smooth before adding more. When glaze is at your desired consistency, liberally spoon over mostly-cooled cake.

BOURBON PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the bourbon, milk and vanilla in a separate bowl (it may get clumpy looking--that's ok) and set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and coconut oil until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add 1 3/4 cups of the granulated sugar and beat until fluffy, about 1 more minute. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the dry ingredients in four batches, alternating with the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry. Stir in the pecans.
• In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and a clean bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and whip to stiff peaks, about 5 minutes total. Fold the egg whites into the batter in thirds.
• Pour into a bundt pan and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool before turning the cake out of the pan.
• For the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, bourbon and 2 tablespoons water. Once the cake is cool, top it with the glaze and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

PEACH-BOURBON UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until light amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the peaches in concentric circles over the caramel. Drizzle with the bourbon; set the skillet aside.
• Whisk the flour, ground pecans, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter over the peaches and spread evenly.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too quickly.) Let sit 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter and let cool completely.

SWEET POTATO CAKE WITH MAPLE-BOURBON PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Combine softened butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl; stir until well combined. Add maple syrup, bourbon, and salt. Stir in pecans and mix until well coated. Set topping aside.
• Butter a 10-inch tube pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper; butter the parchment paper and lightly dust with flour. Evenly spread topping into the bottom of the tube pan and set aside.
• Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
• Mix softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until well combined, 3 to 4 minutes; the mixture will be a bit grainy in appearance. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on medium speed after each addition. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add sweet potatoes and bourbon and mix on medium speed until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Combine buttermilk and sour cream in a separate bowl.
• Add 1/2 the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until well blended. Add 1/2 the buttermilk mixture and beat on low until blended, scraping the bowl as needed. Add remaining flour to the mixing bowl and continue mixing. Add remaining buttermilk mixture and continue beating on low speed until batter is thick and smooth.
• Pour batter into the prepared tube pan and place pan on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 65 to 75 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and leave in the pan.
• Prepare glaze by combining maple syrup, melted butter, and bourbon in a bowl. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the warm cake in the pan. Spoon 1/2 the glaze over the bottom of the cake.
• Allow cake to cool on a wire rack, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Invert cake onto a serving plate, remove parchment paper, and drizzle remaining glaze over the top of the cake. Serve with whipped cream.

BOURBON TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment circles and spray thoroughly with nonstick baking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large measuring cup, blend the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the melted butter and oil on low speed until incorporated. Mix in the coffee and bourbon. Slowly add the flour mixture; mix until smooth. Add the egg mixture and mix until thoroughly blended.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
• While cakes are in the oven, whip up the filling: Melt the baking chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the salted butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Drizzle in the melted chocolate and vanilla and whip until combined. Adjust the mixer to medium speed and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 5 full minutes between each addition. Once the eggs are incorporated, chill the filling for 30 minutes to firm up.
• For the ganache: Place the bittersweet chocolate in a metal bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream just to a boil, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• To assemble the cake: Level and split the cake layers with a serrated knife. Layer the ganache and filling alternately to build an attractive layer cake. Chill the cake completely, then pour lukewarm ganache over the top, allowing plenty to drip down the sides of the cake.
• When you can't hold back any longer, slice and enjoy!

BROWN BUTTER-BOURBON-CHERRY COFFEE CAKE WITH PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan generously with cooking spray, and set it on cookie sheet.
• In 1-quart saucepan or 6-inch skillet, brown 1/2 cup butter by melting over medium heat until it begins to foam, then beat constantly with whisk until solid bits in butter turn dark brown and smell fragrant like toffee. Remove from heat, and pour butter into heatproof dish to cool.
• In small bowl, mix bourbon and cherries; allow to soak about 10 minutes. In medium bowl, beat sour cream, cooled browned butter and eggs with whisk. Beat bourbon-soaked cherries into sour cream mixture with whisk.
• In large bowl, place cake mix and pecans. Fold in sour cream mixture until just combined. Scrape batter into pan.
• In small bowl, mix Streusel ingredients. Pinch butter into mixture until sandy and clumps form when pinched. Sprinkle streusel over batter in pan.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Loosen cake from pan using sharp, thin knife; remove from pan. Cool completely before serving with or without glaze (see tip for glaze).

PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN SKILLET CAKE WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper. (This is in case the cake bubbles over during baking.)
• In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately add 2 tablespoons of the butter, stirring vigorously. The mixture may appear curdled and broken; don't worry, it will smooth out. Arrange the peach wedges in concentric circles over the sugar mixture, overlapping as needed to make them fit.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining sugar, butter and the vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract) on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add the sour cream and beat until blended. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until blended and stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Spoon the batter over the peaches in the skillet and spread to cover.
• Place the skillet on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Make the whipped cream, if desired: In a large bowl, preferably metal, combine cream and bourbon. Refrigerate, along with a metal whisk or mixer attachments, for at least 15 minutes. Once chilled, whip the mixture until it holds soft peaks, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen. If you see liquid around the edges of the skillet, carefully pour off into a measuring cup and set aside. (It's O.K. if you don't have any excess liquid - it all depends on how juicy your fruit is.)
• Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and drizzle with any reserved liquid. Let cool about 10 minutes more, to set. Cut into wedges using a serrated knife and serve, topping each slice with whipped cream if you like.

CREAM CHEESE BOURBON PECAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Grease and flour a 12 cup tube or bundt pan.
• Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow yolk disappears.
• Sift together flour and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with bourbon, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition.
• Stir in vanilla and pecans.
• Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan.
• Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

CHOCOLATE-GINGER CAKE WITH BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch Bundt pan. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. Put butter, molasses, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter has melted. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, milk, and grated ginger to the molasses mixture; whisk to combine. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon into a medium bowl.
• Gently fold the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined. (There should be lumps remaining.) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Invert cake, and unmold onto a cake stand or a large serving platter. Using a spoon, drizzle the warm bourbon sauce over the cake in a back-and-forth motion. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON PECAN CAKE - PAULA DEEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325ºF.
• Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl over a double boiler.
• Remove from heat, and set pot aside leaving the bowl on top of pot.
• Whisk egg yolks and 1/2 of the sugar in a metal mixing bowl.
• Place bowl over slightly simmering water, and whisk until yolks reach 140ºF.
• Remove bowl from heat and beat egg and sugar mixture with an electric mixer to a ribbon stage.
• Add the Bourbon to the chocolate mixture, then fold the yolk and sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture.
• Mix flour with pecans and fold into chocolate mixture.
• Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and the remaining sugar to form soft peaks, then fold into chocolate mixture.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Allow cake to cool in pan and then place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
• Once it's frozen, remove sides of springform pan.
• Invert cake onto a wire rack and remove bottom of springform pan.
• Prepare ganache by bringing heavy cream to a boil and pouring cream over chocolate chips in a bowl.
• Whisk until completely smooth.
• Set wire rack with cake on top of sheetpan.
• Pour warm lukewarm ganache over cake, coating cake completely, recoating if necessary.
• Gently jiggle wire rack to help drain excess ganache.
• Remove cake from wire rack with spatula and place on a serving plate.

KENTUCKY BOURBON CAKE

Steps:

• Pour 2 cups bourbon or whiskey over raisins and cherries.
• Soak in covered container for 48 hours.
• Before mixing in cake, drain well, reserve bourbon.
• Soften butter at room temp.
• cream until light.
• Add sugar,beat until fluffy.
• Beat egg yolks until very light, than add brown sugar.
• Beat well to dissolve sugar.
• In a very large bowl, combine the 2 sugar mixtures blend well.
• Mix nutmeg baking powder with 4-1/2 cups flour.
• Mix other 1/2 cup flour with nuts.
• Add flour mixture alternately with bourbon to sugar,butter, egg mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Add soaked fruit, fold in, then add the nuts fold in.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
• Fold into batter until evenly distributed.
• Pour in greased 10" tube pan lined with greased brown paper.
• Place a pan of water in bottom of oven.
• Bake 4-5 hours at 275.
• Test with toothpick about 2" from outer edge of cake.
• May take longer than 5 hours.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out.
• When almost cool, sponge sides inside hole heavily with bourbon-saturated cheesecloth.
• Cover cake with this cloth, then in plastic wrap Let set overnight saturate again.
• Recover tightly with plastic wrap.
• Store at least 2 weeks.

BOURBON SPIKED PEACH PECAN UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the caramel and fruit: Stir the sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water together in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet to make a mixture like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat until melted and light amber, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt if making a salted caramel. Arrange the peaches, cut-side down, on top. Drizzle the bourbon over the fruit.
• For the batter: Whisk together the flour, pecans, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat together the sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, stirring until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter over the fruit and spread evenly. Bake until golden brown all over and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes and then invert onto a platter. Cool to room temperature before serving. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream if using.

RICH CHOCOLATE-BOURBON PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. NOTE: My pans were 2-inches deep. The cake rose very slightly over this level. No batter spilled over in the oven but I did cut a few little crusty pieces from the rim of the cake pans. And I enjoyed the little treat as well.
• 2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• 3. Pour boiling water over cocoa; whisk until smooth. Add milk and vanilla; whisk to combine.
• 4. At a medium speed on electic mixer in a large bowl; beat butter until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar beat about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 5. Reduce speed on mixer to low. Add dry ingredients alternately with cocoa mixture beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• 6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans; bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans and cool completely on wire racks for about 1 hour. NOTE: When cooling this cake I made the mistake of flipping one layer top side down on the rack. This layer wanted to crumble a little because it stuck to the wire rack while the other layer I flipped bottom side down did perfect. Take a few seconds to flip the layers so that they are bottom side down on the wire racks.
• 7. Next you will split the layers so that you will have 4 layers. I know of 2 ways of accomplishing this: 1. Use a Cake Slicer/Leveler to slice each layer in half horizontally. This is the method I used. OR 2. Once layers have cooled completely; wrap and freeze each layer for about 1 hour. Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally.
• 8. Brush both sides of each of the 4 layers with bourbon. Place 1st layer on plate; spread pecan frosting between each of 3 layers. Do not spread on top of the 4th layer. Spread top and sides with chocolate frosting. Garnish if desired with more chopped pecans. For best flavor, allow cake to set for 24 hours at room temperature.
• 9. FROSTING AND FILLING: You will be splitting this frosting in half. You will add pecans to one half for the filling and cocoa to the other half for the outer frosting.
• 10. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, reduce speed to low and add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating until well blended. Add 1/2 cup cream and the vanilla; beat until blended.
• 11. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until smooth. Remove 1/2 of this mixture to another bowl. To one bowl stir in the nuts and 1 Tbsp of cream. This bowl is your filling. To the other bowl add the cocoa, the remaining 1 Tbsp cream and the melted chocolate chips; beat until well blended. This bowl is your frosting.
• 12. NOTES: If frosting mixture seems too dry add a little more cream, if too wet; add a little more powdered sugar. I find when spreading frosting or filling that if you dip the spatula in water before spreading either the frosting or filling it will spread easier without lifting the cake crumbs.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE WITH CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• for frosting: Stir sugar and water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar disolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pot with wet pastry brush (about 12 minutes). Add 2 c. whipping cream (mixture will bubble up). Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 c. cream and stir until all caramel bits are melted and mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Pour into large bowl and refrigerate overnight (can be made 2 days ahead). for cake: Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Add parchement paper to bottoms and butter them. Dust with cocoa. -Melt unsweetened chocolate chips slowly on low power in microwave. Set aside to cool. -Sift cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. -Beat unsalted butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla. Mix in 1 c. boiling water and blend well. Divide between cake pans. Bake about 35 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (can be made 2 days ahead). Beat frosting to stiff peaks. Add 1 Tbsp. bourbon. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally, creating 4 layers. Place one layer on cake plate. Brush with 2 Tbsp. bourbon and then frost. Repeat process with remaining layers and then frost outside. Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.

PECAN FIG BOURBON CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Simmer figs in water in a heavy medium saucepan, covered, until figs are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Purée in a food processor with bourbon and vanilla. Cool to warm.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour bundt pan, knocking out excess flour.
• While oven preheats, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Lightly toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in oven, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool and coarsely chop. Leave oven on.
• Beat together brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in fig mixture. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated, then fold in pecans.
• Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, then invert onto a plate.
• Make icing:
• Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then whisk in remaining icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

BANANA BOURBON CAKE WITH BOURBON CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a 10" bundt pan by lightly spraying with non-stick, or use a non-stick pan.
• Make sure all the ingredients are room temperature, including the eggs.
• Toss the pecans with 1/4 cup of the flour and set aside.
• Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy.
• Add the bananas and mix until incorporated.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
• On low speed, mix in the flour in 3 parts alternating with the bourbon, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Gently fold in the pecans and the chocolate.
• Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Let the cake cool for a 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.
• For the sauce: Heat the cream and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the yolks together in a large stainless steel bowl, and place the bowl on top of a wet towel.
• Temper in the cream by slowly, in a tiny stream, pouring the cream into the yolks while constantly whisking.
• As you get more cream into the yolks, you can pour a little faster until all the cream is incorporated into the yolks.
• Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over very low heat JUST until it starts to thicken, stirring constantly.
• DO NOT BOIL.
• Keep the heat low or you'll have scrambled eggs.
• Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, then add the bourbon.
• Cool completely and serve with the cake.

BOURBON-GLAZED COFFEE CAKE WITH FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix thoroughly with your fingers or a fork until all of the butter has been evenly distributed and incorporated into the flour. Form into small to medium clumps with your fingers.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Spoon half of the cake batter (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Dollop the fig preserves on top and carefully smooth with the spatula. Spoon the remaining cake batter on top and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the crumb topping.
• Bake until the cake and topping are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes, then invert onto a plate; invert again onto a rack to cool completely.
• When the cake is cool, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and bourbon in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let set.

BOURBON-CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING

Steps:

• 1. Grease bottoms of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper and sides of pans; set pans aside.
• 2. Cook first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth; remove from heat, and let cool.
• 3. Beat buttermilk and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add butter mixture to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. Combine sugar, flour, and salt; gradually add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
• 4. Bake at 350° for 25 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. (Cake layers will appear thin.).
• 5. Spread about 1/2 cup Chocolate Ganache between each cake layer; spread remaining Chocolate Ganache on sides of cake. (Do not frost top of cake.) Chill cake 30 minutes. Pour warm Praline Frosting slowly over top of cake, spreading to edges. (Cover and let stand up to 24 hours, if desired.).
• 6. Pierce about 25 holes in top of cake using a wooden or metal skewer. Pour warm Bourbon Glaze over cake.
• Chocolate Ganache:.
• 1. Microwave chocolate morsels and cream in a glass bowl on MEDIUM (50% power) 2 to 3 minutes or until morsels are melted, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes; whisk until smooth. Gradually add butter, whisking until smooth. Cool about 35 minutes or until spreading consistency, whisking every 10 minutes.
• Praline Frosting:.
• 1. Bake pecans on a baking sheet at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once.
• 2. Bring butter, brown sugar, and cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often; boil, stirring often, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add toasted pecans; stir gently 3 minutes or until frosting begins to cool and thicken slightly.
• Bourbon Glaze:.
• 1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; stir in sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat, and stir in bourbon. Carefully ignite the fumes just above liquid mixture with a long match or long multipurpose lighter. Let stand until flames disappear.