Best Bourbon Infused Carrot Cake Recipes

PECAN BOURBON CARROT CAKE RECIPE - (3.7/5)

Steps:

• 1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray or oil three 9-inch (1.5-L) round cake pans. 2 Grate carrots using a food processor. Measure out 4 cups (1 L) and set aside. Plump up raisins by placing in a small microwave bowl and adding bourbon. Microwave on high 1½ minutes, stirring partway through. Bourbon should just start to boil. Set aside and stir occasionally. Chop nuts and toast in the oven for about 6 minutes, stirring partway through. Place flour in a large bowl. Sprinkle with baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Stir to blend, then make a well in the centre. 3 Combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape into well in flour mixture and stir with a spoon or spatula just until even in colour. Stir in carrots, followed by raisins and bourbon that hasn't been absorbed. Sprinkle with nuts and just mix in. It will be very thick. 4 Divide batter between pans, adding about 2¼ cups (550 mL) to each. Spread evenly to pan sides. To remove air pockets, bang pans on counter 5 to 6 times. Bake until centres seem set when lightly tapped, from 30 to 35 minutes. Remove to a baking rack to cool. After about 15 minutes, turn cakes out of pans and cool completely on racks. It's best to bake cakes a day ahead of icing and leave at room temperature overnight. 5 Cut cream cheese into chunks. Place butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very creamy. Add bourbon and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in cream cheese, piece by piece. Beating too much will cause thinning. Add about a third of the icing sugar and beat on low until just mixed in. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters occasionally. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating just until smooth. If too thin, work in a little more sugar. Can be refrigerated for about an hour before using. 6 To assemble, place a cake, top-side down, on a platter. Lay the other 2, top-side up, on waxed paper. Brush with bourbon if you like. Spoon an equal amount of frosting on each. Spread over cakes, leaving a narrow border of cake around edge of cake on platter and on 1 other cake. Spread frosting right to the edge of the third cake. Stack cakes, placing the fully covered layer on top. Garnish with whole pecan halves. It's best to refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

CARROT CAKE WITH BOURBON CHEESECAKE SWIRL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Sift 1 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Combine butter and brown sugar in a bowl; beat together with an electric mixer on low until light and fluffy. Whisk in eggs and yogurt; beat in carrots until well mixed. Add flour mixture gradually with the electric mixer until batter is combined.
• Beat cream cheese, white sugar, egg, 3 tablespoons flour, bourbon, and orange zest together in a bowl.
• Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan; spread with a spatula until even. Spoon cream cheese mixture onto the batter; smooth with the back of the spoon until even. Pour remaining batter onto the cream cheese mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

CHEF JOHN'S BOURBON GLAZED CARROTS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
• When butter foams up, add carrots. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until liquid from carrots evaporates and carrots begin to brown around the edges, 5 or 6 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Carefully pour in bourbon. Cook and stir until bourbon is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle in brown sugar. Stir until carrots are almost cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• When carrots are nearly tender, raise heat to medium-high to thicken the glaze, 15 to 30 seconds.
• Season with cayenne pepper and ground black pepper. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.