Kentucky Bourbon Brown Butter Cake

I couldn’t let the week go by without posting a Kentucky Derby inspired recipe. I’ll be honest I’ve had this Brown Butter Bourbon cake on my list of recipes to make since the fall, never having the time nor remembering to make it. As I was planning this year’s Mother’s Day brunch I spotted it on my list, and just had to bake it. It’s quite a simple cake, soft and fluffy, with its slightly nutty buttery taste. What makes it “Kentucky” enough to serve up for Derby festivities, is the bourbon caramel glaze.A beautiful glaze makes any bundt cake even more gorgeous and this one has all the classic flavors of a good southern dessert. An easy cake to bring together, simple enough, since you know you’ll be busy mingling in your beautiful big hats, sipping rose and occasionally watching the races. And if the Kentucky Derby isn’t your kind of activity, this comforting cake is just as perfect for Mother’s Day too! Oh, did I mention the star ingredient is brown butter infused with bourbon whiskey!

The traditional cake doesn’t have the bourbon baked into it, instead just soaked in an infused glaze. But to me if you’re going to have the word “bourbon” in a cake’s name, it better be baked with the booze too. We all know I love baking with spirits, they add such a subtle warmth and “je ne sais quoi” to bake goods, especially when they’re incorporated in equally addicting and delicious brown butter. These ingredients are pretty much staples in my baking repertoire, and take any classic cake to a new level of mouthwatering. 

You also may have noticed that I’m using whole wheat flour again. When it comes to baking desserts for home, I tend to replace traditional ingredients with healthier ones. I like using wheat flours. I find it makes a cake that’s just a bit nuttier and moister than ones baked with only all-purpose flour. The same goes for using raw sugar, which is one the healthier forms of sugars. For someone who doesn’t really eat processed sugars, replacing raw sugar in my desserts allows me to actually enjoy all these goodies. And this cake is not one to pass up! The only downfall to this cake, like most bundt cakes, it does take some time to bake. But when I tried the batter and it tasted like rich caramel, I knew I was in for something good. It was worth the wait!

I also choose not to soak the cake in the traditional glaze because I felt was already crumbly, moist, and sweet. It didn’t need the extra sugar. Plus, it got finished off with a nice drizzle of rich caramel whiskey glaze. The light glaze made this Kentucky Bourbon cake even more fluffy and delicious, is that was possible. 

If we’re being honest I don’t actually watch the races, ever. Watching animals intensely race, isn’t what I’d call my idea of fun, but cake and entertaining sure is. So even if you won’t be watching the Derby, you can still make yourself a Mint Julep and this decadent Kentucky Bourbon Brown Butter Cake….

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Kentucky Bourbon Brown Butter Cake 

Ingredients 

Cake 

2 sticks – Unsalted Butter, plus more for brushing {room temperature}

1 tablespoon – Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, or your favorite brand

1 1/2 cups – All Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 cups – Whole Wheat Flour

1 teaspoon  – Baking Powder

3/4 teaspoon – Baking Soda1 teaspoon – Salt4 large – Eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups – Raw Sugar

1 cup – Buttermilk, room temperature

1 teaspoon – Pure Vanilla Extract

Salted Caramel Whiskey Glaze – Recipe Here

Recipe {Adapted from Martha Stewart}

For the Cake, preheat oven to 350*F and brush, or spray, a standard Bundt pan with butter. Then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Brown butter in a saucepan over medium-high just until it becomes foamy and smells nutty. Cooking stirring frequently over medium-low heat until it smells nutty and turn golden-brown. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in the bourbon as it will begin to bubble. Set aside for 10 minutes, then place in a heatproof bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla very well. Whisk in the cooled brown butter mixture, then the flour mixture, mixing just until combined {don’t over mix}. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth top and bake, rotating halfway, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean {50 to 55 minutes}. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, than remove cake from pan.

For the Glaze, brown butter in a saucepan over medium-high just until it becomes foamy and smells nutty. Cooking stirring frequently over medium-low heat until it smells nutty and turn golden-brown. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in the bourbon.

When bubbles subside, stir in the sugar. Return to medium-low heat, cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth and runs in a translucent stream {DO NOT let it boil, they sugar won’t dissolve}. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake and allow cake to stand until fully absorbed. Invert cake onto plate, and remove pan. Drizzle caramel bourbon glaze atop and let cool completely before slicing and serving. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.