Whiskey Buttermilk Bundt Cake
Mark Twain would have loved this cake, as he is known for saying, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” This cake is spiked with whiskey in the batter, in the syrup, and in the glaze, which creates complex layers of flavor that he might agree is just enough! The cake is both light and tangy (from the buttermilk and the nutmeg) and sharp and sweet (from the vanilla and the bourbon), which gives it a quiet sophistication. However, rest assured it doesn’t taste like a whiskey bomb. It is good the day you make it but even better the next day, once all of the flavors meld together.
Baking spray, for preparing the pan
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups granulated white sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¹⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt
¹⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¾ cup buttermilk
¼ cup bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
1 generous teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whiskey Syrup (recipe follows)
Whiskey Glaze (recipe follows)
Pan: 12-cup Bundt pan
1 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray the Bundt pan with baking spray.
2 Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and very fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3 Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a glass measuring cup to the ¾-cup mark. Add ¼ cup bourbon. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
4 Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture alternately in batches, beating well after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.
5 Pour the batter into the prepared pan, leveling the top with a spatula. Lightly tap the cake pan down on the counter to make sure the batter is evenly distributed and to remove excess air bubbles.
6 Bake until the cake pulls away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
7 Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to glaze. Place a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips. Brush the cake with the warm Whiskey Syrup. Drizzle the glaze over the cake immediately following the layer of syrup. Let cool for 2 to 3 hours before slicing.
Whiskey Syrup
A sugar syrup spiked with bourbon flavors that moistens the cake. You can use a flavored sugar syrup on any cake when you want to add another layer of flavor or to add moistness.
¼ cup filtered or bottled water
¼ cup granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
Pour the water into a glass measuring cup. Add the granulated sugar. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir to combine—all of the sugar should be melted and mixed into the water. If it isn’t, microwave for 30 seconds more. Add the bourbon and stir well. Set aside 3 tablespoons for the glaze and reserve the rest for brushing the cake before glazing it.
Whiskey Glaze
The white whiskey glaze delivers a bourbon note in the first bite. The cake batter is made with bourbon and pairs with the buttermilk to create a delicate vanilla cake with a deeper flavor, but the Whiskey Syrup and the Whiskey Glaze remind you that the spirit is alive!
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, or more if needed
¹⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt
¹⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream, or more if needed
3 tablespoons Whiskey Syrup (see above), or more if needed
Mix the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Add the cream and 2½ tablespoons of the Whiskey Syrup. Stir together. Taste and add more syrup if you want the flavor to be stronger. If the glaze is too stiff, add a little more of the syrup or cream; if it is too loose, add a little more sugar. Taste and make sure the salt, nutmeg, and Whiskey Syrup are balanced.
Recipes adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's "Steak and Cake," ©
2019 Workman Publishing Company, Photograph by Stephen Hamilton