Bourbon Butter Cake (Kentucky-style)
A classic bundt butter cake soaked in bourbon and butter syrup. This Bourbon Butter Bundt Cake is deliciously moist and buttery
Video
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cup plain flour (all purpose) (NOTE 1)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bi-carb soda/ baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup full cream/whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 gm unsalted butter (softened)
- 1¾ cup caster sugar (NOTE 2)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
FOR THE BUTTER BOURBON SYRUP
- 70 gm unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp bourbon (NOTE 3)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease a 12-cup round bundt cake tin with melted butter, then dust with flour. Tap the pan upside down to remove any excess flour.
- Dry ingredients - Place flour, baking powder, bi-carb soda and salt in a large bowl, then whisk well to combine. Wet ingredients - In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla extract.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together using the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes (scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway) or until pale and fluffy.
- Decrease the speed to low and add in the eggs, but one at a time.
- Still, on low speed, add in HALF of the dry ingredients, then pour in HALF of the wet ingredients. Once combined, add in the remaining dry and wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Don't over-mix.
- Place half the batter into the prepared tin and tap it against the kitchen bench a few times, then add in the remaining batter. Smooth and level the surface using a spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.
- For the butter bourbon syrup - Once the cake is out of the oven, prepare the syrup. Place butter, sugar and water into a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and add in the bourbon and vanilla and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Whilst the syrup is simmering, use a skewer to poke several holes in the cake. Pour the syrup evenly over the cake and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cake from the tin.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Plain flour (All-purpose flour) doesn't have any leavening (raising agents) such as baking powder mixed in.
(NOTE 2) Caster sugar (superfine sugar) - Caster sugar has finer granules than regular white sugar, but it's not the same as icing/powdered sugar. Many baking or candy recipes call for caster sugar as it dissolves faster and better into mixtures. If you can't find caster sugar, you can make your own by placing regular sugar in a food processor or blender. Pulse the sugar a few times until it looks finer, but don't over-blitz it to a powder consistency. However, you could just use equal amounts of regular white sugar.
(NOTE 3) Bourbon - I used Jim Beam's bourbon, however, you could swap bourbon for dark rum, cognac or brandy. For the non-alcoholic syrup: Swap bourbon for an equal amount of orange juice OR 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 3 tbsp of water (this is additional vanilla and water on top of the recipe)
Leftovers - Allow the cake to cool completely, then transfer it into an airtight container and store it at room temperature for 3 days, or if humid, store it in the fridge.
I've used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 5gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 213mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 1gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 769IUCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg