Everyone who knows me knows I am a bourbon drinker. Why? Because when I was young my older brother, who was cool and knew all sorts of stuff, drank bourbon. So, if he said it was the best thing to drink, it was.
There’s something sweet and rich about good bourbon, and it’s not just for sipping but also for flavoring baked cakes and such.
Like this Kentucky Bourbon Cake, with both cake and frosting flavored with my favorite booze. We’ll feast on some while we watch the Kentucky Derby this weekend.
If there’s any left —- we can have another round on Sunday, Mother’s Day!
Kentucky Bourbon Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon grated fresh orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups plain Greek style yogurt
1/4 cup bourbon
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange peel and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt and bourbon until well blended. Set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar and brown sugar together at medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Alternate adding half the dry and liquid ingredients, beating after each addition; repeat with the remaining dry and liquid ingredients and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the batter is smooth and uniform. Spoon the batter into the bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a cake rack to cool completely. While the cake is still warm, pour the glaze over the top.
Makes 10 servings
Bourbon glaze
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
Melt the butter and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly and cook for several minutes until the sugar is nearly dissolved. Add the bourbon and whisk continually to incorporate it into the butter mixture. Cook for several minutes until the sugar dissolves completely.