The Kentucky Bourbon cake in Vintage Cakes called to me this week - and we are all happy it did. In fact, I loved it so much that when my daughter, Ciara and I went shopping at Williams-Sonoma last night I just had to buy that 1930s German cake pan to make it once again. Whatever pan you use, be sure to grease and flour the pan. I've never failed with Pam Baking Spray. Begin your project with room temperature ingredients - eggs, butter and buttermilk. Let them sit out all day if need be.
3 cups (12 ounces) sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
11/2 cups (101/2 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup (33/4 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup bourbon
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
11/2 cups (101/2 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup (33/4 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup bourbon
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Mix the flour, baking powder and soda and sea salt together - whisk well and set aside.
Mix the buttermilk and bourbon and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars for 5-7 minutes. Yes, all 5-7 minutes. It will be the consistency of chocolate chip cookie batter.
Add each egg and beat, one at a time into the batter.
Now, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, alternately, ending with the flour. (Flour, milk, flour, milk, flour, milk, flour.) Just beat until mixed - don't overbeat the flour!
When there is still white flour around the bowl, shut off beater and continue to mix in gently with a rubber spatula.
Pour into the pan to bake at 350 degrees. Place in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes; use a wooden skewer and the crumbs should adhere to the skewer. Check often and don't overbake.
In the meantime, make the glaze using 6 T. of soft unsalted butter, 3/4 c. sugar and 1/4 c. bourbon. Heat until just simmering.
When the pan comes out of the oven, make holes all over cake while it is still hot in the pan. Pour 3/4 the glaze over the cake and allow it to sink in and cool.After about 20 minutes, turn the cake out of the pan onto a serving dish. Pour the rest of the glaze over the cake.
