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When summer fruits have faded away, it’s time to pull out the fall flavors: nuts, pumpkin, apples, and warm spices. This Bourbon Pecan Cake is a favorite of my husband, who loves bourbon. I’ve added it to the batter and the glaze, but it’s not overpowering. The bourbon flavor is subtle and pairs so well with the brown sugar and toasted pecans.
Alright, y’all, I’ll admit it: I don’t love this cake. Largely because I don’t love bourbon. I don’t care for rum cakes either. However, my people who do love bourbon absolutely devour this cake. The bourbon flavor isn’t overpowering, so even if you don’t think you like it, give it a try. And if you have someone around who is a bourbon connoisseur, bake this cake for them because they will love it.
Testing results for bourbon pecan cake
- I first made this cake without toasting the pecans, but decided it needed a little deeper flavor. Toasting nuts is such a simple and easy step, but it really adds a lot of flavor to any recipe that calls for nuts.
- This is smaller than a typical bundt cake, so pay attention to the size of your pan. I wanted to make a cake that would be just right for a small cocktail and dinner party, so I opted for an 8-inch bundt pan.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Kentucky bourbon: Use a mid-shelf Kentucky bourbon here and save the good bottle for drinking. A quarter cup goes in the batter and three tablespoons go in the glaze.
Pecans: Toast them, always. Spread the chopped pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast them 7 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Salted butter: I rarely use or buy salted butter, but it’s better in this cake than unsalted. It helps balance the sweetness in the glaze.
Sour cream: Just a quarter cup to keep the cake moist and tender.
Almond and maple extracts: A quarter teaspoon each. Maple extract in particular isn’t in most pantries, so pick some up before you start.
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make bourbon pecan cake
- Toast the pecans, then stir some with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk the flour, leavening, and spices in a separate bowl.
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and extracts until pale, then beat in both eggs. Add the dry ingredients along with the sour cream and bourbon, mixing only until the flour disappears. The batter will be thick.
- Spoon part of the batter into the greased pan, spread the brown sugar pecan mixture over it while keeping it in from the edge, and cover with the rest of the batter.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, rest the cake in the pan until it pulls away from the sides, then turn it out and let it cool completely.
- Beat the powdered sugar, softened butter, and bourbon into a thick glaze for the cake, spoon it over the crown, and scatter the reserved pecans on top.
Variations
- Skip the glaze. Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar instead. The brown sugar pecan layer is sweet enough to carry it on its own.
- Use dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar in the interior layer gives that band a deeper molasses flavor than light brown does.
What to serve with bourbon pecan cake
Bourbon Pecan Cake is a bit of a fancy dessert, IMO, so I usually make it for a dinner party or a holiday celebration. I think this cake pairs well with a slow-cooked meat supper, like my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs or Cider-Brined Pork Roast. For sides, I’d suggest Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts or Easy Oven-Baked Polenta.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Bourbon Pecan Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup Kentucky bourbon
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon
- 2 tablespoon chopped toasted pecans, for topping
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread all of the chopped pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove and let cool, then reduce the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spray the bundt pan with cooking spray or cake release.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream 1/2 cup salted butter, softened, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/4 teaspoon maple extract with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add 2 large eggs and beat on medium-high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Slowly add the flour mixture, 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1/4 cup Kentucky bourbon. Start on low speed until the flour begins to work in, then increase to medium-high and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, just until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick.
- Spoon one third of the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles, then smooth the top.
- Spoon the brown sugar pecan mixture over the batter, leaving about a half inch of space around the outer edge.
- Add the remaining batter over the pecan mixture and tap the pan on the counter again, then smooth the top.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15-20 minutes. As the cake cools, it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. You should see a gap of about 1/8-1/4 of an inch between the cake and the edge of the pan at about the 15-minute mark. Turn the cake out onto a plate and cool completely before glazing, about 2 hours.
Glaze
- In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened, and 3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon with an electric mixer. Beat until smooth. The glaze will be very thick.
- Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooled cake and let it drip down the sides.
- Sprinkle with toasted pecans and enjoy!
Notes
- The glaze butter must be softened, not melted, so it whisks smoothly.
- Do not overmix the batter, as that can cause tunneling through the crumb.
- The cake domes a little in the 8-inch pan and settles flat as it cools.
- Bake and cool the cake up to a day ahead; keep it wrapped at room temperature, and glaze it the day you serve it.
- A glazed cake keeps covered at room temperature for about three days.
- To freeze, wrap the unglazed cake tightly and glaze it after it thaws.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Make ahead. This pecan bourbon cake is perfect for a make-ahead dessert. Bake it the day before, let it cool completely, and keep it wrapped at room temperature. Glaze it the day you’re serving so the pecans on top stay crisp.
Storage. Keep the glazed bourbon pecan cake covered at room temperature for about three days. The glaze firms up as it sits, and after the first day the slices cut cleaner. For anything longer, freeze the cake unglazed and wrapped tightly, then glaze it after it thaws.
Grease every crevice, then let the cake sit 15 to 20 minutes in the pan before you turn it out. Baking spray or cake release gets into the flutes better than butter and flour, because butter tends to pool in the ridges and leave bare spots. The cake will tell you when it’s ready. As it cools, it pulls away from the sides, and at about the 15-minute mark you should see a gap of an eighth to a quarter of an inch between the cake and the edge of the pan. Set a plate over the pan, invert the cake, and lift the pan straight up.
I wrote this recipe for an 8-inch bundt pan, which holds about 6 cups.
Some, yes. The quarter cup in the batter spends 35 minutes in a hot oven, and most of the alcohol cooks off, though probably not all of it. The glaze is a different story, since it’s never heated, so the three tablespoons of bourbon stay exactly as they went in. If you’re serving anyone who avoids alcohol entirely, leave the glaze off and dust the cake with powdered sugar. Or make my Cream Cheese Pound Cake instead!
Start with a cake that’s completely cool, which takes about two hours, because a warm cake thins the glaze and it will slide straight off. Spoon the glaze onto the crown a little at a time in a ring, and let each spoonful start moving before you add the next.
