Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cake with Caramel Glaze offers a rich, bold flavor of bourbon, this cake is not for the faint of heart! It’s a boozy twist on a Southern classic!
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I gave Big Daddy three bottles of his favorite bourbons for Christmas; all premium, single barrel bourbons! We were educated on all things bourbon after enjoying the Bourbon Trail for three days.
This is a really fun tour if you have a free weekend. You’ll learn the art, history, and science behind the bourbon brewing process. As well, you’ll have the opportunity to taste various bourbons, some that are not even on the market yet.
We made it into a family trip and incorporated kid-friendly activities into our visit. On the Bourbon Tour, our first stop was Maker’s Mark. (photo below taken at Maker’s Mark.)
The cake would be fabulous without the caramel glaze, but I’m all about more is more when it comes to desserts so I added the luscious, creamy caramel on top! I KNOW RIGHT?! Just look at that caramel oozing off the top!
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cake with Caramel Glaze
Bourbon gives this cake a deep, rich flavor. However, it’s not an over-powering flavor. And, the texture of the cake is tender with a fine crumb. It melts in your mouth.
I recently updated this post with new photos and easier instructions. As well, the photo below is from the original post and photos.
More yummy pound cakes
WOODFORD RESERVE BOURBON CAKE TIPS
- First, I prefer to bake my pound cakes in this tube pan versus a bundt pan. Several of my pound cakes in this series have too much batter for a standard bundt pan.
- For any cake, be diligent about measuring your flour accurately. Furthermore, I wrote this post that will help you if you’re not sure how to measure: How to Correctly Measure Flour.
- Allow yourself time to cream the butter (or fat) and sugar for a pound cake. Don’t be tempted to rush the process. You want to cream it until it is light in color and fluffy.
- As well, don’t dump the eggs in all at once. Add them one at a time beating until you can no longer see the egg before you add another one.
- To test for doneness, insert a long skewer into the thickest part of the cake. The cake is done when no crumbs or dry crumbs remain on the skewer when removed.
- Next, allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.
- Additionally, cool the cake completely before covering it.
MORE TIPS…
- Furthermore, using a light versus a dark pan as well as sitting it on a cookie sheet (which I do) to bake will affect the baking time. For this cake, I baked it in a dark pan on a round cookie sheet.
- Most importantly, keep an eye on your cake and start watching it closely after 60 minutes the first time you bake it. Note exactly what you used and how long you baked it for future reference.
- Did you know when a recipe calls for eggs, it refers to using large eggs? If you have small or extra-large eggs, you will need to adjust the amount you use.
SHOP THIS POST
While you’re here, check out these recipes
- Bourbon Balls
- Butter Beer Pound Cake
- Coffee Cake Pound Cake
- Orange Creamsicle Pound Cake
- Sheet Pan Pound Cake
- Can I Bake a Pound Cake in a 9×13-inch Pan?
- 10 Ridiculously Easy Pound Cake Recipes
- All my pound cake recipes
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cake with Caramel Glaze
It's buttery with a tender crumb and hints of bourbon. You've got to try this cake!
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Save To Your Recipe BoxServings: servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- ½ cup solid vegetable shortening
- 2 cup light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 5 ounces half and half at room temperature (heavy cream or milk can be substituted)
- 2 Tablespoons bourbon Woodford Reserve bourbon, or your favorite bourbon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted then measured correctly
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel Glaze
- ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and sugar (I use granulated sugar but you can use flour) a 10x4-inch, 12 cup bundt pan (that's larger than a typical bundt pan) or a tube pan with solid vegetable shortening or Wilton Cake Release.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream butter and shortening at medium speed. Gradually add brown sugar, beating until light and creamy. Stop mixer and scrape sides.
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Stop mixer and scrape sides with a spatula.
- Add bourbon to half and half; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture to the ingredients in the mixing bowl beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stop mixer and scrape sides with a spatula.
- Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into your prepared baking pan.
- Bake at 325°F for 1 hour 10 to 15 minutes. A long wooden pick inserted in the center should come out clean when the cake is done. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes then remove from pan to cake plate.
- Cool the cake completely on a wire rack before glazing. It will take about an hour for the cake to cool completely.
Caramel Glaze
- Bring brown sugar, whipping cream, and butter to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly.
- Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth and the mixture begins to thicken. This will take 3 to 5 minutes.
- Immediately pour frosting over the cooled cake.
- Store in an airtight container on the countertop for 1 week. Freezes well.
Nutrition
Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 835IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2.2mg
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Kristy says
This was delicious! Everyone loved it! I added some bourbon to the glaze as well. 😋
Carmel says
How do you think this would be with rum?
Paula says
It would be wonderful! Or, I have this pound cake with rum> https://www.callmepmc.com/totally-scratch-made-rum-pound-cake-with-rum-glaze/
Jacki says
Hi Paula. Thank you for the recipe. We are a family of 2 and will never be able to consume a full cake. Any suggestions for approximate bake time if I split this recipe into 2 6 cup tube pans? Thank you again.
Paula says
I’m not sure about 1/2 the batter in a tube pan, but 1/2 the batter in a 9×5 inch loaf pan usually takes 45 to 55 minutes (depending on pan color).
Susie says
Looks 🤩 Thinking about making it for friend’s Bday. What about adding whisky to glaze.? 🤔
Paula says
Yes, you absolutely can add it to the glaze. You can replace the vanilla and up to half of the whipping cream.
Lynnette says
Yes, I add some Woodford Reserve to the glaze also when I make for my friends’ B-Days. Since I like more icing with my cake I do 1.5x for the gaze although I can actually eat this cake without the glaze and it’s delicious. The glaze puts it over the top though. First time I made it, my friend’s exact words were “Oh my god! This is so good!” Definitely one of Paula’s all time best recipes! Thank you, Paula!
Paula says
🏆Yay!! Thank you so much!!
Grace says
Just made this, and while technically I haven’t had a slice yet, I have licked the bowl and added this to my favorite dessert recipe collection. Thank you! I did do some substitutions as I have some dairy intolerance but I didn’t completely cut out dairy. Mostly I substituted soy half and half for the milk options and did half butter and half an olive oil based “butter”
Michelle says
Would you change anything (other than baking time) if one was to make cupcakes? Asking for a friend… Lol!
Paula says
No, just baking time. Start checking them around 22-26 minutes
Lisa Rupkus says
Could I add apples ? Would o need to change anything!
Paula says
You can. It’s take longer to bake. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden and spring back when lightly poked with your finger.
Cheryl Novak says
Can I use all butter or do I need the vegetable shortening
Paula says
You can use all butter…. but butter, not margarine
pamela says
i have some evan williams burbon i hope that will make it taste good
Laura says
That’s what I had on hand, I addded some to the glaze!!
MsLadyS says
Oh YES! I changed the recipe a bit but it is DELICIOUS!!!!!! I used 1 lbs of butter, 1 C brown sugar, 2.5 C regular sugar, 8 egg whites, 1C bourbon, 4C sifted flour, and omitted salt, vanilla, cream, baking powder, and shortening. WOW! I used the caramel glaze! It is so goooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!! This is my first cake as a married lady! HE LOVES IT!!!
Robin says
The cake was a little dry, not sure what I could have done differently
Acacia Brown says
You had me at Woodford Reserve!! Since doing the bourbon trail I am hooked on Woodford Reserve. Thank you so much & I cannot wait to try this recipe.
Paula says
Me too!
Bdot-01 says
Awesome….it’s a valentine cake!!!! Yeah!!!!
Dboog says
This cake sounds good, except we are complete “teetotalers” here, so what flavoring cound replace the bourbon? I know that the alcohol would dissipate in baking, but we do not even purchase alcohol.
Thank you.
Paula says
There really is not substitute for bourbon or whiskey in recipes. It truly offers a unique flavor that can’t be replicated. For other alcohol substitutions you can refer to this http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodinformation/fl/Cooking-With-Alcohol-Substitute-Ingredients.htm. My parents never drank so I understand. I would use almond extract for the whiskey and it will be wonderful, but it won’t taste exactly like this cake does.
Dboog says
Thank you so much for this information and for the link. There is some great information on that link. Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Nene says
I made this Bourbon Cake with Caramel Glaze and it is delicious!! The cake is moist. I was going to add more bourbon in the cake. I’m glad I didn’t. The 2 Tablespoons is a plenty. The caramel glaze is awesome. I will make this again! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait for my family to try it.
Nene says
I want to try this recipe. I have Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey by Ancient Age. I certainly hope it comes out good.
Paula says
Nene, I think they will work beautifully!
Nene says
I want to try this recipe. I have Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Is that OK?
Claire Wood says
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the Godfather of Bourbons!!! As an Old KY Gal I would never consider anything else.
teeokeefe says
a lot of other people have modified the recipe, I tried to do it as written (except I didn’t trust the quantity of glaze and made 1.5 and darn if I didn’t get the powdered sugar ratio wrong too much… don’t think that was too much of a fail)
Taking this to Thanksgiving Dinner today – it sure is beautiful and I can’t wait to hear from everyone. I made a single serving ramekin and it tasted divine to me and that was without the glaze!
Liz says
Is it safe for kids to eat this? Does the alcohol dissipate while baking? I’ve never baked with alcohol! Thanks!
mobilebay says
Could this great looking cake be made in a 9 x 13 pan?
Paula says
Yes, it can be made in a 9×13 inch pan. I would still bake it at the same temperature, but I’m unsure of the exact time. It’s a more dense cake than more cakes that are made in a 9×13 pan. I would start checking it at 40 minutes. If you look at it and it’s is lower in the middle it’s not ready. After that middle is poufed up, start testing it with a wooden toothpick. You’ll want to very gently open and close the oven door when you do this. Test every 5 minutes until the pick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
mobilebay says
Thanks so much for your reply. Will look forward to trying this recipe soon. May I ask one more question? Can another bourbon be substituted without changing the taste of the cake?
Paula says
Yes, I used Woodford because that’s what we had and my husband almost killed me! 🙂 I’ve used 4 Roses, Maker’s, Buffalo Trace and even Crown Royal and you can’t tell much of a difference after it cooks.
Katie says
Do you think I’d be safe using any other kind of bourbon? How off do you think the taste would be? If you have suggestions of another kind that would work, please let me know!
Paula says
Hi Katie! Yes, I think it would be fine to use another bourbon. Really Woodford is too expensive to bake with but it’s what my husband drinks and what we had. Crown Royal, Maker’s, even Jack Daniels any light colored bourbon or whiskey will give almost the same flavor in this.
Charla says
Paula,
On the Woodford Reserve cake what is the measurement of half and half in this recipe? Did I miss that ingredient?
Paula says
Charla, it’s 5 oz. It really needs more than 1/2 cup but not as much as 3/4 cup so that’s why I wrote it 5 oz. I know that’s not typical.
Tammy says
This cake looks and sounds amazing. However, I don’t cook with shortening any more. Do you think using all butter or coconut oil for the shortening would hinder the texture at all?
Thanks!
Paula says
I think either would be ok. I actually think I’d try it with half butter and half coconut oil. I’ve started replacing coconut oil in a lot of things. I actually made a cake last week with it, but it wasn’t a Pound Cake. It turned out good.
Laura Dembowski says
I really love bourbon, especially Woodford Reserve. Baking with alcohol is so much fun and the punch of flavor it gives it always welcome. This cake looks like pure decadent deliciousness!
Paula says
Thank you! I have just recently started cooking and baking with bourbon and I love the depth of flavor it adds. Thanks for stopping by.
Carole says
Whoa, that’s some cake! Thanks for joining in the cake extravaganza, Paula. Cheers
Paula says
Thank you, Carole.
Michelle Day says
Paula,
This cake is amazing! I'm featuring you today on Tasty Creations Bi-weekly link party! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Michelle
Charlene@APinchofJoy says
You are featured this week on Busy Monday at A Pinch of Joy! I hope you will stop by and grab a Featured Button from the Button Box on the sidebar this afternoon. Pinned. Can’t wait to see what else you’ve been working on!
Lindsey Domer says
Wow! This looks amazing!
Newest follower from GYB Hop. Would love for you to follow back at toddlindsey.com!
Kathy Moody says
This looks so delicious!! Can't wait to try this. Stopping by from Transformed Tuesday. Have a wonderful week. 🙂
Carol OurSearsKitHome says
Looks wonderful! I made a brown sugar glaze this weekend that was very similar, it was great!
Julie says
Um YES! This looks fabulous! I am pinning and sharing on my Facebook page. Thanks for sharing on Marvelous Mondays, friend! 🙂
Lynn Huntley says
My husband I have had the pleasure of traveling along the Bourbon Trail! Your recipes look wonderful and I love your ceramic tree in the pic…Have a few myself! Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
Diane says
I would love to go on the Bourbon Trail… but for now I will have to suffice with your cake. Thanks for sharing it with us on foodie friday. Maybe I'll make it for Kentucky derby day…hmmm.
SweetPepperRose says
Oh yes, Bourbon and caramel in the same sentence! yummy
Eloquent Obi says
New follower here! love to cook and eat too! I have family in Pascagoula Mississippi, so a bit of MS in me too! Cake looks SO yummy! my blog: http://myeloquentrambles.blogspot.com/
Eloquent Obi says
Hello PMc, I am following you now. love to cook and eat too. yummy cake and i have family in Pascagoula Mississippi 🙂 my blog: http://myeloquentrambles.blogspot.com/
Tess Moody says
Oops! Forgot-your new follower from Friendship Friday. 🙂
Tess @ Six Feet Under Blog says
Those look good! Im trying a cake ball recipe this weekend and hopefully post next week!
Eva Gallant says
Yikes! I'm not sure if I'm craving bourbon or that cake!
Pamela says
Wow this looks delicious! I want a big piece now! thanks for sharing!
Connie says
Oh my! that looks so good I feel like I have to go to the store right now for ingredients! Stopping by from GYB hop and your new GFC follower.
Danni Baird @ Silo Hill Farm says
Oh no you didn't!!! Oh lucky me to work in a liquor store!! Yummmmm…this might be my valentine dessert girl!