When I turned 21, I was determined to be a badass. The youngest of my friends, I had watched the majority of them ripen to adulthood and opt for sugary martinis and syrupy cordials on their special days. Cosmopolitans, amaretto sours, and assorted varieties of fruit-flavored wines were usually on the list of go-to beverages, but me… well, I wanted the fill bigger britches. I wanted the stuff that grown men drank, the kind of booze that put hair on you chest. I opted for bourbon.

Let’s just say I had no idea what I was getting myself into. My Kentucky roots tricked me into believing that all the exposure to bluegrass and horse-speckled hills would somehow prepare my palate for the smooth (but not subtle) punch of a bourbon cocktail, but I could not have been more wrong.

On my 21st birthday, armed with my parent’s credit card and a friend to hold my hair back (kidding), we saddled up to a table at a local Birmingham whiskey bar, and I ordered a glass of Woodford Reserve over ice. The waitress suggested I try their bacon-infused variety (obviously, because it was 2008), and I delightfully agreed. For the next hour I put on a brave face and grimaced through microscopic sips of what I assumed was some kind of smoky rubbing alcohol. It was terrible, and I watched longingly as my friends enjoyed chilled glasses of Riesling and cranberry vodkas. I was not ready for the bourbon.

Bourbon Bundt Cake

Now, I sing a different tune about bourbon now. I love the flavor it adds to cocktails and baked goods alike and opt for its comforting warm flavors over just about any other libation. Here, in this bourbon bundt cake, the Kentucky-bred booze flavors a moist, one-bowl cake with flavors of fall and a subtle little kick reminiscent of what that 21-year old Kate was probably expecting from her birthday beverage. This cake is perfect for the season, fits in with any breakfast or brunch menu, and is still enough of a treat to enjoy at dessert. Consider this is your catch-all cake for the next few months. If you’re interested in hearing more about it, let’s dive in.

Making the Cake

This bourbon bundt cake is made with my favorite (you guessed it!) Kerrygold butter. In pound cakes and other simple bundts, I prefer to opt for their high-fat, ultra-flavorful unsalted butter. Kerrygold butter keeps this cake moist with a subtle richness that other butters simply can’t offer. To the softened butter, I add sugar and brown sugar which gets whipped together until light and fluffy. Eggs and vanilla come next before the dry ingredients are alternated in with the buttermilk and bourbon. The batter bakes up in a prepared bundt pan until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the bourbon bundt cake to cool slightly in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack or serving dish. Once cool, whip up the simple glaze of bourbon, powdered sugar, and cream, and pour the thickened mixture all over the cake. I love collecting the run-off glaze in the center of the cake and spooning any extra glaze back on top for a second dose of sweet. This bourbon bundt cake is simple but such a crowd pleaser.

I hope you’ll give this bourbon bundt cake a try this week! Next week we’re celebrating my birthday (!!!) with TWO special recipes that I can’t wait to share. In the meantime, many thanks to Kerrygold for sponsoring this post and for making this an awesome cake! Happy baking!

If you like this bourbon bundt cake you should try:

Brown Butter Bourbon Madeleines 

Derby Hand Pies

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

Maple Apple Cake

Bourbon Bundt Cake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

This bourbon bundt cake is lightly scented with booze and is topped with a powdered sugar glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!

• Author: Kate Wood
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 70
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 9
• Category: Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1–1/4 cup sugar (250 gm)
• ¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 gm) buttermilk, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (60 gm) good quality bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2–3/4 cups (385 gm) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, plus more as needed

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed for 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in any unincorporated egg. In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, bourbon, and vanilla extract. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir just until barely combined on low speed. Add half of the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. Repeat this process to incorporate the remaining dry and wet ingredients. Fold the batter together using a rubber spatula to ensure everything is well incorporated.
2. Lightly grease and flour a bundt pan and spoon the batter into the pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the cake has risen and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 45- 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then invert the cake on to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To prepare the glaze:

1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, bourbon, and ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream. Add additional cream 1 teaspoon at a time until your glaze is the desired consistency. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken as needed. Spoon the glaze over top of the cake and enjoy!