Bourbon Cake Recipe: Authentic Southern Style (2024)

A good bourbon cake recipe is one of those things that's handed down from generation to generation here in the South. I found this unusual bourbon pecan pound cake in one of my early 20th century cookbooks with a hastily scrawled star next to the title in faded blue ink. It's so buttery and moist, and it is bursting with bourbon flavor. The pecans add texture and that smooth buttery pecan flavor. I think you'll love it as much as that long ago baker did!

🗝️ Key takeaways

• Definitly "adults only" this bourbon pecan pound cake is moist, dense, and buttery - but you'd better like bourbon!
• Serve during the holidays or on special occasions.
• Always make this a day ahead of time - it gives the flavors time to mellow out.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs, then add bourbon.
2. Blend dry ingredients together and add in.
3. Fold in the pecans, spoon into the bundt pan and bake.
4. Pour bourbon around edge of baked cake while it is still hot.

Equipment

• bundt pan - I like NordicWare because they have amazing designs plus they last forever.
• mixer, either hand mixer or stand mixer
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls

🥫 How to store leftover bourbon pecan cake

Leftovers can be stored at room temperature for about 4 days. Cover with plastic wrap or place in a cake carrier to keep it fresh.

This cake freezes very well for up to 3 months.

Notes

Now, most of the alcohol in the actual cake bakes out but it's soaked in bourbon after it comes out of the oven. Then an uncooked bourbon glaze goes over the top. In other words, I would have something "kid friendly" like this old fashioned buttermilk pound cake on the menu as well.

• Please make it a day ahead of time - it's just so much better.
• It's good without the bourbon, if you don't drink. Just substitute a good, spicy ginger beer or ginger ale for the bourbon if you don't imbibe. Apple cider will work, too.
• This bourbon cake tastes better the second or third day so it's great to make ahead!

This bourbon pecan pound cake is SO good. I just love it... but here are some more of my favorites!

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Margarita Pound Cake

Whiskey Apple Cake

White Texas Sheet Cake

Dr Pepper Cake

Sweet Potato Rum Cake

Chocolate Beer Bundt Cake

Christmas Fruitcake - I know... but this one really is amazing - sweet and sticky like candy.

📞 The last word

Few holidays in Texasaren'tcelebrated with copious amounts of alcohol. This Southern bourbon cake certainly has that. It's a dense cake that has a strong bourbon flavor mellowed with the addition of buttery chopped pecans. Then more bourbon is poured over the warm cake, and finally a bourbon butter glaze is drizzled over the top.

Be sure to get a good bourbon because that's where all the flavor is going to come from. I use one or another that's distilled in Texas like Garrison Brothers or Firestone & Robertson. Use something you like.

My very first experience with bourbon cake was when I was about 17 and working in the Jr. Department of Joske's. It was just before Christmas and I was invited to a Christmas party at the home of one of my co-workers. That table was laden down with all kinds of appetizers, cookies, desserts... you name it. It looked like something out of a Dicken's novel. Right smack in the center of the table was a crystal cake dish with a bundt cake on it. It all looked scrumptious.

Now, most everyone there was an adult. I started working at 14 by lying about my age. I worked from 3:30 to 11 pm after school and worked a 40 hour week. By the time I was 16 I was working full time and making a bit more than minimum wage (which was 2.25 an hour, by the way). I looked older and I think people forgot that I was so young. Anyway, back to the cake.

I took the slice I was offered and sat on the fireplace, carefully balancing punch and cake on my knee. Trying very hard to look sophisticated I took a took a bite of the cake. Right then and there my sinuses cleared up, my head blew off, and my eyes probably bugged out.

So much for sophistication.

By the time the party was over I had sampled the cake as well as numerous rum balls and bourbon balls. You've just gotta love Southern hospitality. Being rather mature I decided to call my dad to pick me up rather than try to drive home myself.

I decided this after I tripped off the edge of the dining area into the sunken living room and landed on my face.

Honestly, I am not excessively graceful so that could have happened without the rum balls, bourbon balls, and bourbon cake but I wasn't taking any chances.

Here's that easy bourbon cake recipe! Remember to use a good bourbon and let it sit at least overnight.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

First published November 2016. Last updated December 5, 2023 for better images, editorial improvements, and readability.

Original images

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