Bourbon Vanilla Cake | Life, Love and Sugar

This Bourbon vanilla cake is ideal to your subsequent big day! It’s made up of three layers of moist, bourbon-infused vanilla cake. Between every layer lies a filling of decadent bourbon caramel sauce and the identical vanilla-bourbon buttercream that frosts the surface. Such a sublime and engaging dessert!

Decadent Vanilla Bourbon Cake with Caramel Sauce

I like including a little bit booze to my desserts. It might probably add a lot taste. Bourbon, particularly. From this Bourbon vanilla cake, to my Bourbon Spice Toffee Cake and Bourbon Peach Streusel Cheesecake, there are a number of superb choices. I additionally love my Margarita Cake, in case you get pleasure from tequila. All of them make superior desserts for an grownup gathering, big day or perhaps a twenty first birthday.

Simply if you thought cake couldn’t get any higher, this cake makes it higher. A part of what I like about this cake is that the bourbon is basically capable of shine towards the vanilla. Even the caramel sauce has some bourbon in it. The moist, tender layers of vanilla cake are infused with simply the correct amount of bourbon and frosted with a easy, creamy vanilla-bourbon buttercream. The delicate vanilla and virtually smoky taste of the bourbon are complimented superbly by the caramel sauce. So good!

Why You’ll Love This Bourbon Vanilla Cake

Want a motive to hop within the kitchen and get began on this vanilla bourbon cake? I’ve obtained just a few for you. Right here they’re.

• Unbeatable taste combo. The delicate sweetness of the vanilla, the richness of the caramel, and the quiet smokiness of the bourbon come collectively within the excellent marriage of flavors.
• Better of each worlds (butter and oil). I made a decision to make use of each butter and vegetable oil within the cake batter. The butter brings a beautiful richness to the cake whereas the oil makes it splendidly moist.
• A novel buttercream. I used my favourite vanilla buttercream recipe and added a contact of bourbon to it. It’s silky easy in texture and wealthy in taste with simply the slightest trace of smokiness from the bourbon.
• Visible attraction. The white buttercream and the drizzle of caramel sauce give this cake a show-stoppingly elegant look. It’s the right dessert for an engagement occasion, a bridal bathe, or no matter different subtle occasion you’ve in your calendar.

What You’ll Want

Right here’s what you’ll have to make vanilla bourbon cake. Remember to scroll to the recipe card beneath for exact measurements.

Bourbon Vanilla cake

• All-purpose flour – Remember to measure the flour correctly. I recommend utilizing a meals scale or the spoon and stage technique.
• Baking powder – Provides rise to the cake to assist in giving it’s fluffy texture.
• Salt – To intensify the flavors within the cake. Be certain to not go away it out.
• Unsalted butter – The butter ought to be at room temperature in any other case it received’t cream correctly with the oil and sugar.
• Vegetable oil – The oil provides a bit of additional moist to the cake.
• Sugar – Common granulated sugar is used.
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs – Permit the eggs to come back to room temperature earlier than utilizing. They are going to combine extra easily and evenly into the batter.
• Milk – The milk also needs to be at room temperature in order that it mixes extra simply into the batter.
• Bourbon – I used Maker’s Mark, however be at liberty to make use of your favourite Bourbon.

Bourbon Vanilla Buttercream

• Unsalted butter – Begin with room temperature butter. Butter that’s too chilly offers you a lumpy frosting. Butter that’s melted will flip right into a runny frosting.
• Powdered sugar – For quantity and consistency. I take advantage of a good quantity of buttercream as a result of I prefer it to be stiff sufficient to embellish the best way I like. Be happy to chop it down (or reduce down the general quantity of frosting), in case you like an easier approach of frosting it or identical to much less frosting.
• Vanilla extract – For taste.
• Bourbon – Additionally for taste. Once more, I used Maker’s Mark.
• Salt – You don’t have so as to add salt, but it surely does add a contact of taste and reduce down the sweetness only a contact.
• Bourbon caramel sauce – You’ll use this caramel sauce to fill the cake and add elegant drips to its exterior.

Easy methods to Make Bourbon Vanilla Cake

Right here’s a fast overview of the right way to make this scrumptious layer cake. You’ll discover extra detailed directions within the recipe card beneath.

Make the truffles, the caramel sauce, and the buttercream

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 levels F, line the underside of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, and grease the perimeters.
• Mix the dry elements. Whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cream. Beat collectively the butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract till gentle in shade and fluffy.

• Add the eggs. Combine within the eggs, one after the other.
• Put all of it collectively. Combine in half of the dry elements adopted by the milk and bourbon. Combine within the remaining dry elements.

• Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes.
• Cool. Permit the truffles to chill of their pans for a few minutes earlier than turning them out onto wire wracks to chill utterly.

• Make the bourbon caramel sauce. Comply with my recipe beneath Bourbon Caramel Sauce and permit the sauce to chill to room temperature.
• Make the buttercream. Beat the butter till easy. Combine in half of the powdered sugar adopted by the vanilla, half of the bourbon, and the salt. Combine within the remaining powdered sugar and further bourbon if the frosting is just too thick.

Construct the cake

• Flatten. Minimize the domes off of the truffles with a big serrated knife.
• Layer. Place the primary cake on a serving plate and unfold 1/2 cup frosting excessive. Pipe a dam of buttercream across the outer fringe of the cake and fill the dam with about 1/3 a cup of Bourbon caramel sauce. Place the second cake on prime and repeat. Prime with the final cake layer.

• Frost. Frost the surface of the cake.
• Enhance. Use the remaining Bourbon caramel sauce so as to add a drip to the perimeters of the cake and to drizzle a round sample excessive of the cake. Use the remaining frosting to pipe a border across the prime fringe of the cake.

Ideas for Adorning This Layer Cake

Vanilla bourbon cake is the right dessert for any elegant celebration, particularly in case you adorn it for the event. Listed below are some tips about the right way to do it.

• Permit the cake to chill. Rule #1 of adorning a cake is to let the cake layers cool utterly earlier than you frost them. If they’re nonetheless heat, the frosting will slide proper off of them.
• Examine up. Cease what you’re doing and take a look at my tutorial for frosting a easy cake. You’ll be taught every part you should know to get a easy coat of buttercream on this lovely dessert.
• Pipe like a professional. After frosting the surface of the cake, you’ll need to pipe a border round its prime edge. For this, you’ll want a piping bag. When you can simply use a plastic bag with a gap reduce within the nook, I like to recommend utilizing a correct piping bag and becoming it with a enjoyable tip. I like Ateco tip 847.
• Use a squeeze bottle. As a way to add a caramel drip to the perimeters of the cake, I extremely recommend placing the bourbon caramel sauce in a squeeze bottle. For extra drip methods, take a look at my tutorial on the right way to make a chocolate drip cake (simply use caramel as a substitute of chocolate).

Different Useful Ideas

Baking is a science and there are just a few easy suggestions and methods that you really want to remember for the very best consequence. Right here they arrive.

• Measure rigorously. Pay particular consideration to the flour. An excessive amount of flour will make the cake overly dense and dry and too little received’t give it sufficient construction. I recommend utilizing the spoon and stage technique (spoon flour right into a measuring cup and stage it off with a butter knife) or a meals scale.
• Room temperature elements. The butter, eggs, and milk within the batter ought to all be at room temperature. The butter won’t cream correctly with the oil and sugar whether it is too chilly and the eggs and milk received’t combine easily and simply into the opposite elements if they’re too chilly, which may result in over-mixing.
• Don’t skimp on creaming time. When creaming collectively the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla achieve this till the combination has turn into fluffy and has considerably lightened in shade. It ought to take 2-3 minutes. This course of provides air to the batter, which contributes vastly to the sunshine, fluffy texture of the completed cake.
• Don’t over-mix. When combining the moist and dry elements, don’t over-mix. This will trigger the glutens within the flour to overdevelop which may give you a tricky, dense cake.
• Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl. As you add elements and blend them in, scrape down the perimeters of the bowl often. It will assist make sure that the entire elements make it into the combo. Hold this in thoughts when making the batter and the frosting.
• Try my tutorials. This cake isn’t solely stacked and frosted but it surely additionally has a filling which requires a little bit further finesse. Try my publish on Easy methods to Fill and Stack a Layer Cake to learn to do it.

Can I Put together This Bourbon Vanilla Cake in Advance?

Sure! Retailer the absolutely cooled cake layers in a cake provider or in separate Ziplock luggage (get as a lot air out as attainable) and retailer them at room temperature for as much as 2 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months. It’s also possible to make the frosting as much as 4 days prematurely and the caramel as much as 2 weeks prematurely. Retailer them in separate hermetic containers within the fridge. When the time comes, permit the cake layers to thaw (if relevant) and produce your buttercream to room temperature. Stack, fill, frost and adorn the cake simply as you usually would.

It’s also possible to make the entire cake a day or two prematurely. Retailer it in an hermetic cake provider within the fridge. I like to recommend letting it sit out at room temperature for an hour or so earlier than serving. For extra data on correct storage, scroll to the subsequent part.

Correct Storage

• Fridge. Seal the cake in an hermetic cake provider or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. I like to make use of toothpicks to prop the plastic away from any decorations. When you already sliced the cake, prepare the slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. Retailer the cake within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
• Freezer. Permit the cake to agency up within the freezer for a few hours earlier than wrapping the entire thing in a double layer of plastic wrap. Alternatively, prepare slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. You’ll be able to retailer it within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Permit the cake to thaw within the fridge earlier than serving.

This cake is finest loved at room temperature. So let it sit on the counter for about an hour earlier than slicing and serving.

Extra Layer Cake Recipes

I like the creativity that layer truffles permit. You’ll be able to just about choose any cake taste, any frosting taste, and any filling and stack them collectively to make a splendidly elegant dessert. Listed below are a few of my favourite creations.

Print

Recipe

Bourbon Vanilla Cake

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  Creator: Lindsay Conchar
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  Prep Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
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  Prepare dinner Time: 23 minutes
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  Complete Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
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  Yield: 12-14 slices
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  Class: Cake
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  Methodology: Baking
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

This elegant vanilla bourbon cake is made of three layers of moist, bourbon-infused vanilla cake layered with vanilla-bourbon buttercream and bourbon caramel sauce. Scrumptious!

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Substances

Bourbon Vanilla cake

• 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 massive eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (ml) milk, room temperature
• 6 tbsp bourbon

Bourbon Vanilla Buttercream

• Bourbon caramel sauce
• 3 cups (672g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 cups (1380g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4–6 tablespoons bourbon
• Pinch of salt

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Directions

For the cake:

1. Put together three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles within the backside and grease the perimeters. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
2. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and put aside.
3. Add the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla extract to a big mixer bowl and beat collectively till gentle in shade and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the eggs one after the other, mixing till principally mixed after every. Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl as wanted to make certain all elements are properly included.
5. Add half of the dry elements to the batter and blend till principally mixed.
6. Slowly add the milk and Bourbon and blend till properly mixed. The batter could look a little bit curdled, however that’s okay.
7. Add the remaining dry elements and blend till properly mixed and easy. Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl as wanted to make certain all elements are properly included. Don’t over combine the batter.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the truffles pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
9. Take away the truffles from the oven and permit to chill for about 2-3 minutes, then take away to cooling racks to chill utterly.
10. Whereas the cake bakes and cools, make the Bourbon Caramel Sauce and permit that to chill to room temperature.

For the frosting:

1. To make the frosting, beat the butter till easy.
2. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar and blend till easy.
3. Add the vanilla extract, half of the Bourbon and the salt and blend till easy.
4. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and blend till easy. Add extra Bourbon, as wanted, to get the correct consistency of frosting.

To construct the cake:

1. To place the cake collectively, use a big serrated knife to take away the domes from the highest of the truffles in order that they’re flat. These truffles don’t have a big dome, however I like to verify they’re utterly flat.
2. Place the primary cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake spherical.
3. Unfold about 1/2 a cup of buttercream evenly on prime of the cake.
4. Pipe a dam of buttercream across the outer fringe of the cake, on prime of the layer of buttercream you simply added. Fill the dam with about 1/3 a cup of Bourbon caramel sauce and unfold evenly. After filling the dam, stage off any extra. You need the highest of the dam to be even with the caramel sauce.
5. Add the second layer of cake and one other layer of frosting, a dam and Bourbon caramel sauce.
6. Prime the cake with the remaining layer and frost the surface of the cake. Consult with my tutorial for frosting a easy cake, if wanted.
7. Use the remaining Bourbon caramel sauce so as to add a drip to the perimeters of the cake, if desired. I additionally drizzled some sauce in a spherical round sample on prime of the cake.
8. Use the remaining buttercream to pipe a border across the prime fringe of the cake. I used Ateco tip 847.
9. Retailer cake in an air-tight container within the fridge. Serve cool, however not tremendous chilly. Cake is finest if eaten inside 3-4 days.

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Diet

• Serving Measurement: 1 Slice
• Energy: 1146
• Sugar: 136.2 g
• Sodium: 199.9 mg
• Fats: 55.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 156.1 g
• Protein: 5.3 g
• Ldl cholesterol: 185.2 mg

Key phrases: bourbon cake, bourbon vanilla cake, vanilla bourbon cake