Bourbon Ball Cake

Two of my favorite people are having a Kentucky themed birthday party this week, so I wanted to make a cake that was really special and fit with the Kentucky theme.  I decided adapt a Kentucky Bourbon Ball into a cake.  The important components of a bourbon ball are pecans, confectioner’s sugar, dark chocolate, and of course — bourbon.  I ended up using a 200 ml bottle of bourbon for this cake and it only had the slightest bourbon flavor.  If you love bourbon you might want to incorporate more.

Since I basically created this recipe, and wasn’t able to try it before I went to the party, I was really nervous when we first cut into it.  There was no need to worry.  The overpowering bourbon flavor that I tasted in the batter had mellowed, and the simple syrup had kept the cake moist.  (I made the cake Saturday night and we ate it on Monday).

Bourbon Ball Cake adapted very liberally from Pecan Praline Cake on Epicurious

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup almond meal
1  teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Bourbon Simple Syrup

Shiny Chocolate Glaze

Chocolate Frosting

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; butter paper. Whisk flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.  Whisk together bourbon and sour cream.  Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Divide batter between three pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. If necessary, run small knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off waxed paper.   Brush cakes generously with Bourbon simple syrup.  Allow cakes to cool completely.

Place one layer on your cake platter.  Top with chocolate frosting.  Add second layer and top with frosting.  Add the final layer.  Pour shiny chocolate glaze on the top of the cake.  Place pecan halves around the perimeter of the cake.   Cover the sides of the cake with a thick layer of chocolate frosting.  Push chopped pecans into the side of the cake.  Store cake in the refrigerator, but allow it to set at room temperature for at least one hour before serving.  For the party I placed small plastic horses around the sides of the cake.

Bourbon Simple Syrup

1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup sugar

Put bourbon and sugar in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Chocolate Frosting from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York’s Sweetest Bakery

(You will have some leftover frosting)

2 cups of butter (4 sticks), at room temperature
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. of milk
2.5 cups of confectioner’s sugar