Just in time for Mardi Gras, celebrate with some southern decadence with flavors from the Big Easy in an easy to bake bourbon praline cake!
Ingredients:
For the Praline Layer:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups pecans, toasted
For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch springform pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. Don’t forget to wrap the outside of the pan with foil. Next, make the praline layer starting by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, kosher salt and vanilla. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and scatter the pecans on top.
- Next, begin making the cake. Whisk the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and fine salt in a large bowl. Then whisk in the buttermilk and bourbon in another bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, or about 10 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Finally, fold in the remaining pecans.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack for about 30 minutes. Remove the springform ring, invert the cake onto a plate and remove the paper. Don’t forget to serve with a side of your favorite ice cream, we recommend Ol’ fashion vanilla!
