A caramel bundt cake was the theme for this month.

Now, I find caramel to be one of the best discoveries ever. EVER. The same goes for caramelized stuff. The latest fad of salted caramel has me over the moon, these salted caramel millionaire’s graham cracker bars being the example.

But at the same time, I wanted to share something different, try to enhance the caramel while not making it too sweet.

This orange caramel bourbon bundt cake turned out much better than I expected. It’s the bourbon with the caramel, an inspiring idea from a drink called old fashioned, which involves whiskey, sugar, bitters and orange.

Looking at my pinterest board

I had saved this recipe from my friend Susan’s blog, so I guess it was a matter of time.

As I was telling you in my last fruit caipirinha post, I attended a bartender class once, some years ago. As a very late bloomer when it comes to cocktails, even wine, my palate wanted to take it all in, sort of a let’s-do-some-catching-up situation. And there´s the kinda cool, sexy feeling involved in making drinks too.

You know, the bar’s set up, the night is starting, there’s music, interesting conversation many times. I was taking my little class very seriously.

There were some obvious bumps on the road, like trying to like drinking a dry martini (very uncool when you cringe your face), beer which doesn’t appeal to me much, and whiskey or bourbon. I can’t really drink this last one by itself. Rocks or no rocks, it’s too strong.

But prepare me an old fashioned and I’ll sit right next to you and spill all my secrets.

Oh, I love the stuff. It has a slight caramel undertone, a mellow sweet and sour flavor, all the tough exterior of what appears to be a manly glass of bourbon blurred by the addition of sugar.

This cake is like a deconstructed old fashioned that focuses more on the golden caramel than the booze, with an orange cake as a base, a hint of bourbon both inside and out, and a caramel sauce made with orange juice instead of water. A sensational mix of flavors, very balanced, with the pooling sauce around the warm piece of cake if you choose to serve it in a deep plate or bowl. Almost a dessert.

To take it a bit further into the world of bourbon, I added some rye flour.

I already talked many times about my love for booze in cakes, the way they enhance a flavor or deepen it, and at the risk of boring you to death yet again, I will bring some titles into this conversation like chocolate port bundt, creamy devil’s food stout cake, the raspberry wine chocolate bundt that I would trade many things for, or the orange rum cake, one of my early posts with an awesome recipe and sad pictures.

When used sparingly, it can have the same effect as an extract or a citrus zest. The key word being sparingly. Too much and you get what we here call a tipsy cake. Not a bad idea at all, but we’re focusing on caramel today.

I highly suggest you eat it warm with the caramel sauce. It’s up to you if you want it even more decadent and add a dollop of cream on top.

Or go ahead, make extra sauce and use it over vanilla ice cream too.

Orange caramel bourbon bundt cake

Yield: 8 servings 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the orange cake:

1 ½ cups 340g unsalted butter, room tº
2 ½ cups 500g sugar
5 large eggs (at room tº)
2 ½ cups 350g cake or all purpose flour
½ cup rye flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 2 oranges
3 Tbs bourbon (I used Jim Bean)

For the caramel bourbon sauce:

¾ cups 150g sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
½ cup orange juice
1/3 cup cream
2 Tbs bourbon

Instructions

For the orange cake:

Preheat oven to 350º F /180ºC.
Butter or spray a large bundt cake pan. Coat the entire surface with coarse rye flour (the way I did here) or dry breadcrumbs, shaking off excess.
In a large bowl beat butter until creamy and slowly add sugar, beating for 2 or 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add orange zest and vanilla.
Sift flours and baking soda together in a bowl (I do this directly over the butter mixture when adding it).
Add dry ingredients in three additions alternating with milk and bourbon in two additions. Don’t over beat.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a tester inserted comes clean. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for about 20 minutes.
Unmold onto serving platter and glaze with the warm caramel sauce.
Serve with extra sauce.

For the caramel bourbon sauce:

In a saucepan mix sugar, syrup and orange juice. Cook over medium heat, and let boil 10 minutes. It will bubble up a lot, so use a pan with high sides.
Remove from heat and add cream and bourbon.
Store in the fridge.

cake adapted from this recipe for orange chocolate marble pound cake

caramel sauce adapted from this recipe

Are you ready for some mind blowing recipes for caramel bundt cakes?!

Brown Butter Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Icing by Holly from A Baker’s House
Buttermilk Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Icing by Carrie from Poet In The Pantry
Caramel Apple Bundt Cake by Rachel from I Love a Disorganized Life
Caramel Pound Cake by Veronica from My Catholic Kitchen
Chocolate Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel by Alice from Hip Foodie Mom
Double Glazed Caramel Mocha Bundt by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
Dulce de Leche Bundt Cake by Renee from Magnolia Days
Dulce de Leche Swirl Pound Cake by Anuradha from Baker Street
Orange Caramel Bourbon Bundt Cake by Paula from Vintage Kitchen Notes
Salted Butterscotch Caramel Bundt Cake by Laura from The Spiced Life
Salted Caramel Mini Apple Cake Bundts by Anita from Hungry Couple
Snickers Bundt Cake by Karen from In The Kitchen with KP
Vanilla Bean Salted Caramel Bundt Cake by Kate from Food Babbles

Paula Montenegro

A baker for more than 30 years, I love testing recipes and sharing the best of what I find. I'm mostly self-taught with some time spent in baking school. I believe we can all be bakers and cooks with the right instructions and simple ingredients. If you're craving easy recipes with amazing results, you're in the right place. Let's get into the kitchen!

Comments

MasterCakes says
December 3, 2018 at 10:05
What a gorgeous cake! I love that you used the flour. I’ve been wanting to try rye flour and will be using this recipe to for my first experience! MasterCakes
Laura@bakinginpyjamas says
July 27, 2013 at 20:06
Orange and Caramel sound like a lovely flavour combination. Great choice for this month's theme.
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
July 21, 2013 at 23:12
This cake is a killer! Vas a matarme, Paula!!!
mividaenundulce says
July 20, 2013 at 20:05
Paula this recipe will be in my must, as well as many other that comes from you.
It's a little bit difficult to found rye flour here, but I guess I can user regular flour. Wonderful recipe…!!!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
July 18, 2013 at 19:24
Everything about this bundt cake sounds wonderful. It begs to have a second slice. 🙂
Carrie Vibert says
July 17, 2013 at 06:22
That caramel makes me want to lick the screen! Wow! What a fun class that must have been. I'd love to learn more about making cocktails. I think a lot of bartenders I know should, too, for every time I've ordered an Old Fashioned, it's never been made even remotely correctly. So sad!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou says
July 16, 2013 at 17:56
This looks so good! What a fun idea, to make a cake inspired by a classic cocktail!! Plus with caramel sauce, how could that be bad?!
Laura Dembowski says
July 15, 2013 at 19:36
Warm with caramel sauce? Oh yes! I agree that caramel is amazing. And bourbon makes everything better!
Karen @ Lemon Grove Cake Diaries says
July 15, 2013 at 11:08
Oh this looks so delicious! The flavour combination of orange, caramel and bourbon sound divine. I would love to try this recipe.
Cathleen says
July 15, 2013 at 04:41
Holy moly, this looks fantastic! I definitely need to buy a bundt pan 🙂
Mary Hirsch says
July 15, 2013 at 02:04
Paula, I came looking for Whole Cherry Clafoutis and end up with this fabulous BundtaMonth Post of yours that is packed with information and recipes and good eats. I remember Susan's bundt cake because I also pinned it but, like so many things I've pinned, have never made. Your adaption is creative and very cool, Paula. And, thank you, for putting in Links to all the recipe suggestions you make. I haven't checked your Blog lately which is definitely My Bad. I have finally gotten to Normal (well, as normal as my Life could ever be) so will be reading and commenting on all your Posts. So many good ideas and recipes. Thanks.
Kitchen Riffs says
July 15, 2013 at 00:23
You're so right that booze and baking mix really well. I like bourbon and also dark rum in recipes like this. Yours looks particularly nice – really good job! Oh, and I agree the Old Fashioned is a wonderful cocktail!
Beth says
July 14, 2013 at 15:01
This is definitely swoonworthy! I love the idea of orange and caramel flavors together, and the bourbon takes it right over the top.
Amy says
July 14, 2013 at 08:08
Oh my. I love the flavor in your Orange Caramel Bourbon Bundt Cake! Not to mention, this is a stunning cake as well. I would love a big slice for afternoon tea. SO good!
Bam's Kitchen says
July 14, 2013 at 06:01
My mouth is watering just thinking about having a spoonful of that delicious bundt cake. That sauce sounds delightful.

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Orange Caramel Bourbon Bundt Cake #BundtaMonth