If you're into cakes and cocktails, this bundt recipe is spot on: a tribute to the wonderful bourbon-based Old Fashioned drink, it's dense and moist with a wonderful orange flavor and features a boozy caramel sauce that you'll want to eat with a spoon! Serve it warm in a bowl with extra sauce and call it dessert.
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Unique flavor and texture
I started out to make a caramel bundt cake and ended up with this fantastic recipe, inspired by the Old Fashioned, a rye whisky-based drink I love, served with bitters and an orange twist.
It turned out much better than I expected. Rich and moist like this old-fashioned rum cake, but with a more complex crumb and flavor, like the chocolate wine cake.
This cake is like a deconstructed drink, but focusing more on the golden caramel than the booze. It features an orange cake as a base, with a hint of bourbon both inside and out, and a caramel sauce made with orange juice instead of water.
The base was one of my favorite recipes: the orange chocolate marbled bundt cake. And I'm used to baking recipes with bourbon, as you all probably know by now. At the same time, I wanted to share something different, trying to enhance the caramel without making it too sweet.
The result is a sensational mix of flavors, very balanced, with the pooling sauce around the warm piece of cake if you choose to serve it on a deep plate or bowl. Almost a dessert.
Testing Notes
Rye flour: Use the superfine type, or the finest milled you can find. The more similar in texture to all-purpose flour, the better. It will give the cake a different texture, a tad more rustic, and that's a good thing.
Bourbon or whiskey: it doesn't matter, both work just fine. I use what I have at home, usually Jack Daniel's regular and honey, or Jim Beam. What bourbon does is add a subtle caramel undertone with a kick; it's not the main flavor, so use what you have, at least the first time you make this cake.
Serve it warm with sauce on the side: That's why I use shallow bowls, so they can contain the orange bourbon sauce, allowing you to drench the cake slice in it. You can also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert. That said, the glazed cake is also fantastic at room temperature, with no need for extra sauce.
Preparing the bundt pan
If you bake bundt cakes often, you've likely had one stick to the pan. It's frustrating, but preventable. Here are three reliable methods:
- Shortening and flour: Coat the pan thoroughly with soft shortening using your fingers or a brush, making sure to reach every corner, including the center tube. Dust with flour, rotating the pan to cover evenly, then tap out the excess over the sink.
- Cake goop (pan-release paste): Mix equal parts shortening, flour, and oil into a paste. Brush it onto the pan. Store leftovers in a jar, 1 month at room temp or up to 3 months in the fridge. This is one of my favorite methods.
- Baking spray with flour: Only use baking spray that includes flour. Regular cooking spray isn't enough and often leads to sticking. I rarely use this anymore.
The recipe matters too: When I find a bundt cake that releases cleanly, even without perfect prep, I hold onto it; it's a keeper.
Process steps
Sift
This is a necessary step to avoid clumps and impurities, especially when using baking soda and rye flour.
If the rye flour is not thin enough to be sieved, stir it with a spoon before adding to aerate it.
Cake batter
Bundt pans should not be filled more than ¾ of their capacity to avoid overflowing and allow the cake to bake well.
I favor simple patterns as there's less chance of the batter sticking.
Baking a bundt cake
- Use the right-sized pan: Although variations may occur due to oven types and pan materials, this is crucial to prevent overflow and make sure the cake bakes fully within the estimated time. Never fill a bundt pan more than ¾ of its capacity.
- Cracked top: This is to be expected, so if you're new to bundt cakes, don't think there's something wrong.
- Removing the cake from the pan: Let it cool for 15 minutes, then place a wire rack or plate over the pan and carefully flip it over. The cake should release easily if the pan is well-greased. When you find a pan and a greasing method that work like a charm for you, don't let them go. Repeat both.
- Use a brochette stick or cake tester: place it in the middle of the batter. It should come out clean, with no crumbs or wet batter attached.
Make the sauce
It's very easy and can be made ahead. Keep it in the fridge in an airtight jar.
The type of cream you use will make it richer and also heavier. Double and heavy cream have a higher fat percentage than whipping.
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Orange Caramel Bourbon Cake
Ingredients
For the orange cake:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rye flour, finely milled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
For the caramel bourbon sauce:
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ½ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
Instructions
For the orange cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Grease a large 10 to 12-cup bundt cake pan with soft shortening. Coat with flour, shaking off excess. Reserve.
- In a large bowl, beat 1 ½ cups unsalted butter until creamy and gradually add 2 ½ cups sugar, beating for 3 minutes.
- Add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons orange zest.
- Sift together the dry ingredients: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup rye flour and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a bowl. Or have them measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture when adding it.
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with ¾ cup milk and 3 tablespoons bourbon in two additions. Mix well but don't overbeat. I like to use a spatula to scrape the bottom a few times to make sure no dry ingredients are unincorporated.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes clean. Start checking at the hour mark as pans and ovens are different, and times might vary.
- Transfer to wire rack and let cool for about 20 minutes. Make sure no cake is sticking to the center tube or sides. I use a smooth-bladed knife to carefully scrape them.
- Invert the cake onto the wire rack.
- Drizzle some of the caramel sauce over the warm cake. Serve with extra sauce.
For the caramel bourbon sauce:
- In a saucepan stir ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup and ½ cup orange juice. Cook over medium heat and let boil for 10 minutes. It will bubble up a lot, so use a pan with high sides.
- Remove from heat and add ⅓ cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons bourbon. Stir until smooth.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
Oh this is simply gorgeous!! I can't resist caramel but paired with orange and bourbon it sounds beyond delicious!
Mary x
Anne@FromMySweetHeart says
Oh Paula...this is a beauty! What a perfect idea to pair orange and bourbon with caramel! I'm not much of a whiskey or bourbon drinker either. But I sure love to cook and bake with it! Your cake looks super moist and your photos always amaze me! : )
Susan Lester says
Oh, Paula! You've whipped 3 of my favorite flavors together! I must make this soon.
Anita at Hungry Couple says
I'm staring at that beautiful pool of sauce and drooling. 🙂
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula,
love this! Note to self: learn how to make an old fashioned before I meet Paula! 🙂 loved reading this. . and AH, this bundt!!!! so beautiful. love all the "slice" photos with the caramel bourbon sauce. . yummmmm. . and I love that you made something original. You inspire me, always!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
This looks divine! Love caramel and I love bourbon in things but haven't quite developed a taste for it on its own.
Guru Uru says
Ih my gosh. I have fallen in love with this beautiful bundt cake, too rich, too indulgently delicious 😀
Cheers
CCU
yummychunklet says
The glaze looks heavenly!
Deb says
I've been wanting to make orange caramel for some time bit just haven't decided what to pour it over! Now I know! This is not my mother's Bundt but a sophisticated dessert!
Cocoa and Lavender says
Okay, for starters - I would LOVE to sit down with you and an old fashioned! What fun to share secrets! (But we would each have our own drinks - no sharing there...) The cake sounds amazing, and I love the measuring cups - so sweet - and great photos, as always. I really do look forward to the day we meet in person... ~ David
Miss Messy says
YUM this sounds awesome! 😀
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, this is an amazingly delicious sounding Bundt cake recipe that is quite out of the ordinary - the recipe is different and interesting and sounds perfect for when the wheather is just a little less heatwave like (quite warm around here) - you put so much thought in every detail of your recipes and in the end they always turn out truly special! Keep on baking, Paula!
Angie Barrett says
I love caramel! Can't wait to try this!
laurasmess.me says
Hello beautiful! It seems like forever since I've read your beautiful posts (everything has been rather frantic lately, so I've fallen dreadfully behind on my reader). This bundt looks DIVINE. I love the sound of the gorgeous bourbon caramel, yum!! Love your gorgeous photographs. I'll definitely be trying this, with the extra sauce option! xx
GK says
I absolutely adore anything and everything caramel. It's my weakness. Like you, with an Old Fashioned, give me caramel and I will start spilling all my secrets!
Steph says
Oh that caramel sauce!
Kathy says
This is just gorgeous! And it looks so amazingly delicious! Such lovely photos, Paula!
Cher Rockwell says
Paula - you had me at bourbon 🙂
This cake makes me want to pull out one of my bundt pans and turn on the oven - even though it is very hot and humid here right now...
Ninja Baker says
Duly noted Paula. I will ply you with Old Fashioneds sometime and hear you spill your secrets =)
Love the combo of orange and caramel in this cake. Grateful to you, as always, my friend for having another amazing recipe on hand...Confession: I'm not a big drinker but I've got tons of booze in my closet because I need a tablespoon here or there in baking. So I'm glad to have the bourbon on hand to pour into your lovely cake =)
Baker Street says
Love the shot of the caramel being poured. All I want to do is to be served a slice of your warm cake with some hot tea while I sit all cozy and warm reading my book!