Orange Caramel Bourbon Cake
If you're into cakes and cocktails, this bundt recipe is spot-on: a tribute to the wonderful old-fashioned drink, it's dense and moist with a wonderful orange flavor and a has bourbon caramel sauce that you will want to eat with a spoon! Serve it in a bowl and call it dessert.
Servings 8 servings
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.
Notes
Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans can vary, even if they appear similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and identifying any minor details that may need adjustment.
Liquid: You can use orange juice instead of the milk stated in the recipe, the same amount.
Different pan: this recipe makes 2 medium loaf cakes.
