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Authentic Southern Bourbon Cake Recipe with Buttery Pecan Glaze

Authentic Southern Bourbon Cake

A moist pecan Bundt cake flavored with bourbon and buttermilk, finished with a warm buttery bourbon glaze that soaks into the cake and coats the outside.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (400 g) Granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Bourbon
  • 2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (about 110 g) Pecans, finely or moderately chopped
Bourbon Glaze
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) Unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons Water
  • 1 small pinch Salt

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Thoroughly grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan, or coat it with baking spray that contains flour.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt together in a medium bowl. Set the dry mixture aside.
  3. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 3–5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed, then mix in the vanilla.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and bourbon. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing only until the batter is combined.
  5. Fold in the chopped pecans. Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the surface.
  6. Bake for 65–75 minutes, until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. For the glaze, melt the butter with the sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring until the sugar is mostly dissolved, remove from the heat, and carefully stir in the bourbon.
  8. Let the cake stand in the pan for about 10 minutes. Poke holes over the warm cake with a skewer and brush or spoon roughly half of the glaze over it.
  9. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and apply the remaining glaze over the top and sides. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Notes

For deeper flavor, briefly toast the pecans before chopping. Room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk help create a better-emulsified batter and finer crumb. Bourbon flavor remains noticeable after baking; for a milder cake, use 1/4 cup bourbon in the batter while keeping the full 1/4 cup in the glaze.