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Bourbon Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Bourbon Brown Sugar Pound Cake prepared dish

This tender pound cake is enriched with butter, brown sugar, sour cream, and a warm splash of bourbon for a deep caramel-like flavor. A simple bourbon glaze sets into a glossy finish, making it a polished dessert for holidays, dinner parties, or afternoon coffee.

This recipe is american style, dessert, scaled for 8 servings, with 25 min prep and 65 min cook.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 65 min · Total: 90 min · Serves: 8

Quick cooking notes

  • Core ingredients include sour cream, packed dark brown sugar, bourbon, baking powder.
  • Follow all 14 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
  • Ingredient quantities listed below are for 8 servings.

Ingredients

  • 0.5 cup sour cream (room temperature)
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp bourbon (for the glaze)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened, plus more for the pan)
  • 3 each large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 2 tbsp whole milk (plus more as needed)
  • 0.25 cup bourbon (for the batter)
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, plus more for the pan)

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) for at least 15 minutes so the heat is steady before baking.
  2. Grease a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with softened butter, dust it lightly with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper so the cake releases cleanly after baking.
  3. Whisk 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 0.5 tsp fine salt in a medium bowl for about 30 seconds, until the leavening is evenly distributed and no clumps remain.
  4. Beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup packed dark brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the bowl, until the mixture looks lighter, fluffy, and creamy.
  5. Add 3 room-temperature large eggs one at a time to the mixer bowl on medium-low speed, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition, until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
  6. Whisk 0.5 cup room-temperature sour cream, 0.25 cup bourbon, and 2 tsp vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup for about 30 seconds, until smooth and pourable.
  7. With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix for about 15 seconds, then add half of the sour cream mixture and mix for another 15 seconds; repeat the additions and finish with the remaining flour mixture, mixing only until a thick, smooth batter forms with no dry streaks.
  8. Scrape the batter into the prepared 9x5-inch loaf pan with a flexible spatula, smooth the top evenly, and tap the pan gently on the counter 2-3 times to release large air pockets.
  9. Bake the cake on the center rack at 325°F (163°C) for 60-65 minutes, rotating the pan once after 40 minutes, until the top is deeply golden, a crack forms along the center, and a wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Transfer the loaf pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, until the sides begin to pull away slightly and the pan is safe to handle.
  11. Run a thin offset spatula around the edges of the pan, lift the cake out using the parchment paper, and set it directly on the wire rack to cool for 45-60 minutes, until barely warm to the touch before glazing.
  12. Whisk 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 2 tbsp bourbon, and 2 tbsp whole milk in a small bowl for 1-2 minutes, until the glaze is smooth, glossy, and thick enough to ribbon off the whisk; add more whole milk 0.5 tsp at a time only if it is too stiff to drizzle.
  13. Set the wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet, spoon the bourbon glaze over the cooled cake, and let it stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, until the glaze sets into a thin opaque coating.
  14. Slice the cake with a serrated knife into 8 even pieces and serve at room temperature, wiping the knife between cuts for clean slices.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 531
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Fat: 28 g
  • Carbohydrates: 59 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Sugar: 42 g
  • Sodium: 252 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

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