A thought occurred as soon as my fingers touched the bottle. I pulled it out of the cabinet and set it on the counter. It is the usual thing to do when these friends visit. We have wine and cocktails when they arrive. Anyway, I was thinking how much I like the smell and taste of bourbon in baked goods. That thought carried into my decision on baking a Bourbon Walnut Pound Cake.
Another small factor went into the decision. The theme this month for Bundt Bakers is Sprinkles. It was set by our host Terri of Love and Confections. I have a confession: I do not care for sprinkles and never have even as a kid. They are cute, fun, and these days come in all shapes and sizes. Yet I’ll pass. Luckily anything sprinkled on or in a cake qualified. Toasted chopped nuts fit the theme.
Okay, I admit I’ve used sprinkles before. I’ll use them again too. They are a lovely garnish for styling cupcakes, cookies, and cakes. It goes into the category of things food bloggers do for photographs. So the sprinkled ones you see in my photos were enjoyed by someone else. I had a plain one.
How is Bourbon Walnut Pound Cake? It is dense and loaded with bourbon soaked walnuts. It’s buttery, nutty, and topped with bourbon glaze and a sprinkling of toasted walnuts. This cake is definitely one to bake for anyone who enjoys bourbon. It’s also one for the holidays when boozy cakes like rum cake are popular.
Do you like sprinkles? Scroll down to find a list of bundt cakes with a sprinkling of something either in or on them. The recipes are a click away. There is a bunch of stunning cakes to see. Bundts are beautiful anyway and sprinkles can only add to the beauty. Take a look at No-Bake Bourbon Pecan Cookies or Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Cookies for more of my recipes with bourbon.
Bourbon Walnut Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 eggs at room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners sugar sifted
- 3 tablespoons cream plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons bourbon
- Pinch of salt
For topping:
- Toasted walnut halves
- 2 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts
Instructions
For the cake:
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Stir together chopped walnuts and bourbon in a small bowl. Allow nuts to soak in bourbon for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
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Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light. Add vanilla and beat to combine.
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Beat eggs in a medium bowl until they are thick and light. Add eggs to creamed mixture. Beat on low to combine then on high until mixture is thick and fluffy. Note at first the mixture will look curdled but it is not. Just keep beating and it will smooth out.
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Stir in bourbon-soaked walnuts.
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Pour batter into prepared pan. Spread batter so it is higher at the side and against the tube. Place a square of brown parchment paper on the pan to cover the cake.
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Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool cake in pan for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Pour glaze over cake, place walnut halves on top, and sprinkle chopped walnuts on glaze.
For the glaze:
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Stir together confectioners sugar, cream, butter, bourbon, and salt. Add more cream, about 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired glaze consistency is reached.
Recipe Notes
Bourbon Walnut Pound Cake is loaded with bourbon soaked walnuts, topped with a bourbon glaze, and sprinkled with toasted walnuts.
Recipe adapted from Nordic Ware Bundt Cookbook published in 2004 (no longer in print).
Are you looking for a festive cake to bake? Here are bundt cake recipes with sprinkles by talented bakers from around the world:
- Black Onyx Bundt Cake from Living the Gourmet
- Bourbon Walnut Pound Cake from Magnolia Days
- Bubblegum Frosted Funfetti Vanilla Bean Bundt from Baking in Pyjamas
- Bundt Cake Extra Chocolateado from la mejor manera de hacer…
- Celebration Confetti Bundt Cake from Cali’s Cuisine
- Chocolate Chip Cheese Cake from Tea and Scones
- Chocolate Sprinkles Sour Cream Bundt Cake from Spice Roots
- Chocolate Walnut Cake with Sprinkles from FoodJam
- Confetti Bundt Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting from How to Philosophize with Cake
- Crazy Coco Bundt Cake from Los Chatos Chefs
- Eggless Vanilla Confetti Bundt Cake from SimplyVeggies
- Funfetti Bundt Cake from Liv for Cake
- Funfetti Bundt Cakes from Recipes, Food and Cooking
- ‘Guild the Lily’ Bundt from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Irish Butter Chocolate Sprinkle Cake with Ganache from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Jammin Jimmies Bundt from Noshing With The Nolands
- Nutella Bundt with Nutella Glaze from Food Lust People Love
- Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake with Sprinkles from The Spiced Life
- Orange Dreamscicle Confetti Cake from Our Good Life
- Pistachio Sprinkle Bundt Cake from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Raspberry Funfetti Bundt Cake by Brunch with Joy
- Red Velvet Sprinkle Explosion Bundt Cake from Love and Confections
- Sprinkled Jelly Donut Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
- Sprinkles of Love Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Strawberry Sprinkled Bundt Cake from The Freshman Cook
- Triple Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Sprinkles from Baking and Creating with Avril
- Vanilla Bundt Cake with Sprinkles from I Love Bundt Cakes
- Vanilla Mini Bundts from Passion Kneaded
- Watermelon Bundt Cake from Eat, Drink and Be Mighty
What is Bundt Bakers? It’s a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Bundt Bakers Pinterest board for incredible bundt cake recipes and inspiration. Stacy of Food Lust People Love heads up our group and has a #BundtBakers page where you can find information and links to the recipes for each month.
How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our homepage.
Terri/Love and Confections says
August 20, 2015 at 8:24 amYou had me at bourbon! This cake looks gorgeous and I love that you both soaked the walnuts and made the glaze out of bourbon. This is definitely one to make around the holidays!
Stacy says
August 20, 2015 at 8:31 amOooh, bourbon soaked walnuts! I could make extra to eat, right? I love everything about this cake, Renee, especially the bourbon glaze.
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
August 20, 2015 at 9:06 amThis looks delicious! Love how you “sprinkled” the cake with walnuts–such a creative alternative to sprinkles! 🙂
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
August 20, 2015 at 9:55 amI do like sprinkles but I like nuts too and I really like boozy bundts so this is the perfect recipe.
Abbe @ This is How I Cook says
August 20, 2015 at 10:30 amThis sounds fabulous! I think it sounds like the perfect fall cake. But no sprinkles please!
Tammy says
August 20, 2015 at 12:00 pmI love the texture of this cake and it sounds awesome. Very creative to use the walnuts as sprinkles 😉 I can dig it.
Great post, Renee!
Toodles,
Tammy<3
Tara says
August 20, 2015 at 12:05 pmWhat a stunner os a cake!! I love that you added bourbon, seems to be very trendy now as I have had many cocktails lately with bourbon.
diego says
August 20, 2015 at 12:35 pmI love your recipe, the photo, the nuts… I wll do it!!
Linda | Brunch with Joy says
August 20, 2015 at 12:56 pmLove this, Renee! Anything with bourbon is special and this bundt cake is so beautiful.
Deon says
August 20, 2015 at 1:07 pmThis is a very pretty cake and I love the combination of walnuts and bourbon.
[email protected] Freshman Cook says
August 20, 2015 at 1:18 pmSuch a perfect cake as we begin the change of seasons and I love how you soaked the nuts in bourbon.
[email protected] Baking in Pyjamas says
August 20, 2015 at 1:44 pmI’ve been dying to see this since I read it in the line up. I love the idea of bourbon soaked walnuts, it sounds delicious.
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook says
August 20, 2015 at 2:09 pmStunning photos, as usual! Your cake sounds delicious, too.
Ansh says
August 20, 2015 at 6:35 pmThe only sprinkles I like are made from real chocolate. I don’t think I have ever bought a little bottle of sprinkles unless it miraculously appeared at check out when the kid was with me to shop for christmas cookies.
I totally love the looks and sound of your cake.
cali @ cali's cuisine says
August 21, 2015 at 5:21 amI love the use of bourbon in baked goods. Reminds me of my grandma. A beautiful cake! Nicely done!
Kelster says
August 21, 2015 at 10:10 pmAlcohol should be popular in cakes all year round! Have I mentioned that I just love how perfectly glazed your Bundts always are?
shilpi says
August 24, 2015 at 12:17 amYou always have a beautiful cake. Loved the idea of using toasted Walnuts as sprinkles.
Olivia @ livforcake says
August 24, 2015 at 6:52 pmThis cake looks so stunning (as usual) and delicious! I haven’t baked with bourbon before, to be honest I don’t even know if I know what it tastes like! But, I’m adding it to my list of things to try :).
Margaret says
August 25, 2015 at 2:47 pmOh, yes, PLEASE!! Bourbon soaked anything would make a day so good.
I love Bundt Cakes says
August 26, 2015 at 4:28 pmSimply delicious!!!!
Lamejormanera says
August 27, 2015 at 11:41 amI love whole post.
The photos, the nuts… Looks delicious ^^
Laura says
August 31, 2015 at 3:17 pmI love bourbon in baking! This is fabulous!