Decadent Brown Butter Bundt Cake with Irish Whiskey Soak and Cream Sauce: Your Guide to a Truly Special Dessert

Prepare to be captivated by a dessert that’s as rich in flavor as it is in tradition: this exquisite Brown Butter Cake. Enhanced by a generous Irish Whiskey soak and crowned with a luxurious Whiskey Cream Sauce, this cake is more than just a treat—it’s an experience. Its beautiful, tender texture and deep, complex flavors will make it a cake you’ll crave time and again, perfect for special occasions or simply elevating an ordinary day.

This recipe is a loving tribute to the unparalleled character of good Irish Whiskey. For those who appreciate its warmth and distinctive notes, you’ll find that incorporating it into this cake elevates every bite. We’re not just adding whiskey; we’re weaving its essence through the cake itself and into a decadent sauce, creating a symphony of flavors that truly sets this dessert apart.

To say I’m utterly obsessed with this cake would be an understatement. The ingenious way Irish whiskey is utilized in different stages of this recipe truly pushes it over the top, transforming a simple butter cake into a masterpiece. Remember, the quality of your whiskey directly impacts the final flavor, so be sure to choose a good quality Irish Whiskey—one you would genuinely enjoy sipping on its own. Your palate will thank you!

This post was originally published on March 4, 2021, and has been thoughtfully updated on March 4, 2024, to provide even more detail and baking tips.

The Humble Ingredients Behind This Extraordinary Cake

One of the many charms of this recipe is its surprisingly humble ingredient list. I proudly consider this a “pantry staple” recipe because, more often than not, I find myself with all the necessary components already on hand. This means that whenever the inspiration strikes to bake something truly special, this brown butter cake is always within reach.

While most ingredients are straightforward, there’s one step that requires a touch of foresight: browning the butter. This simple technique, while requiring a little planning, is absolutely crucial for developing the cake’s signature nutty, caramel-like flavor. We’ll dive into the details of browning butter next, ensuring you master this foundational element.

To jump straight to the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions, use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or simply scroll down to the bottom.

Mastering the Art of Brown Butter for Superior Flavor

The very first step in crafting this extraordinary cake, and arguably the most impactful for its flavor profile, is browning the butter. This technique transforms ordinary butter into a golden, nutty, aromatic delight, infusing your cake with unparalleled depth. The good news is that browning butter can be done well in advance – even a day or two ahead – making your baking day much smoother. I often brown my butter the night before I plan to bake, allowing it ample time to cool and solidify, ready for use.

The process itself is wonderfully simple, yet it requires your full attention. Begin by placing a small, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. The light color helps you monitor the color changes in the butter. Add your unsalted butter and allow it to melt completely. As it melts, it will begin to foam. Continue to cook, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula or whisk. Stirring prevents the milk solids from sticking to the bottom and burning unevenly. The foam will eventually subside, and the butter will turn a beautiful golden-brown color. You’ll notice tiny brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan, and a distinct, rich, nutty aroma will fill your kitchen – akin to toasted nuts or toffee. This is your cue! Immediately remove the pan from the heat to prevent burning.

Pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process and allow it to cool completely. It’s crucial that the butter returns to a soft, solid, room-temperature state before you incorporate it into the cake batter. This can take a few hours, depending on the ambient temperature of your home. If you’re in a hurry, you can place it in the fridge for a shorter period, but ensure it’s still soft enough to cream easily. Properly cooled brown butter is key to achieving the perfect cake texture.

Method: Crafting Your Brown Butter Bundt Cake

With your perfectly browned and cooled butter ready, it’s time to assemble the cake batter. This process builds on foundational baking techniques, ensuring a moist and flavorful cake.

Begin by creaming together the cooled brown butter and light brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. This step is vital for incorporating air and creating a light, fluffy base. Beat the mixture on medium speed for approximately 4 minutes. You’ll observe the mixture becoming noticeably paler and fluffier. Don’t rush this stage; setting a timer ensures you achieve the desired consistency. Remember to stop halfway through to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, guaranteeing that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Next, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate them. Then, mix in the vanilla extract. It’s important to beat the eggs for a good 60-90 seconds here. This step incorporates additional air into the batter, contributing to the cake’s light texture. Scrape down the bowl once more to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. These spices are carefully chosen to complement the deep flavors of brown butter and whiskey. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the whole milk and Greek yogurt, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Overmixing at this stage can lead to a tough cake, so stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.

Finally, gently fold in the toasted pecan halves. Whether you prefer them finely chopped for even distribution or left larger for more textural contrast is entirely up to your preference – do what you enjoy most!

To prepare your bundt pan, it’s crucial to ensure a clean release. Thoroughly brush the inside of the pan with softened butter, ensuring every crevice is coated. Then, add just a faint *whisper* of flour, shaking the pan to evenly distribute it. Tap out any excess flour; you want a barely-there coating to prevent sticking without creating a visible or tasteless floury crust on your baked cake.

Carefully spoon the prepared cake batter into your greased and floured bundt pan. Once all the batter is in, gently give the pan a couple of wiggles and light taps on the kitchen counter. This helps to release any large air bubbles that might be trapped in the batter, ensuring an even crumb and a beautifully smooth cake surface.

The Art of Soaking: Infusing the Cake with Irish Whiskey

The whiskey soak is what truly distinguishes this cake, infusing every fiber with rich moisture and a delightful Irish whiskey flavor. The timing and method of soaking are key to achieving a perfectly moist and flavorful result.

Once your cake is beautifully baked and a cake tester comes out clean, remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool in the bundt pan on a wire rack for precisely 10 minutes. This is a critical timeframe: it’s just enough for the cake to firm up slightly and begin to pull away from the pan’s edges, making it easy to release. After 10 minutes, I gently tip the cake out of the pan onto the wire rack, just to confirm it releases cleanly. I then let it cool for about 5 more minutes, allowing it to develop a slight crust, before carefully placing it back into the bundt pan. This seemingly roundabout step ensures the cake won’t stick and is perfectly positioned for the initial soak.

Once the cake is comfortably nestled back in its pan, use a skewer or thin wooden chopstick to poke numerous holes across the entire bottom surface. These holes act as channels, allowing the whiskey soak to penetrate deeply into the cake’s interior. Pour approximately one-third of your prepared whiskey soak evenly over the perforated bottom of the cake. This initial application, done while the cake is still warm and in the pan, allows the liquid to be thoroughly absorbed without spilling, ensuring maximum flavor infusion.

Let the cake rest in the pan for another 10 minutes, giving the whiskey ample time to work its magic. After this rest, carefully invert the cake back onto the wire rack, positioning it over a tray or sheet pan to catch any drips. Now, generously brush about one-quarter more of the whiskey soak over the entire top surface of the cake. This second application ensures even more moisture and a strong whiskey presence throughout. Allow the cake to cool completely, ideally for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight. This prolonged cooling period allows the soak to fully meld with the cake, resulting in an incredibly moist and flavorful dessert.

The remaining whiskey soak is not to be wasted! It forms the glorious base for our Irish Whiskey Cream Sauce. This sauce is so irresistibly delicious, you’ll want to generously douse each slice of cake with it. Trust me, you might even be tempted to drink it – so use it liberally to ensure every bite is a truly decadent experience!

Did you create this luscious Brown Butter Cake? I’d love to hear about it! Please share your experience by leaving a review or comment below. And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to stay updated on new recipes and tips. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for daily inspiration!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 1, 6-cup Bundt Cake

Brown Butter Cake with Irish Whiskey Cream Sauce

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
45 minutes

Additional Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 15 minutes

I love to make this cake for St. Patrick’s Day, but there really is no reason not to make it any time you feel you need it in your life, like every day!

Ingredients

for the cake:

• 13 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, browned and cooled to a room temperature firm
• ⅔ cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, ground
• ⅔ cup Whole Milk
• ⅓ cup Greek Yogurt, full fat
• ½ cup Pecan halves, toasted

for the whiskey soak:

• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• ½ cup Granulated Sugar
• ¼ cup Water
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½-3/4 cup Irish Whiskey

for the whiskey cream sauce:

• ½ Whiskey Soak, leftover
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 shot Irish Whiskey (or 2 I won’t tell)

Instructions

for the cake:

1. First, make the brown butter by heating butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches a boil and the butter solids brown. Do this carefully and keep an eye on it because it can quickly go from brown to black in a second. Stir the pot often. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Let rest a room temp until solid again. This can be done up to a day in advance.
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
3. Butter and flour a 6-cup bundt pan. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy, scraping the bowl down several times.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and beat for 30 seconds longer.
6. Add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, and sour cream to the bowl and beat just until moistened.
7. Place the pecans in the bowl and beat just until worked in.
8. Pour batter into the pan and bake cakes for 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
10. Turn the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack and cool for about 5 minutes allowing the cake to create a crust.
11. Place the cake back in the pan, poke holes in the bottom of the cake, and brush with whiskey soak until you have used about ⅓rd of the soak. Rest 10 more minutes in the pan.
12. Turn the cake back out onto the wire rack over a sheet pan.
13. Brush the cake with ¼ of the “Whiskey Soak” and allow the cake to cool completely.
14. Allow the cake to cool for a minimum of 4 hours, up to overnight.
15. Continue with directions for whiskey cream sauce below.
16. Slice the cake and serve drizzled with warmed Irish Whiskey Cream Sauce.

for the whiskey soak:

1. In a small saucepan melt the butter, then add the sugar, water, and vanilla.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey.
4. Taste and adjust the whiskey as desired.

for the whiskey cream sauce:

1. Bring the whiskey to soak back to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the cream to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
3. Add the remaining shot of whiskey and adjust to your taste, adding more if you like.

Notes

Notes & Tips

You really want a good bundt pan for this cake. This is THIS BUNDT CAKE PAN you see used in my photos. It makes for a very pretty cake, and the coating on this thing ensures you have a perfect cake EVERY TIME!

I typically make my brown butter the night before I want to make this cake, then let it cool at room temperature overnight.

That said this cake could easily be baked in a plain 8-inch round or any other bundt, I am just obsessed with this one now!

Purchase a good quality Irish Whiskey for this cake. Powers is my favorite, but just be sure to use something you would enjoy drinking.

To boil out some of the alcohol simmer the sauce with the whiskey in it for 1-2 minutes, add it off the heat for more whiskey kick.

Substitutions

To make this even more Irish, I like to use Kerrygold Irish Butter, but any butter you have on hand will work, even salted butter. If you use salted butter, reduce the salt by ¼ teaspoon. To go dairy-free, shortening could be substituted, just know it will be more of a simple yellow cake if you go that direction.

If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, you can make brown sugar by combining 1 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses together in a food processor until combined.

You can sub vanilla extract with one of a couple of things. Vanilla flavored milk, almond or soy, or Maple Syrup. Bourbon, Rum, or Brandy can also be used, many vanillas are alcohol-based, and these carry enough flavor to imitate the vanilla. Here I might use this as an opportunity for more whiskey flavor!

For tips on making this gluten-free, take a look at my friend’s post on how to swap gluten-free flours in your baking recipes.

If you are out of cinnamon or nutmeg, feel free to swap them with any other warm spices like allspice, clove, or mace. A little bit of warm spice just makes this cake pop. Even replacing them with pumpkin pie spice or chai spice would give the cake great warmth.

To keep this cake dairy-free, cashew or coconut milk would be great swaps for the whole milk. They carry a high enough fat content that would support the cake. You can also swap the yogurt for a dairy-free plain yogurt or sour cream substitute.

To sub for the heavy cream used in the whiskey cream sauce, use a dairy-free sweetened condensed milk product. There some great options on the market today.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt 6 Cup, Gold

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 450Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 162mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 5g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram