Pecan Molasses Bundt Cake with Bourbon Glaze

I got an email the other day from someone who just stumbled upon my blog and liked it. It's always nice to hear positive feedback about my blogging, but Seth from So This Is Your Blog took it a step further -- he told me about a recipe I would probably like, and boy oh boy was he right about that.

I followed his link to epicurious and to the Pecan Molasses Bundt Cake with Bourbon Glaze... it took me about a split second to print the recipe, and I had it in the oven later the same day. I mean, come on.. pecans... molasses... bourbon...? yes please.

There seem to be a few flavor combinations that I just can't resist: coconut & pecans, maple & just about anything, pecans/walnuts with banana/coconut and rum/bourbon -- or better yet, all of the above. I used to be a complete chocoholic, and while I still love chocolate (especially chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal and nuts...), but lately, I seem to be drawn more and more to other flavors, especially the rich combinations I mentioned above. I guess everyone has their favorite flavor combos. JB loves the fruit cobbler/pie realm. Chris is all about the spice cakes and cookies. I'm not quite sure what my little list counts as... tropical because of the liquor and coconut/bananas? North American because of the bourbon and maple/molasses? Guess it really doesn't matter... I like what I like. :)

I will say that I had a couple of small concerns when I made the cake. First, I didn't have enough cake flour, so I used half cake flour and half White Lilly all purpose flour. However, the White Lilly flour is considerably softer than normal flour, so when I pulled the cake from the oven it had collapsed a bit on itself -- luckily that was the bottom of the cake so you couldn't really see it. The cake also bubbled up over the sides of the pan creating a wonderful burned mess on the bottom of the oven -- again, it didn't affect the flavor of the cake so no harm, no foul.

I was a bit concerned about the flavor of the glaze though -- while it was still warm the alcohol flavor was quite potent, almost to the point of overpowering. As it cooled though it mellowed out considerably, and the cooled glaze on the cake was quite divine. Crunchy pecans, sweet molasses, soft cake and a slightly sticky bourbon glaze.... there really aren't words... so good. so yummy. so worth it.



Cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 1/4 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk

1 cup pecans, toasted, finely chopped
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Glaze
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons dark corn syrup
1/2 cup bourbon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla ice cream

For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter Bundt pan with nonstick spray; dust with flour. Sift 3 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions. Transfer half of batter to prepared pan.

Stir pecans, corn syrup, molasses, and 2 teaspoons vanilla in another medium bowl to blend. Stir in baking soda. Stir pecan mixture into remaining cake batter in bowl. Spoon pecan batter over batter in pan (do not swirl). Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out with dry crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to rack.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze: Stir 2 teaspoons water and baking soda in small bowl to dissolve baking soda. Bring sugar, buttermilk, butter, and corn syrup to boil in heavy 6-quart saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and melt butter. Reduce heat to medium-high. Stir in baking soda mixture (glaze will bubble). Boil until sauce is golden and slightly thickened, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon and vanilla.

Invert warm cake onto platter. Immediately brush 1 1/2 cups hot glaze over cake, allowing glaze to soak into cake. Cool cake completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate remaining glaze.)

Rewarm remaining glaze, stirring. Serve cake with ice cream and warm glaze.