This whiskey cake recipe (also whisky cake) is a yellow Bundt cake soaked with a warm, buttery whiskey sauce that's to die for. Bridget is my mom, and this cake was one her few specialities. The recipe involves shortcuts—a box of yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding mix, which makes it super-moist and super easy.
If using boxed mixes isn’t your thing, I developed a from-scratch version that delivers the same rich, tender cake and amazing flavor (variation is below recipe). Serve this delicious whiskey cake fo a St. Patrick's Day celebration, or any other get together.
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Essential Ingredients
How to make the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round nonstick Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl (or bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water, and whole milk (A) and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes (B). Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. On low speed, beat in the nuts until blended (C).
3. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan (D), using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly.
4. Bake the cake until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumb clinging to it, 50 to 60 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
5. Make the glaze (which tastes like a toffee sauce): In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and whiskey over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
6. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the top with a wooden skewer, piercing the cake about halfway through.
7. Slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake, stopping often so the glaze can be absorbed.
8. Let the cake sit for 20 to 30 minutes so all of the glaze can be absorbed. Invert the cake out onto a serving plate, cut into slices and serve.
Recipes tips
For best results, be sure that you poke enough holes in the cake with a long wooden skewer so the glaze can seep in and soak it. And then let is sit until all of the glaze is absorbed.
This old-fashioned whiskey cake is also good served topped with whipped cream.
Store the cake in an airtight container (or wrapped in plastic wrap) at cool room temperature for up to 3 days.
To make the cake from scratch
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed for 4 minutes until creamy and pale yellow in color. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, 2 more minutes. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition.
- Beat in baking soda, salt, and gradually the flour; stop mixing once blended.
- Proceed as directed above, baking the cake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes.
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More recipes to try
Bridget's Whiskey Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz) package butter or yellow cake mix
- 1 (4 oz) package pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Whiskey Glaze
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup whiskey, preferably Irish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch nonstick Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, combine all the cake ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until well blended, 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl as necessary.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumb clinging to it, 50 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and whiskey. Heat over medium-low heat until butter has melted, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cake from the oven, set it on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
- While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the top with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, stopping often so the glaze can be absorbed.
- After the glaze is absorbed, turn the cake out onto a plate. Let cool completely, then slice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Marian says
A question:
After the cake has absorbed the glaze & cooled...why is it not removed from the bundle pan?
Kathy Kingsley says
Sorry the last step got cut off, but you are correct: after the glaze is absorbed, turn the cake out onto a plate. Let cool completely, then slice. Recipe updated!
Susan says
Love this cake, thanks.