Best 2 Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Cake Recipes

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Chocolate, pecans, and bourbon, oh my! These three Southern staples are combined to create one of the most decadent and delicious cakes you'll ever taste. With a rich chocolate flavor, crunchy pecans, and a hint of bourbon, this cake is perfect for any occasion. Whether you're serving it at a party or enjoying it as a special treat, this chocolate pecan bourbon cake is sure to be a hit.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

RICH CHOCOLATE-BOURBON PECAN CAKE



Rich Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Cake image

I found this recipe in a Special Edition Southern Living Christmas Cookbook. I've tweaked it a little using dark cocoa and I added chocolate chips to the frosting for a richer cake and frosting. This cake is moist, rich in chocolate and has a very smooth flavor of bourbon. We presented this cake to a friend who visited us this...

Provided by Diane Atherton

Categories     Cakes

Time 1h20m

Number Of Ingredients 21

3 c all purpose flour, sifted
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c boiling water
1 1/4 c dark cocoa, unsweetened
3/4 c milk
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3 c brown sugar, firmly packed
6 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 c bourbon, optional
FROSTING AND FILLING
1 c butter, room temperature
2 (16-oz) packages powdered sugar
1/2 c heavy whipping cream (may need more)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/2 c dark cocoa, unsweetened
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
additional chopped pecan for garnish if desired

Steps:

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. NOTE: My pans were 2-inches deep. The cake rose very slightly over this level. No batter spilled over in the oven but I did cut a few little crusty pieces from the rim of the cake pans. And I enjoyed the little treat as well.
  • 2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  • 3. Pour boiling water over cocoa; whisk until smooth. Add milk and vanilla; whisk to combine.
  • 4. At a medium speed on electic mixer in a large bowl; beat butter until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar beat about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • 5. Reduce speed on mixer to low. Add dry ingredients alternately with cocoa mixture beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
  • 6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans; bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans and cool completely on wire racks for about 1 hour. NOTE: When cooling this cake I made the mistake of flipping one layer top side down on the rack. This layer wanted to crumble a little because it stuck to the wire rack while the other layer I flipped bottom side down did perfect. Take a few seconds to flip the layers so that they are bottom side down on the wire racks.
  • 7. Next you will split the layers so that you will have 4 layers. I know of 2 ways of accomplishing this: 1. Use a Cake Slicer/Leveler to slice each layer in half horizontally. This is the method I used. OR 2. Once layers have cooled completely; wrap and freeze each layer for about 1 hour. Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally.
  • 8. Brush both sides of each of the 4 layers with bourbon. Place 1st layer on plate; spread pecan frosting between each of 3 layers. Do not spread on top of the 4th layer. Spread top and sides with chocolate frosting. Garnish if desired with more chopped pecans. For best flavor, allow cake to set for 24 hours at room temperature.
  • 9. FROSTING AND FILLING: You will be splitting this frosting in half. You will add pecans to one half for the filling and cocoa to the other half for the outer frosting.
  • 10. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, reduce speed to low and add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating until well blended. Add 1/2 cup cream and the vanilla; beat until blended.
  • 11. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until smooth. Remove 1/2 of this mixture to another bowl. To one bowl stir in the nuts and 1 Tbsp of cream. This bowl is your filling. To the other bowl add the cocoa, the remaining 1 Tbsp cream and the melted chocolate chips; beat until well blended. This bowl is your frosting.
  • 12. NOTES: If frosting mixture seems too dry add a little more cream, if too wet; add a little more powdered sugar. I find when spreading frosting or filling that if you dip the spatula in water before spreading either the frosting or filling it will spread easier without lifting the cake crumbs.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BOURBON CAKE



Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Cake image

A cake that's worthy of a celebration is worth making for everyday enjoyment. Indulge yourself!

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 2h30m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup bourbon or water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled
1 cup chopped pecans
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
5 to 6 teaspoons boiling water

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch angel food cake (tube) pan or 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.
  • In large bowl, beat all Cake ingredients except pecans with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in pecans. Pour into pan.
  • Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1 ounce chocolate and 1 teaspoon butter over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in powdered sugar and water until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle cooled cake with Chocolate Glaze.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 360, Carbohydrate 48 g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Fat 3 1/2, Fiber 2 g, Protein 4 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 220 mg, Sugar 33 g, TransFat 0 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients for the best results. This means using real butter, not a butter substitute, and using good quality chocolate and nuts.
  • Don't overmix the batter. Overmixed batter can make the cake tough.
  • Be careful not to overbake the cake. Overbaked cake will be dry and crumbly.
  • Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. This will help the frosting to set properly.
  • If you don't have bourbon, you can substitute another type of whiskey or even rum.
  • For a richer flavor, use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate.
  • If you don't have pecans, you can substitute another type of nut, such as walnuts or almonds.
  • To make the cake ahead of time, bake it and let it cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months.

Conclusion:

Chocolate pecan bourbon cake is a delicious and decadent dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like your cake rich and chocolatey or with a hint of nuts and bourbon, this recipe is sure to please.

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