Getting a bourbon buzz

I made this Bourbon Pound Cake with Bourbon Icing to test out a recipe in "Southern Cakes" cookbook a friend and colleague had lent me. I wanted to see if the book was worth purchasing. If the comments I got for the cake are any indication, I should run, not walk to get the book!

‘Damn! The bourbon cloud coming off this cake is amazing.’

-Christie D’Zurilla, Los Angeles Times’ Gossip of Ministry blogger

I found the recipe for this Bourbon Pound Cake with Bourbon Icing in a book on “Southern Cakes” by Nancie McDermott, that friend and supervisor Steve R. Hawkins lent me. I knew I wanted to try one of the recipes out (to see if the book was worth purchasing) and this one laced with Kentucky bourbon called to me!

It was easy to make and the thick velvet-smooth batter looked promising. The aroma wafting through the house was appealing. The look of the cake as it came out of the bundt pan was exciting. It seemed like it would be a success!

The cake and icing both had the same amount of bourbon in them but some of it baked out of the cake while the icing did the heavy lifting in keeping the liquor in it.

It was a delight. And you did get a bit of a buzz – both sugar and bourbon – from having a piece of the confection. Most people loved it although one person thought this poundcake had a much denser texture than she is used to but everyone adored the frosting.

And, yes, the consensus was to go out and buy the book!

Want to know how to make it? Here’s the recipe.