Purchase the book here.
Browsing through this incredible book, I came upon a Kentucky Derby Cake recipe. I'd had a Kentucky Bourbon cupcake at a local cupcake shop not too long ago and wondered if the cake recipe could be adapted to a cupcake form. I decided to tweak the recipe a bit here and there for my purposes and the result was show stopping.
The recipe follows:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 oz bourbon
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Combine the buttermilk, vanilla, and bourbon in a liquid measuring cup and set aside. Add the dry and the wet ingredients to the butter mixture alternately and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Scoop batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes on 350 degrees.
While the batter is baking, on the stovetop, combine 1/2 stick of butter, 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp water in a medium pot. Bring to a low boil and simmer 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup bourbon. This will be the bourbon sauce.
When the cupcakes come out of the oven, while they are still hot, poke the tops of the cupcakes with a fork all over. Using a pastry brush, apply the bourbon sauce liberaly over the tops of the cupcakes. Let the sauce soak in.
These cupcakes can be eaten as is, but I topped mine with cream cheese icing, then drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces and then some more chopped pecans. Enjoy!!
