Award-Winning Vanilla Bourbon Cake Recipe – Gluten-Free & Decadent

Award-Winning Vanilla Bourbon Cake Recipe – Gluten-Free & Decadent

I am beyond excited to share one of the best-kept secrets of my bakery: our Award-Winning Vanilla Bourbon Cake! It's the kind of cake that leaves everyone asking for seconds – and maybe even thirds! If you’re ready to indulge in something absolutely delicious, this cake will be your new go-to. It’s made with love, organic gluten-free ingredients, and a splash of Jack Daniel’s Black Label Bourbon to give it that smooth, warm depth of flavor. And if you haven’t yet, I guarantee this cake will become a favorite at your next celebration.

Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, or just because you deserve something sweet, this cake’s six layers of decadent vanilla bourbon cake and buttercream will make you the star of the show. It’s topped off with the most luscious Vanilla Bourbon Buttercream that’s as smooth as it sounds!

But enough talking – let’s get to the recipe!

Recipe: Award-Winning Vanilla Bourbon Cake (8” 6-Layer Cake)

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

For the Buttercream:

  • 2 ½ cups Organic Powdered Sugar
  • 1 cup Plugra Butter, softened (Plugra European Style Salted Butter)
  • 1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons Jack Daniel’s Black Label Bourbon (to taste)
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions:

For the Cake:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line six 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. A great choice for this is the Fat Daddio's PRD-83 Anodized Aluminum Round Cake Pan.

  2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the organic gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

  3. Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened Plugra butter and organic cane sugar together until it’s light and fluffy – about 5 minutes.

  4. Add the eggs and vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the vanilla extract and continue mixing until combined.

  5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and liquids: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in batches, alternating with the milk and bourbon. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until everything is well combined.

  6. Add the apple cider vinegar: Gently stir in the apple cider vinegar, which helps the cake rise beautifully.

  7. Bake the cake: Pour the batter evenly into your prepared cake pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

For the Buttercream:

  1. Beat the butter: In a large bowl, beat the softened Plugra butter with Wisk attachment for 20 min. Stop every 5 min to scrape down sides. Butter should turn white and triple in size.

  2. Add the powdered sugar: Gradually add the organic powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.

  3. Add the bourbon and vanilla: Add the Jack Daniel’s Bourbon, (To Taste) vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add more bourbon for a stronger flavor or a bit more powdered sugar if the frosting needs thickening.

  4. Frost the cake: Once the cakes are completely cooled, stack them layer by layer, spreading a generous amount of vanilla bourbon buttercream between each layer. After assembling, frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Smooth the edges for a beautiful finish.

Now, you’re ready to serve this gorgeous, decadent cake to your guests or enjoy it all to yourself! Every slice is a little piece of heaven.

Bonus: Recipe for 6 Jumbo Vanilla Bourbon Cupcakes

Not in the mood for a whole cake? I’ve got you covered! Here’s how to make 6 Jumbo Vanilla Bourbon Cupcakes that are just as irresistible:

Ingredients:

  • Same as the cake recipe above, but reduce the number of eggs to 3 and the baking time to about 25 minutes for cupcakes.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a jumbo cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

  2. Mix the batter as per the cake instructions, then evenly distribute the batter into the cupcake liners.

  3. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

  4. Frost with the same Vanilla Bourbon Buttercream from the cake recipe, and garnish with a sprinkle of sea salt for a touch of sophistication.

Get Baking and Enjoy!

I hope you’re as excited as I am about this Vanilla Bourbon Cake! Whether you make the full 8-inch cake or whip up some jumbo cupcakes, this recipe will give you all the joy of indulgence – and I know your friends and family will be just as excited as you are!

Go ahead, gather those ingredients, and let’s bake up something special. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Enjoy, and let me know how your Vanilla Bourbon Cake turns out – I’d love to see your creations!

Enjoy baking with these amazing products, and don’t forget to grab your ingredients right here. Happy baking! 🎂🍰

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