Bourbon Ball Cake
Julie McAllister, the creative cake genius behind Julie McAllister Cakes, was so inspired by our Bourbon Balls she created a cake recipe in the form of a bourbon ball cake filled with pecans and topped with dark chocolate ganache.
Inspired by MK's bourbon balls from In The Curious Kitchen.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg whites
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 tablespoon bourbon (depending on preference)
3/4 cup toasted finely chopped pecans (I use Schermer, they are the best!)
Ganache
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or bourbon
1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Note: This recipe is written using (2) 6" round cake pans.
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together AP flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, vanilla extract and bourbon.
4. Using a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on high until well-mixed, about 3 minutes.
5. Add sugars and continue to beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
6. Add egg whites, one at a time until fully mixed.
7. With the mixer on the slowest setting, add 1/3 of your dry mixed ingredients until just mixed.
8. Slowly add 1/2 of your liquid ingredients until just mixed. Continue to rotate between adding your remaining dry, liquid, then dry until all mixed together. Turn off the mixer.
9. Using a spatula, fold in your toasted pecans.
10. Split batter evenly between greased cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
11. Let cool completely on wire racks.
Ganache
1. Measure out chocolate in a glass bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat heavy cream on medium high heat until steam starts to rise (just before simmer).
3. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit (don't stir!) for five minutes.
4. After the five minutes, slowly whisk together until smooth. (If chocolate isn't fully melting, put in microwave for 10 seconds but be careful not to burn chocolate).
5. Whisk in vanilla/bourbon and salt. Let the ganache set up for about 20 minutes (it will be the consistency of slightly melted peanut butter).
Assembly
1. Once cake layers have cooled completely to room temp and ganache has set in bowl for 20 minutes, place one cake layer on a cake plate and add ganache using an offset spatula. Add another layer and repeat. Once all layers are stacked, add ganache around sides until covered. Top with toasted chopped pecans.
