Walnut Whiskey Cake

Whiskey Cake is something that has shown up to family gatherings since before I can even remember. My mom makes this cake for basically all extended family celebrations, and it has become a favorite of mine. Recently, we were celebrating a friend’s birthday and I thought a Walnut Whiskey Cake would be the perfect birthday cake for him!

My version is a bit different than the one my mom makes, but the general gist is still there. I added some candied walnuts on top because, why not, but feel free to omit them.

The best part of this recipe is it is made with cake mix and instant vanilla pudding mix, making this cake both super easy to make and incredibly moist! Using a Bundt pan makes this cake look like it took you all day to make, but the hardest part of this recipe is patiently waiting for the glaze to soak into the cake before removing it from the Bundt pan.

Walnut Whiskey Cake Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 oz whiskey or bourbon

Glaze:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) whiskey or bourbon
• the juice of 1/2 orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Candied Walnuts:

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions:

Before beginning, spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

First, add 1 tablespoon flour and 1 cup chopped walnuts to a food storage container with a lid.

Next, top with the lid and shake until the walnuts are coated in the flour. Then pour over a sieve to remove excess flour and set the floured walnuts aside.

To make the cake, first add the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, milk, oil, and whiskey or bourbon to a large bowl.

Second, using an electric mixer, beat for 5 minutes, scraping the sides with a spatula as needed.

After 5 minutes, add in the floured walnuts and fold in with a rubber spatula.

Next, pour the mixture into your prepared Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, when there is about 30 minutes left on the cake baking time, make your glaze. Begin by adding the butter to a small pot over medium low heat.

When the butter has melted, stir in the brown sugar.

Follow with the whiskey, fresh orange juice, and vanilla extract, stirring to combine.

Then heat until the sugar fully dissolves, keeping over low heat until the cake is ready. Alternatively, you can also lightly simmer the mixture for a few minutes to take out the bite of the whiskey, if preferred.

When the cake is fully cooked, remove the Bundt pan from the oven. Then, using a cake tester or wooden skewer, poke some holes into the cake.

Next, measure out 1/2 cup of the prepared glaze, reserving the rest of the glaze, and pour the 1/2 cup over the cake.

Let the cake sit in the Bundt pan for 45 minutes to soak in the glaze.

Meanwhile, while waiting for the glaze to soak into the cake, prepare your candied walnuts. Add the chopped walnuts to a small sauté pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

When the walnuts become fragrant, about 5 minutes, drizzle in the maple syrup and stir constantly for about 30 seconds to fully coat the walnuts in the syrup.

Next, remove the walnuts and add them to a piece of parchment paper or silicone mat (paid link), separating them from each other as much as possible. Let cool.

After the cake has soaked for 45 minutes, invert the cake onto a plate. Pour the remaining glaze over the top and sides of the cake. You can also use a pastry brush (paid link) to evenly coat the cake.

Finally, top with the candied walnuts.

As someone who doesn’t really have the patience to decorate cakes beautifully, I love me a Bundt cake pan recipe that makes it easy to have an impressive looking cake with little effort!

The glaze, plus the vanilla pudding in the batter, results in a super moist cake. That, paired with the walnuts in the cake and candied walnuts on top add a nice crunch and texture to the cake.