Jack Daniel’s Cake With Buttered Whiskey Glaze

I have to start with the caveat that this Jack Daniel’s Cake with Buttered Whiskey Glaze is not actually my recipe but BD’s. Actually, it’s not even his.  Many years ago, when shoulder pads and perms were in vogue if unfortunate and our meeting was but a fleeting dream he could only hope to attain (my blog, my version), he found himself in a liquor store that had a Jack Daniel’s promotional recipe for this cake on a tear-off pad.  He availed himself.

Diana Would Approve

This cake is like the love child of a brown sugar coffee cake with its toasted pecans, bittersweet chocolate bits, and glaze and a jaunty two-finger pour of Tennessee’s finest. Served with a strong coffee, tall glass of milk or a tumblerful of the cake’s namesake (or combined a la Irish coffee), you’ll be the toast of the dessert circuit.

Over the years, BD has tweaked this recipe ever so slightly to what you find below. This is a good thing because somewhere along the way the original recipe card was lost and even after a call to the mecca o’Tennessee’s finest, Lynchburg (argue amongst yourselves as to whether it is, indeed, the finest … oh! oh!  better yet, have a taste-off.  I’ll come take pics)… I digress.  Anyway, after an unreturned call to Jack Daniel’s headquarters to get the original recipe to provide proper credit, please accept my most sincere apologies that I cannot provide the info. When my call is returned, you’ll be the first to know.

The cake is delicious as typed below.  A lover of whiskey should feel free to taste the glaze and increase the JD to your heart’s desire. Do not, however, fiddle with the amount in the cake recipe itself since baking is science in its most delicious form which can go evil in a second if ratios are fiddled with. You have been warned.

This Jack Daniel’s cake is as simple as it is scrumptious.  You melt the butter and stir in the the rest of the batter ingredients. It is thick, almost like a brownie batter, and caramel-colored because of the brown sugar. Just before baking, sprinkle on the chocolate bits and nuts and pour into a well-buttered baking pan. The hardest part is the waiting. After baking for 40 minutes, filling your house with an aroma that will have your mouth watering and the cool-off period of about an hour, followed by the drizzle, your patience will be rewarded.

The gentleman is ready for his close-up

Gratuitous picture of Jack Daniel’s. Does anyone else have “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” running through your head?  If you didn’t and now you do, sorry.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, lucky you.  It gets old pretty quickly when you really only know one line.  Thank the gods for Youtube to get the entire experience. When purchasing your bottle (Black Label if you please), you’ll need enough for the recipe and plenty for sipping.  That’s required.  Rocks are optional.  Ironic coming from me? Note that I’m just passing along the baker’s suggestion.

After the cake has baked, cool it completely before drizzling the buttery delicious glaze over top.  I think the cake is best the next day and slightly chilled but it won’t disappoint if you slice and enjoy before the glaze even sets or at room temperature.  Whatever your eating pleasure, make sure to keep the cake well covered with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

Hope you give this cake a whirl.  It’s definitely a crowd pleaser!