Whiskey Maple Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Maple syrup and whiskey punch up this dense, spiced cake, soaked and moist. Flour, cinnamon, nutmeg. Egg whites whipped stiff with brown sugar, folded into yolks mixed with oil and milk. Baked in a Bundt pan. Warm maple-whiskey syrup poured in holes poked deep in cake twice. Rest a day or two. Holds well under a cloche for almost a week. Nuts gone, sugar tweaked, ingredients shifted to tweak sweetness and texture.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
14 servings
#Canadian-inspired
#spiced cake
#Bundt cake
#whiskey dessert
#maple syrup
#holiday baking
Spices shifted. Cinnamon still, but cardamom replaces nutmeg for a slight citrusy aroma. Brown sugar cut to 350 g total, a touch less. Egg whites whipped with less sugar but still stiff. Flour cut by 30%, less dense. Oil trimmed back for slightly lighter crumb. Milk upped to keep moist. Maple syrup can flavors vary; 480 ml can replaces 540 ml. Whiskey volume down a bit, sugar in syrup replaced by pure white for cleaner sweetness. Soaking method adjusted; cake pierced more for deeper absorption. Resting time slightly shortened, bake time trimmed by 5 minutes. Bundt pan still central, 10-12 cups. No nuts, no flour bleaching, no alternatives. Just careful math and tweaking. This cake is still indulgent, syrupy, spiced but with a clear maple-whiskey punch. Dense but tender, a party on your palate. Get whiskey and maple, get a skewer, get ready to wait but get rewarded. This cake lives, breathes, and mellows with time.
Ingredients
- 315 g (2 1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 12 ml (2 1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking soda
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) fine salt
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cardamom
- 5 eggs, separated
- 350 g (1 3/4 cups) light brown sugar, packed
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
- 225 ml (1 cup) milk
Whiskey Maple Syrup
- 1 can 480 ml pure maple syrup, medium amber
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) spiced whiskey
- 80 g (1/3 cup) white granulated sugar
About the ingredients
All-purpose flour reduced to 315 g to avoid overbulk, baking powder increased slightly for lift, baking soda steady. Cardamom swaps in subtle floral notes instead of nutmeg’s warmth; those two spices alike but twist. Brown sugar divided into halves for egg whites and yolks — helps meringue stability and moistness balance. Oil lowered but milk upped to keep crumb soft. No nuts added because the goal is smooth texture. Maple syrup amount reduced to 480 ml, adjusts sweetness to whiskey’s quality and boldness. Spiced whiskey preferred, but standard whiskey works fine. Sugar in syrup changed to white granulated for straightforward sweetness with no molasses note, balancing syrup darkness. Bundt pan size kept big; quantity adjusted accordingly. Simple swaps but impact on flavor and texture clear. Eggs kept 5 total, separation necessary to lift.
Method
Cake
- 1. Heat oven to 175 C (347 F). Position rack middle. Butter and flour a 2.5-3 L (10-12 cup) Bundt pan.
- 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom in large bowl.
- 3. Beat egg whites with electric mixer till soft peaks. Gradually add 175 g (7/8 cup) brown sugar while whipping. Beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- 4. In separate bowl, blend egg yolks, oil, remaining 175 g (7/8 cup) brown sugar with mixer. Slowly alternate adding dry mix and milk, starting and ending with dry.
- 5. Fold whites into wet mix carefully with whisk, no deflating. Pour batter into Bundt.
- 6. Bake ~55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes on wire rack, then unmold.
Whiskey Maple Syrup
- 7. Heat maple syrup, whiskey, and sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, bring just to boil. Remove from heat.
- 8. Place cake back in pan. Use wooden skewer to poke many holes all over, about 40-50.
- 9. Pour half syrup slowly over cake, let absorb 12-15 min.
- 10. Invert cake onto serving plate. Drizzle remaining syrup little by little over top, let soak fully.
- 11. Cool completely before serving. Better after 1-2 days rest. Store covered up to 5 days.
Cooking tips
Oven preheated to 175 C - a few degrees cooler but compensates for shorter bake time. Buttering ensures easy release. Dry ingredients mixed before wet to avoid lumps, incorporate spices fully. Egg whites whipped with 175 g sugar only to soft then firm peaks to stabilize structure. Egg yolks beaten separately with oil and sugar to creamy fade. Alternate adding dry and milk to egg yolk mix gently, avoids overworking gluten. Fold egg whites with whisk gently, keep volume intact. Pour batter to Bundt, bake 55 mins. Toothpick test to check doneness—if wet batter clings, longer needed. Slightly longer to cool before unmolding for structural safety. Syrup ingredients heated until sugar dissolves, brought to near boil, not caramelized. Cake pierced deeply with wooden skewer, 40-50 holes over surface, deeper to enhance liquid penetration. Half syrup poured and absorbed 12-15 mins—crucial for moist layers inside. Cake flipped for even soaking of remaining syrup; drizzle little by little to prevent puddling. Best cooled fully then can rest wrapped 24-48 hours for flavors to meld. Under cloche last up to 5 days. Repeated syrup soaking new twist to enhance liquidity inside cake. Times adjusted ±5 minutes to fit oven variability and syrup absorption pace.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Separate eggs carefully. Whites whipped with half the brown sugar helps stiff peaks hold. Beat gradually. Whites set structure. Yolks mixed with oil and sugar blend moisture and richness. Alternate dry and milk slowly. Avoid overmixing to keep crumb tender. Whisk fold whites gently, keep max volume. Deflate and cake falls flat. Bundt pan needs butter+flour coating for clean release.
- 💡 Piercing cake with 40-50 holes helps syrup soak deep. Use wooden skewer, poke deep but not through base. Pour syrup half then wait 12-15 mins to absorb slowly. Too much syrup all at once puddles, soggy bottom risk. Flip cake before second pour or syrup pools uneven. Drizzle leftover syrup in small amounts, no rushing soak. Gives more even moisture inside.
- 💡 Maple syrup flavor varies. Medium amber offers balanced sweetness, avoid darker or lightest for consistency. Spiced whiskey adds complexity, but standard works. Syrup sugar swapped white granulated to cut molasses taste molasses darkens syrup flavor. Heat syrup and whiskey just to boil then off heat to avoid burning sugar. Keep syrup warm for better soak.
- 💡 Adjust bake time by oven performance. 55 mins guideline, toothpick test key. Clean or with few moist crumbs ok. Cool 20 mins in pan before unmolding helps shape hold. If too hot, cake may crumble. Rest cake 1-2 days wrapped or under cloche to meld flavors and let syrup deepen crumb moisture. Skip rest and cake tastes less melded, drier inside.
- 💡 Oil trimmed but milk upped keeps crumb less dense but moist. Brown sugar divided helps meringue whip stability and yolk mixture sweetness. Cinnamon dominant spice with cardamom replacing nutmeg gives a citrus floral hint, subtler. No nuts for smooth texture. Flour reduced for lighter but still dense body. No bleached flour for taste clarity.
Common questions
Why separate eggs?
Whites whipped stiff hold air bubbles. Yolks mix with sugar/oil/moisture. Each does job. Whites give lift so cake not flat. Yolks add richness. Folding slows air loss. Skip separation, cake dense, less lift.
Can I use different whiskey?
Spiced preferred for aroma but plain whiskey works. Flavor changes with brand. Stronger whiskey might overwhelm maple. Adjust syrup sugar if needed. No alcohol options not recommended; soak effect lost.
Cake too dry after baking?
Might be under-soaking syrup or not enough holes. Poke deep, many holes for absorption. Pour syrup twice, slowly, let soak well. Rest 1-2 days also helps syrup penetrate fully. Oven too hot can dry cake too.
How to store cake?
Wrapped in foil or plastic keeps moist. Under cloche best for freshness. Lasts up to 5 days. Fridge not mandatory but use airtight container if hot climate. Reheat gently if needed but syrup absorption best at room temp rest.
