Let Her Eat Cake: Bourbon Vanilla Cake

Bourbon! We love it. Any liquor that shares a name with a biscuit is alright in our book. That and it's brilliant. The Boy and his Poison has put it in so many of our cocktails that there's always a bottle (hmm hmm or 1/4 of a bottle) hanging around in the kitchen. We've even put it in the best cold remedy ever, our Hot Toddy Traybake. 

Now, I know that Bourbon Vanilla doesn't have anything to do with actual bourbon, but I thought it was about time that they get better acquainted. And guess what, they're BFFs. Like gin and tonic or Tesla and Edgar Allan Poe*

Do try to use real vanilla if you can; it's one of the star flavours of this cake.

*they'd totally get along well.

Bourbon Vanilla Cake
Preparation time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 30-35 minutes

You will need:
For the cake:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 3 free-range eggs
• 250g self-raising flour
• 4 generous tbsp bourbon whiskey
• 50ml double cream
• 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon 
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out (or 1 tsp vanilla essence)

For the filling:

• 50ml bourbon (plus extra for drizzling or DRINKING)
• 300ml double cream
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out (or 1 tsp vanilla essence)
• 3 tbsp icing sugar

Make it!
The cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Grease and line a 23cm, 9 inch deep cake tin.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. 
4. Add a quarter of the eggs, along with a tablespoon of the flour and beat well. Repeat with rest of the eggs, beating well in between. 
5. Add the bourbon, cream, cinnamon and vanilla and stir in well.
6. Add the rest of the flour in thirds, folding in lightly in between until it is just incorporated and no streaks are showing.
7. Dollop into the tin, smooth over the top and bake for around 30-35 minutes, or until it's golden and risen, and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool in the tin for a few minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

The filling:

1. When the cake is cool, carefully cut it in half using a serrated knife. 
2. Drizzle each half with 2 tbsp bourbon.
3. Place the cream, remaining bourbon, vanilla and icing sugar in a bowl and beat together until the cream is stiff. 
4. Spread the bottom half of the cake with cream, then sandwich the other half on top. Use the rest of the cream to pipe or frost the top with a pallet knife. 
5. Decorate with a dusting of cinnamon and serve with... MORE BOURBON.