Drambuie Pound Cake is a delightful taste of Scotland you can have at home. I was lucky to visit Scotland on my recent over the seas journey. Our cruise ended in Southampton, England. My brother and I then took a day’s train journey all the way up to Edinburgh, Scotland, for a few days at the end of this amazing odyssey. I had never been up to Scotland and instantly fell in love with this magical capital city. There is just so much to see and especially eat and drink in this charming and beautiful city. We met many people that were saying that right now, the food scene in Edinburgh is one of the best anywhere they have been. The very first view we had was the Castle sitting on a hill surrounded by mist. No wonder much of Harry Potter’s world was influenced by this incredible city.
One of the best parts of Edinburgh’s vibrant food scene was all the bakeries and coffee places that can be found everywhere. I had so many amazing pastries and cakes during my time there. The baked goods we experienced were as good as any I have tasted, from cakes and muffins to the best scones I have ever had. This city rocks! I had this incredible cake flavored with Drambuie one afternoon in the old part of the city. This recipe is my interpretation.
Drambuie is a Scottish liqueur that starts with an aged Scotch whisky, and it is blended with heather honey and some secret herbs and spices. The story goes after the famous battle at Culloden in 1746, Prince Charles Edward Stuart escaped to the Isle of Skye. To give thanks to his hosts, he gave them a recipe for a sweet drink using brandy, herbs, and honey. It evolved from there, with many versions in different Inns throughout Scotland. In the late 1800s, the spirit was changed to whisky and then commercially produced in Edinburgh in 1910. It has a wonderful flavor with just the barest hint of smokiness from the scotch. One of the best ways to enjoy this liqueur is in a cocktail called the Rusty Nail or just over rocks. But it is also fantastic for baking. Drambuie can be found in most good liquor stores here in the states and in many places worldwide.
I have written this recipe for those of us who live at high altitudes. But I have notes on those of you who live in the lowlands to make this taste of Scotland. It bakes up beautifully, and then the Drambuie glaze makes this a special cake. I used this Bundt cake pan for this, but any 10-cup tube pan will work. (I get a small commission at no cost to you from Amazon. If you use any link on this page, please consider helping fund my food journey.)
That is all from my travels this week. I hope you try this Drambuie Pound Cake. It is incredible and not a complicated recipe. If your mom likes a wee dram now and then, this is a perfect mothers day cake too! I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy. Please think of others in your choices. We all need to get through this together. Until next time!
- 3 cups Cake flour or all-purpose flour 2 ¾ cups minus 2 tablespoons.
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 5 eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup honey
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup Drambuie
- ¼ cup 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup Drambuie
- Powdered sugar optional
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Preheat your oven to 350°.
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Generously butter and flour a 10-cup tube or Bundt cake pan or use a baking spray with flour.
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Using a whisk or fork, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
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Cream the butter and sugar until very light, fluffy, and creamy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until completely blended before adding the next.
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Beat in the honey.
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Add in half of the reserved flour mixture, stirring until just combined, followed by half of the sour cream.
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Mix in the remaining flour and finally the sour cream, just combining until mixed. Be careful to not overmix, as the cake will become tough.
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Stir in the vanilla and Drambuie.
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Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixer bowl and briefly mix one last time.
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Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.
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Drop the pan onto the counter from about 3 inches a couple of times to eliminate any large air pockets.
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Bake for about 55-65 minutes, until the edges are golden, and the top of the cake is cracked and firm (when lightly touched, it springs back, rather than sinking in), or use a cake tester inserted in the center that comes out clean.
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Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a cooling rack with a sheet pan underneath to catch excess drippings.
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While the cake cools, make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar, and lemon juice, over medium heat to melt the butter.
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Bring the glaze to a boil for 1 minute to dissolve the sugar.
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Let cool briefly, around 5 minutes. Then stir in the Drambuie.
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Poke holes in the top of the still-warm cake with a skewer or toothpick and brush the glaze over. If there is any excess glaze you can scoop it back up and brush until there is no more glaze.
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Let cool for at least an hour before eating to let the glaze soak into the cake.
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Just before serving dust with Powdered sugar if desired.
This recipe was adjusted for high-altitude baking. To make it for you lowlanders, increase sugar to 2 1/2 cups, baking powder to 1 teaspoon, and decrease the sour cream to 2/3 cup. Baking times may vary slightly.
2 thoughts on “Drambuie Pound Cake for High Altitude”
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David
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