Friday, April 30, 2010

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cake

One of my favorite events of the year is the pageantry of the Kentucky Derby. I love to watch the guy make the $1000 Mint Julep. Mint from Morocco, ice from the Arctic Circle and sugar from the South Pacific in a 24k gold cup with a sterling silver straw. The money goes to the New Jersey-based Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides homes for the former race horses.

When my daughter was young she loved The Derby and could name in order all the horses that had won The Triple Crown. She is 23 this year and has yet to see it happen, as the last horse to win it, Affirmed, won in it 1978. She did however, get to spend 5 hours one day chasing a grandson of Affirmed around a field after he got loose.

I got this recipe from http://homecooking.about.com/od/cakerecipes/r/blc140.htm

The only changes I made was to triple the amount of bourbon and cut the sugar in the cake in half.

What I am giving you here is the original recipe without my changes.


Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

Cake:

3 cups cake flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

Bourbon Butter Sauce:

1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar

1/3 cup butter

3 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons Bourbon whiskey

.

Mint Frosting:

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) white chocolate chips

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

1 teaspoon white creme de menthe liqueur or 1/2 tsp mint extract (see Note)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

Cake:

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract, and eggs.

Add wet ingredients to flour mixture. Beat at low speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed for 3 more minutes. Pour into prepared pan and smooth evenly around bundt center.

Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Ten minutes before cake is done, prepare Bourbon Butter Sauce.

Bourbon Butter Sauce:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/3 cup butter, and 3 tablespoons water. Stir until melted and combined. Do not boil. Remove from heat, continuing to stir for 2 minutes. Then stir in Bourbon.

When cake is done and still warm from the oven, use a skewer to poke holes around the top of the cake. Pour Bourbon butter sauce evenly over the top of the cake. Let cake cool to room temperature in the pan before removing.

Mint Frosting:

Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until chips are melted. Remove from heat and stir in creme de menthe liqueur (or mint extract). Let cool for 10 minutes, then spread evenly over the cooled cake. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Chill to set chocolate ganache. Take cake out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cutting to serve.

Yield: 12 to 18 servings, depending on slice cut

Note: You may substitute green creme de menthe for the white, however the color may not be appealing. Just add a drop or two of green food coloring.

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