Name: Mint Julep Cake
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Ingredients: ½ cup bourbon; 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint plus 10 to 12 leaves for garnish; 1 large egg white; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; ¼ cup packed (1¾ ounce/50 grams) light brown sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon table salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¾ cup buttermilk , room temperature; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter , cut into 18 pieces and softened; 2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk, room temperature; 1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted and still warm; 2 drops green food coloring

Mint Julep Cake

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on March 2, 2016

Time

2¼ hours, plus 2 hours cooling

Yield

Serves 14-16

Ingredients

Infused Bourbon and Syrup

½ cup bourbon 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint plus 10 to 12 leaves for garnish1 large egg white 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ¼ cup packed (1¾ ounce/50 grams) light brown sugar 2 tablespoons water

Cake

3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon lemon juice 18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 18 pieces and softened2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) granulated sugar 3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk, room temperature

Glaze

1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and still warm2 drops green food coloring

Before You Begin

Bring libations in the form of dessert to your next Kentucky Derby party. Mint-infused bourbon permeates the cake, syrup, and glaze in this elegant confection.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick tube pan.

for the infused bourbon and syrup

Combine bourbon and minced mint in bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Using brush, paint both sides of remaining mint leaves with thin coat of egg white. Gently press both sides of each leaf into granulated sugar. Shake off excess sugar and place leaves on paper towel–lined plate to dry. Bring brown sugar and water to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar; set aside.

for the cake

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon juice together.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk mixture, scraping down bowl as needed.

Strain bourbon-mint mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl, pressing on mint to release as much liquid as possible; reserve mint. Add strained mint and ¼ cup infused bourbon to cake batter and stir to combine. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack. Add 2 tablespoons infused bourbon to brown sugar syrup; brush syrup over top and sides of cake. Let cake cool completely, about 2 hours.

for the glaze

Whisk confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, food coloring, and remaining 2 tablespoons infused bourbon in small bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over cake and let sit for at least 10 minutes to set. Garnish cake with sugared mint leaves and serve.