bourbon Archives - The Little Vintage Baking Company

If there is one cake you need to make right now, it’s this one. Listen guys, I’ve been on a healthcare journey for a while now, and have only eaten what I’ve needed to to test a recipe. This cake has been an exception. My brown butter chocolate chip cake with bourbon dulce de leche buttercream is crazy delicious. It’s tender, fluffy and moist, flecked with mini chocolate chips and has a caramel-ly flavor from the brown butter and brown sugar. The buttercream, you could just eat on it’s own with a spoon. It’s creamy and silky loaded with dulce de leche and has a subtle hint of bourbon. Just going to have a moment of silence for the this sheet cake I *may have* demolished.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cake

Anyway, this cake. So, so good. The batter for this recipe makes enough for a 9×13″ pan – 2″ tall cake. You can also use this recipe for 3 – 8″ pans as well. This cake is made like most of the cakes on my blog, with the reverse creaming method, or the one bowl method. This method makes for a tight crumbed cake, reminiscent of box cake, but much sturdier. For more information on this mixing method check out this post.

When adding the mini chocolate chips to cake, mix half into the batter, but reserve half for sprinkling on the top. This is a thicker cake batter so the chips won’t all sink to the bottom, but sprinkling some on top will ensure that they’re evenly distributed.

Because the cake is larger and takes more time to bake, keep your oven temperature between 325-335F so that the cake doesn’t get too dark or bake too fast around the edges. This recipe is meant to bake up flat so if the cake domes too much, the oven might be too hot.

Bourbon Dulce de Leche Buttercream

I used my go-to Swiss meringue buttercream for this recipe. A meringue based buttercream is less sweet than the American type of sugar based buttercream, and since dulce de leche is quite sweet, I wanted to start with a less sweet buttercream. You can learn all about Swiss meringue buttercream here.

You can buy store bought dulce de leche, such as Nestle’s La Lechera. If you can’t find a store bought dulce de leche, I have shared how you can make your own below in the recipe section.

If you are making this cake for kiddos, you can skip out on the bourbon and add more vanilla. But, I encourage you to add it even if you’re not into bourbon. It’s complimentary, adds a lot of depth to the buttercream and helps to distinguish the flavors a bit more.

This recipe makes a decent amount of buttercream and I like to pile it on pretty thick, but if you’re looking for a thinner layer, you can further reduce the recipe in half.

I hope that you enjoy this brown butter chocolate chip cake with bourbon dulce de leche buttercream as much as I do! If you make it, let me know and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more layer cake recipes, check out these posts:

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cake with Bourbon Dulce de Leche Buttercream

Fluffy and tender brown butter chocolate chip cake topped with buttery and creamy bourbon dulce de leche buttercream

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Cooling time2 hrs

Total Time3 hrs 45 mins

Course: Dessert, Drinks

Servings: 9×13 sheet cake, or 3 – 8″ round pans

Ingredients

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cake

14 ounces cake flour
8 ounces granulated sugar
6 ounces brown sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
10 ounces unsalted butter
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 ounces vegetable oil
10 ounces buttermilk, room temperature
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Bourbon Dulce de Leche Buttercream

1/2 batch prepared Swiss meringue buttercream
1 – 2 tablespoons bourbon, to taste
1/2 cup dulce de leche

Dulce de Leche

1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cake

Place the butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter cook while occasionally stirring to ensure the butter is cooking evenly.
Cook the butter until it is a deep golden brown color and smells nutty and toasted, about 5 -7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Let the butter cool to room temperature, until it is solid, but scoopable. Similar in texture to room temperature butter.
Preheat the oven to 335F. Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 cake pan with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
Combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond extract in medium bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. On low speed, mix for 1 minute.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter chunks, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, pour in the 4oz/½ cup of the wet ingredients and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and whip for *two full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the remaining wet ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Pour the batter into the pan. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.
Bake the layers for 40-50 minutes. Start checking the cake at minutes to test for doneness. If a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched, take the cakes out.
Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the pan.
Run a palette or butter knife around the cake in the pan before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours.

Dulce de Leche

Remove the label from the can of sweetened condensed milk.
Place the can in a tall/large saucepan, or pot. Fill with water, covering the entire can with 1"- 2" of water.
Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, so that the water is simmering low and slow.
Watch the water level and add more water if the level of water falls below the top of the can. Check every 30 minutes. This is VERY important as the can can explode if it's not submerged.
Simmer the can for 3-3 1/2 hours, using tongs to turnthe over the can halfway through cooking. Do this VERY CAREFULLY.
When the can is done simmering, turn off the heat. Allow the can to come to room temperature. Do NOT open the can while hot.

Bourbon Dulce de Leche Buttercream

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dulce de leche and bourbon to the prepared buttercream. Mix on low for 3-5 minutes.
Frost the cake with a thick layer of buttercream and top with sprinkles.

Notes

Adapted from The Cake Bible and Sugar Geek Show’s vanilla cake from Artisan Cake Company’s Visual Guide to Cake Decorating

Sprinkles from SprinklePop.

Salty, sweet, smoky, and rich, these salty bourbon millionaire bars are super decadent and so, so delicious. These bars consist of a pretzel shortbread crust, topped with a thick bourbon caramel, topped with bittersweet chocolate and sprinkled with applewood smoked flaky salt. These bars are like a cookie and candy bar in one, and are a total crowd pleaser. Think of these like a Twix candy bar, but a bit more fancier, and soooo much better.

About the ingredients

My salty bourbon millionaire bars have a few ingredients that really make these next level amazing. Typically, millionaire bars have a shortbread crust. In this version, I’ve added salty, crunchy pretzels to the crust. The pretzel flavor really gives these bars more depth of flavor that plays well with the smoky bourbon and salt.

The caramel layer is made with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, unsalted butter, salt, golden syrup and bourbon. Golden syrup is one of my absolute favorite baking ingredients. Similar to corn syrup, golden syrup is made from cane sugar, has an amber color and a delicious caramel flavor. It’s thicker and more stable than corn syrup and provides much more flavor. Though it is a staple in the UK, sometimes golden syrup can be a challenge to find in the US. You can find it in many stores and on Amazon, but if you can’t find it, light corn syrup will work in its place.

Bourbon gives the caramel a smoky, boozy kick. You can use bourbon, whiskey or scotch here – each will lend just a bit of a different flavor to the caramel. You can also omit it, if you don’t want to use alcohol. If you omit the whiskey, replace it with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Really though, this caramel is so good, you’ll want to eat it out of the saucepan with a spoon.

Bittersweet chocolate tops the bars, followed by smoked flaky salt. This salt is a gem, guys. I stumbled upon this applewood smoked flaky salt in my local spice shop, and purchased it, having no idea what I was going to use it for. Until, I developed this recipe. Adding finishing salt to baked goods really makes the individual flavors pop. Adding smoky, almost bacon-like flavor, takes these bars over the top. You can find a variety of smoked salts in supermarkets and online. Maldon makes a great smoked salt that can be found here.

How to make Salty Bourbon Millionaire Bars

The shortbread crust comes together easily and quickly in a food processor. Combine the dry ingredients, and cut in the butter. Pulse in pretzels, taking care to not pulverize them too much. You want them to remain in small chunks for crunch and texture. The crust is pressed into a 13×9 pan. Use an offset spatula to press the dough into the pan evenly. The crust needs to be chilled for 20-30 minutes before baking. Bake the crust until light golden brown, and allow to cool completely.

While the crust is cooling, make the bourbon caramel by combining the sugar, golden syrup, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a large saucepan and simmer until thick, fudge-y and a deep caramel color. Add the salt and the bourbon. I usually use 2 tablespoons of bourbon, but you can add an additional tablespoon or two if you prefer a stronger, boozier flavor. Pour the caramel over the cooled pretzel shortbread crust and allow to cool completely before adding the chocolate.

Once the caramel is cool, melt the chocolate and the syrup for the topping. Choose a good quality chocolate that you enjoy eating. I like using bittersweet chocolate for flavor and to cut through some of the sweetness of the caramel filling. Spread the chocolate over the caramel layer and allow to set. Sprinkle the bars with smoked flaky salt. The chocolate topping will set firm.

Sometimes I like to rush the cooling process by popping these in the fridge for a few minutes. It’s totally fine, but the chocolate will likely crack on top. To avoid this, score the chocolate into squares, when the chocolate is just set, and then pop in the fridge to firm up a bit more. Then cut the bars into squares using the pre-scored lines. It’s best to store and serve the bars at room temperature.

For more decadent, and chocolatey sweets, check out these recipes:

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

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Salty Bourbon Millionaire Bars

Salty, sweet, smoky, and decadent, these bars consist of a pretzel shortbread crust, topped with a thick bourbon caramel, topped with dark chocolate and sprinkled with applewood smoked flaky salt.

Prep Time35 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Chill and Cool1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Pretzel Shortbread Crust

1 cup (150g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (50g) salted pretzels
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Bourbon Caramel

1 can (396g) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup (140g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (75g) golden syrup, or light corn syrup
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2-3 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup (150g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon golden syrup
applewood smoked salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the pretzel shortbread crust:

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture starts to resemble coarse meal, with pea-sized butter pieces throughout.
Add the pretzels and pulse until the mixture starts to form large clumps.
Turn the dough out into the prepared pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula.
Chill the crust for 20-30 minutes.
Bake the crust for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Let the crust cool completely.

Make the caramel:

In a large saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, sugar, golden syrup and butter and mix over low heat until the butter has melted.
Turn the heat up to medium so that the mixture starts to simmer. Stir the mixture over a simmer (slow bubbles) until it turns a deep golden brown and looks like thick caramel fudge, about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will start to pull away from the sides of the pan when stirring.
Remove the mixture from the heat. Add the salt and the bourbon and whisk to combine.
Pour the caramel over the shortbread crust and allow it to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate and the golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel layer. Sprinkle the smoked salt over the bars.
Cool until the chocolate is set, then cut into squares. Serve at room temperature.