I first wrote about, and resumed, my family’s Super Bowl cake tradition last year.  This year I decided to bake a cake inspired by New Orleans since I was rooting for the Saints.

A few notes on this delicious cake…

Definitely follow the instructions to use parchment paper on the bottom of the pan AND the sides.  I only used parchment on the bottom and the cake did not smoothly come out of the springform pan.  In fact, the cake really wasn’t very pretty but Tim didn’t mind since it was so tasty.  I also had to substitute buttermilk since my grocery store was all out.  You can use equal parts milk and plain yogurt or add some lemon juice to milk as a substitute.  I used the yogurt – milk combo.

Overall the cake was moist and wonderfully sweet from the pralines.  I served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Delicious!

Bourbon Praline Cake
Food Network Magazine

For the Praline Layer:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups pecans, toasted

For the Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil.

Make the praline layer: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, kosher salt and vanilla. Spread in the prepared pan and scatter the pecans on top; set aside.

Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and fine salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and bourbon in another bowl.

Beat the butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 10 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Fold in the pecans.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack, 30 minutes. Remove the springform ring, invert the cake onto a plate and remove the paper. Serve with ice cream.