Southern Holiday Nut Cake
Celebrating the beginning of the Winter season with this delicious Southern Holiday Nut Cake. Perfect for all of your holiday baking needs! A rich and dense molasses-y cake loaded full with a mix of raisins and chopped pecans. Oh, and a splash of bourbon to round out the delicious flavors. Honestly, this cake is mouthwatering and oh so good. Every bite is layered with crunchy pecans, raisins, bourbon, and hints of molasses. It’s so simple, but it tastes exquisite! The best part? There is just enough batter to hold in all the delicious goodies. Once baked, serve warm for a cake that quite literally melts in your mouth. This is the perfect nut cake for any and all occasions. Bonus? It’s so much easier to make than you might think, and it makes for the perfect gift during the holiday season!
→ This post is also available as a Web Story: Bourbon Nut Cake
About The Recipe
Making this cake is a tradition in our house. I’m not kidding! The holiday’s don’t start until this cake is freshly baked and being enjoyed by our friends and family.
I can remember making this with my mom as a little girl. It was something all of our friends and family loved and always asked for come Christmas time! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve given this cake as a gift because that’s all someone wanted.
It’s truly special. I know that’s weird to say that about a cake, but there’s just something about it. It’s not your traditional fruit cake, it’s not a traditional nut cake, it’s something for everyone!
Plus, this cake has a little secret you can do to keep it fresh and moist, even after it’s been sitting out for a few days!
You ready?
You need to douse this cake with a capful (about 1 tablespoon) of bourbon every few days!
It keeps the cake moist and oh so delicious. It’s like eating a freshly baked every time you douse it! We always make it at the start of the holiday’s and enjoy it through Christmas. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, if you know what I mean!
There is no better way to start your day than with a mug of your favorite coffee and a large slice of this special bourbon nut cake.
Equipment Needed
- A Mixer
- Large Bundt Pan
- Baking Spray
- Cake Tester
- Cooling Racks
Ingredients
- Molasses
- Baking Soda
- Pecans
- Raisins
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cinnamon
- Ground Cloves
- Salted Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Bourbon
Instructions
Mix together the molasses and baking soda together with a spoon. It will start to expand and become a beautiful caramel color. Once it reaches about one cup, set it aside.
In a large bowl, combine chopped pecans, raisins, and 1/2 cup flour. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and ground gloves.
In the mixer with the beater attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. About 3-5 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to beat well after each addition.
Pour in the molasses mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add the flour mixture and mix well! Scrape down the sides as needed.
Stir in the raisins and chopped pecans.
Add the bourbon and mix well!
Transfer the batter into the prepared bundt or tube pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours!
Let the cake cool in the pan before turning out. Serve and enjoy!
What To Serve With This Nut Cake
The best thing about this cake is that it’s a great breakfast, snack, or even dessert! So, whether you’re feeding your whole family or just yourself, here are a few of our favorite things to serve with this cake!
How To Store
Once this cake is baked and cooled, you can store it in a large cake plate and keep covered on the counter for about one month. Just remember to keep it doused with bourbon!
Substitutions
- You can use any kind of dried fruit you like!
- Same with nuts. Not a fan of pecans? Feel free to use almonds or walnuts!
- We use bourbon, but whiskey can be used in it’s place!
Expert Tips
- Make sure you gather all your ingredients before you start mixing! Trust me, this will make things much easier.
- Using a food processor to chop the pecans will be faster and easier than doing it by hand.
- Once the molasses and baking soda are mixed, work quickly. It will continue to rise.
- This cake will become more flavorful as it cools. It will also develop more flavor after a few days.
- Adding 1 Tablespoon of bourbon every few days will keep this cake moist and delicious!
When you make this Southern Holiday Nut Cake, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Southern Holiday Nut Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 cups pecans, chopped
- 4 ½ cups raisins
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour, divided
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups salted butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup bourbon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Spray tube pan with cooking spray and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together molasses and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine pecans, raisins, and 1/2 cup flour. Set aside.
- Combine remaining 3 cups flour, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in molasses and soda mixture.
- Stir in flour mixture.
- Add pecans and raisins.
- Add bourbon last.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for two hours or until cake tests done.
Notes
- You can use any kind of dried fruit you like!
- Same with nuts. Not a fan of pecans? Feel free to use almonds or walnuts!
- We use bourbon, but whiskey can be used in it’s place!
- Make sure you gather all your ingredients before you start mixing! Trust me, this will make things much easier.
- Using a food processor to chop the pecans will be faster and easier than doing it by hand.
- Once the molasses and baking powder are mixed, work quickly. It will continue to rise.
- This cake will become more flavorful as it cools. It will also develop more flavor after a few days.
- Adding 1 Tablespoon of bourbon every few days will keep this cake moist and delicious!
EQUIPMENT
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
My family loves this cake! Instead of all raisins I included dried cherries, golden raisins and dried cranberries.
We also substitute either Crown Royal, or Ole Smokey Tennessee Salty Carmel Whisky.
I’m wondering if anyone has tried making this with dried cherries, slivered almonds, and dark rum or brandy?
Do you mean baking soda or baking powder
Hi Vera! It’s baking soda, just like the recipe says. Baking powder won’t work in this recipe. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Happy holidays!
Hi Traci in the tips section it says baking powder. Does the recipe call for that instead of baking soda?
Hi McGee! It’s baking soda just like the recipe card says. The other was just a mis-type. It happens occasionally. Thanks for letting us know!
My family has been making this cake for more than forty years. We never mixed the molasses and baking soda but I plan to try it. We have always believed it to be a secret family recipe that we have guarded religiously. So much for that.
Hi Alma! This recipe has been in our family for generations as well. It’s something we’ve always held very near and dear to our hearts, which is why we shared it on the blog! I’m SO glad you found it and I hope this recipes brings back wonderful memories for you. Happy holiday’s! Xo, Caylie
My mom used to make a nut bread in a cast iron pot and I’ve been looking for something similar. (The bread). I think she even wrapped it in some kind of cloth and doused it with bourbon/brandy. I don’t remember if she used molasses or ALAGA cane syrup. So, can I use a different syrup? Thank you.
Hi May! Different syrups have different levels of sweetness and different flavors. If you substitute another syrup for the molasses, keep in mind you may need to adjust the amount of sugar. It will also change the flavor.
Is there any sub for whisky or bourbon? Thank you, sounds yummy
Hi Debra! If you just don’t like the taste of bourbon, I would use brandy or dark rum. If you’re looking for an alcohol-free alternative, I would suggest vanilla extract. How much you use will depend on your vanilla. I would start with a tablespoon and adjust from there.
I made this lovely cake with walnuts. Everyone loved it in clouding my daughter and her man. I am going to make it on March for my sister’s birthday and I used several baking dishes and all was great.
Love the recipe it was great.
Hi Joyce! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Xo, Caylie
I am going to try this
.
Hi Joyce! I hope you do and that you enjoy this cake just as much as we do! It’s something we love and hold very near and dear to us. Please let us know if you have any questions! Xo, Caylie
If I wanted to make this in loaf pans (for gifts — but normal sized loaf pans) how long should I cook them for?
Hi Ellen! I have never baked them in loaves before, but I would test them at 1 hour. I suspect, depending on the size of your loaf pans, that it will probably take about 1 1/2 hours.
Fabulous!!! This just made our annual holiday must have list. I did make a couple of changes. I changed the raisins to 1 1/2 cups each of dried cherries, golden raisins, and regular raisins. I changed the bourbon to Salty Carmel Whisky. Everyone who has tried has loved it.
Hi! I’m so glad to hear you (and everyone!) has enjoyed this cake. It’s a must-have for our family, too! It’s my great grandmother’s recipe and make it every year to kick off the Christmas season. It’s one of my favorite things we’ve ever posted! Thank you so much for sharing and enjoying this cake! Xo, Caylie