Whiskey Caramel-Glazed Coffee Cake Recipe

There are coffee cakes and there are coffee cakes, but developer Jessica Morone says of this whiskey caramel-glazed one, "This is one of the best coffee cakes I've ever had." She describes the cake itself as "fluffy and tender" and says that the streusel topping and sweet yet slightly boozy caramel just add to the goodness.

One thing that makes the cake so special is a secret ingredient in the cake batter itself. As Morone tells us, "Most of the time the words 'coffee cake' refers to a cake that you serve with coffee. Obviously this cake will be good served with coffee, but it also has coffee in the cake as well." And while Monroe says the coffee in the batter "makes [the cake] extra moist and gives it a more complex flavor," she also notes "the coffee is still subtle enough that it isn't overwhelming." The batter additionally includes a touch of whiskey, though much of the whiskey flavor comes from the caramel glaze.

For the cake batter you're going to need flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream (Morone says to use the full-fat kind), whiskey, and coffee. For the topping, you'll also need cinnamon and brown sugar (either light or dark will do), while the caramel requires heavy cream and powdered sugar, as well.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the crumb topping: Add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter to the bowl of a food processor.

Pulse until the mixture becomes pea-sized crumbs (If you don't have a food processor you can use two forks or a pastry cutter to cut the mixture together.) Set aside.

Make the cake: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.

Use a handheld or stand mixer to beat together the melted butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.

Add in the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, whiskey, and coffee and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.

Spread half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan

Sprinkle half of the topping mixture over the batter.

Gently spread the remaining batter on top of the topping layer.

Sprinkle the remaining topping evenly over the batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpaste inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool.

Make the whiskey caramel: Add the sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Heat on medium heat, stirring about every 20 seconds, until the sugar has melted completely and becomes an amber color. Remove from heat.

Add the butter to the saucepan and whisk until combined.

Whisk in the heavy cream, whiskey, and salt until combined. Pour the caramel into a separate bowl.

Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Drizzle the caramel sauce over the baked coffee cake. Save any remaining caramel in an airtight jar in the fridge.

Cut the cake into squares and serve.

This whiskey caramel-glazed coffee cake makes a tasty accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee or tea. If you're wondering about the whiskey in the recipe, Morone notes, "The alcohol in the cake and caramel mostly burns off during cooking so you don't get a strong alcohol flavor that would be off-putting for a breakfast." (And whiskey will cook out of a dish more rapidly than other types of alcohol.) The cake would also make a great centerpiece for brunch, at which time the boozy notes note might not be amiss.

A slice of cake would also be a nice mid-morning or afternoon pick-me-up. While neither elevenses nor afternoon tea are traditional here in the U.S., the British are onto a good thing with their notion of stopping for a hot beverage accompanied by a sweet snack. Additionally, Monroe suggests, "This [cake] would also make a great dessert, especially if you serve it along with some ice cream." Vanilla ice cream would work, since it goes with nearly everything, but coffee ice cream would highlight the hint of coffee in the batter while dulce de leche would complement the caramel.

If you have leftover coffee cake, Morone says you can keep it covered at room temperature (without the caramel sauce finish) for 3 days before it starts to dry out or taste stale. You can also refrigerate the cake and extend its life to a full week or freeze it to keep for a few months. "If you wanted to use the leftovers in something else," Monroe says, "you could turn them into a really delicious bread pudding."

As for the whiskey caramel sauce, Morone tells us that this does need to be refrigerated. It should be good for 3 weeks or so if kept in a lidded jar or other airtight container. Before you can use refrigerated caramel, though, you'll need to let it warm up a bit. Try putting it in the microwave, without the lid, for few seconds, then stir to revive its smooth consistency. Though the caramel is made with powdered sugar to help it set when drizzled on the cake, Monroe tells us, "If you want a more gooey, drippy caramel on your cake, you can leave out the powdered sugar." She also suggests spooning the whiskey caramel over ice cream or brownies, and you can even use it as a dip for fresh fruit.