Brandy Butter Cake with Prunes – Rich, moist, sweet, and super buttery butter cake with splashes of brandy plus dried prunes. You just have to make this!
Right after I baked the perfect pound cake, I had some leftover cake flour.
Recently, a couple of friends and I were experimenting with layer cake (Indonesian/Malaysian kek lapis) with prunes, so I decided to use the cake flour to make brandy butter cake with prunes, with a touch of brandy added to flavor the cake.
I grew up watching my late mother enjoying her brandy.
Every night before she went to bed, she would religiously take a sip of brandy from its bottle—stashed preciously in the cupboard right beside her bed.
She swore by brandy, and believed that brandy was a magic tonic that guaranteed longevity and eternal health.
Brandy was her favorite liquor.
I don’t really drink but I do like the aroma that brandy imparts to cakes, for examples: kek lapis and (a good) fruit cake.
I improvised my favorite butter cake recipe and added splashes of brandy and some dried prunes (plums).
The end result is this brandy butter cake laced with prunes.
I gave some to my neighbor and they really enjoyed the cake.
Brandy Butter Cake with Prunes Recipe
Brandy Butter Cake with Prunes – Rich, moist, sweet, and super buttery butter cake with splashes of brandy plus dried prunes. You just have to make this.
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (250 g)
- 7 oz cake flour or all-purpose flour (200 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 7 oz granulated sugar (200 g)
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons fresh milk/yoghurt/heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 3 oz prunes, cut into raisin-sized pieces + 1 tablespoon flour (mix together)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Lightly grease an 8 x 8 x 2 inches square cake pan with some butter.
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Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in salt and mix well. Set aside.
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Use an electronic beater to mix butter and sugar until well combined or pale yellow in color. (Note: Sugar has not dissolved yet).
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Add in the first egg. Beat well after each addition of egg until creamy.
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Scrape down the sides for even mixing.
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Add in vanilla essence, brandy, and mix well.
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Fold in the flour into the mixture and mix well.
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Finally, add in the milk (or yoghurt/heavy cream) and fold in the prunes. Mix well.
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Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Shake it lightly to distribute cake mixture evenly.
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Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40 minutes. Use a cake tester to test if it’s cooked.
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Remove it from the oven and let cool on the wire rack for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
If you use yoghurt or heavy cream instead of milk, your cake will be extra moist.
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Katrucia
Thanks for the recipe. I have replaced brandy by Tia Maria. The cake was moist and yummy.
Tiburon
Tried this recipe but had replaced prunes with blueberries. At the same time, had reduce the sugar by 20g. Tasted wonderful!
Fern
Love prunes in my cakes…and prunes and brandy in one is a terrific idea!
Edwin Chia via Facebook
ya chinese style
Rob Cortez via Facebook
I bake my Chocolate Devil Cake adding light rum both on the mixtures n icing. Brandy I mix it with my coffee occasionally.
Angela Tellone Hatch via Facebook
I used to watch Essence of Emeril. Whenever he would cook with beer, he would open two bottles, one for the pot and one for him. Bam!
Jacqueline Lopez via Facebook
Ha Ha – my Malaysian stepmother swears by it too – we bring her a bottle every time she visits – and she is a world class cook!
Simon Jensen via Facebook
Because of personal reasons I don’t keep alcohol in the house. But I use sake and Shaoxing wine (or sherry) in my chinese cooking. Apart from sometimes i use cognac for making a pepper gravy for a nice steak.
Kelly Lawson via Facebook
I’m the same -all the liquor in my house is for cooking. Just made a Guinness cake.
Angela Naylor via Facebook
Fruitcake for holidays – I pour over Calvados.
Diana Ficik via Facebook
I’ve made a brandy butter cake as well. An old European recipe. Also I use wine a lot and rum. :)
Sasha Rambles via Facebook
Of course! Well, sometimes it doesn’t make it into the pot ;)
Angela Tellone Hatch via Facebook
All the time. I like wine in savory stews and sauces. Brandy too (cognac) in coq au vin and boeuf bourgignonne.
Jess @ Bakericious
I have curious how the cake will taste with brandy added, perhaps should bake one and try it, thanks for sharing.