Praline Pound Cake

This pound cake is Southern indulgence through and through. Cream cheese and sour cream in the batter create an insanely moist, dense crumb, while a full cup of praline liqueur gives it a warm, caramel-pecan flavor that you can’t get from extract alone. Chopped pecans stirred into the batter add crunch in every slice.

The boiled brown sugar and praline liqueur glaze is the finishing touch that makes this cake unforgettable. Pour it while it’s still warm, let it drip down the Bundt ridges, then scoop up what pools on the plate and pour it over again. As it cools, it sets into a glossy, sticky shell.

Beat the eggs in for a full 3 minutes. This isn’t a suggestion. That extended beating incorporates air that keeps a butter-heavy cake from being leaden.

Kitchen Tips

• Grease AND flour the Bundt pan thoroughly. The cream cheese and sugar in this batter love to stick.
• Alternate dry and wet additions (three dry, two wet) to keep the batter smooth and prevent the flour from toughening.
• Cool 15 minutes in the pan before turning out. Too soon and the cake breaks; too long and it sticks.
• Re-pour the pooled glaze over the cake multiple times as it thickens. Each pass adds another glossy layer.

Variations

• Swap praline liqueur for bourbon and add a teaspoon of vanilla for a Kentucky-style twist.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to the glaze for a warmer, spicier finish.
• Fold in toffee bits along with the pecans for extra butterscotch crunch.