Mint Julep Cake with Bourbon Buttercream

Mint Julep Cake with Bourbon Buttercream

Ingredients
Genoise :

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
• 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1⁄ 8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1⁄ 2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mint Julep Syrup :

• 1⁄ 2 cup light cane syrup
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1⁄4 cup bourbon

Mint Garnish :

• 8 small mint sprigs (with only 2 leaves per sprig, or use 8 large mint leaves)
• 1 large egg white, or 1 tablespoon powdered egg whites mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• Bourbon Buttercream (see recipe here )

Cooking Instructions: 

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch spring form pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper. Lightly flour the pan and tap out the excess flour.

• To make the genoise, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat until the milk solids are lightly browned. Pour into a mediumsize bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

• Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large stainless-steel bowl or the work bowl of a standing heavy-duty electric mixer. Place over a saucepan of lightly simmering water over low heat—the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and the eggs are warm (rub a dab between your fingers to check). Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until the eggs are very light and fluffy and have tripled in volume—this

will take about 5 minutes with a hand mixer, or 3 minutes with a standing mixer.

• Sift one-half of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, leaving some streaks of flour visible. Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the bowl of melted butter, add the vanilla, and fold together. Pour into the batter and fold together until smooth and combined. Spread in the pan and smooth the top.

• Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed in the center, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire cake rack for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove the sides of the pan. Invert onto the cake rack, remove the cake bottom, and peel off the paper. Turn the cake right side up onto the rack and let cool completely. 

• Meanwhile, make the mint julep syrup. Bring the cane syrup, 1⁄4 cup of water, and the mint to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes to infuse the syrup with the mint. Strain through a wire sieve into a small bowl. Stir in the bourbon. Let cool completely.

• To make the mint garnish, rinse the mint sprigs and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Beat the egg white in a small bowl until foamy. Place the sugar in another small bowl. Using a small paintbrush, coat the mint sprigs with the beaten egg. Roll in the sugar to coat. Place on a wire cake rack to dry completely, at least 1 hour. (Use the mint garnish within 8 hours of making it.)

• Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally. Place a dab of buttercream in the center of an 8-inch cardboard cake round, a wide, flat plate, or a cake stand. Place the top cake layer on the round, rounded side down. Slip strips of waxed paper under the perimeter of the cake layer. Using a pastry brush, drizzle and brush the cake layer with half of the mint syrup. Spread with 1⁄2 cup of the buttercream. Top with the second cake layer, cut side down, and drizzle and brush with the remaining syrup. Spread a thin layer of the buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until the buttercream sets, about 10 minutes. Keep the remaining buttercream at room temperature.

• Transfer about 2⁄3 cup of the reserved buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1⁄ 2-inch star tip (such as Ateco #825 or #865). Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Using the buttercream in the pastry bag, pipe 8 equally spaced stars around the perimeter

of the cake, and top each with a sugared mint sprig. Slip the paper strips out from under the cake. Serve chilled or at room temperature.