Not long ago I had the pleasure of joining a collaboration between several Texas bloggers and the online shop Bourbon & Boots. I signed up to receive a surprise product to review, and they sent me the most adorable food props: mason jar shot glasses. These tiny jars are easily the cutest addition to my food-prop collection. Bourbon & Boots also provided a special discount code for readers: BLOGBAKINGFAIRY14. Enter that code at checkout to receive a discount.
Now on to the food. Shot glasses are great for drinks, but they also make a charming vessel for dessert. Since my 21st birthday was just a couple of days away, I decided to make a boozy cake in those tiny jars. The result was Chocolate Bourbon Cake Shots — a fun, compact dessert that’s perfect for celebrations.
These cake shots look impressive, but they’re actually simple to prepare. Bake a thin sheet cake, use the shot glass to cut cake circles, and assemble with a quick three-ingredient frosting. The batter and frosting are both mixed in one bowl, and the bake time is only about 10 minutes. Bake, cool, cut, and assemble — easy and fast.
These cake shots are delicious and a playful way to mark a birthday or special occasion. If you want the mason jar shot glasses, Bourbon & Boots carries them in their store. I recommend browsing their site for more unique items. Happy baking!
{Cake recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman}
Print Recipe
Chocolate Bourbon Cake Shots
Ingredients
- for the cake
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup {1 stick} unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup bourbon whiskey
- ½ tablespoon vanilla½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- for the frosting
- ½ cup {1 stick} butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon bourbon whiskey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoon milk {as needed}
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a small 9×13 baking sheet (not a pan) with foil or parchment, spray with nonstick spray, and set aside.
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In a small nonstick pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa, then the boiling water. Let the mixture boil for about 30 seconds, then set aside to cool slightly.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour the chocolate-butter mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and lump-free.
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Quickly mix in the egg, then the vanilla, followed by the bourbon. Whisk until well incorporated.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean but the cake should remain moist. Set aside to cool while you make the frosting.
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In a small bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with a hand mixer. Add the vanilla and bourbon, and beat until smooth and fluffy. If the frosting is too dry, add a little milk as needed. The frosting should be thick, not runny. Chill in the fridge until ready to assemble.
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When ready to assemble, use a shot glass to cut circles from the sheet cake. For 12 cake shots you should get about 24 circles.
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Place a cake circle in the bottom of each shot glass, pipe or spoon in chilled frosting, add another cake circle, and finish with more frosting.
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Dust the tops with cocoa powder to garnish. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Disclosure: I received Mason Jar Shot Glasses from Bourbon & Boots at no cost. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the sponsorship. Recipe created by Valentina Celant at TheBakingFairy.net.