Around 2002 BC (Before Children), the Mister and I frequented the area of Newport, Kentucky. We found a couple of bed and breakfasts that we enjoyed, and at least once every other month we'd take a long weekend to the area. If you've never been to Newport, there is so much to do in the area! There's the aquarium, a couple of museums, the Levee mall, great restaurants, a German beer garden complete with 'Oompah' band and weekly festivals on the Levee proper. If you're ever in the area, may I suggest Christopher's Bed and Breakfast (an old church) for lodgings and the Syndicate (former mob hangout) for dinner?
Anyway, one summer while we were in the area, Newport hosted a large Celtic festival and we spent most of the day at one particular booth. The whiskey cake booth. My husband loved the whiskey cake sold by a little old man and woman so much, and a dollar per slice, they were raking in quite the income. After about the 15th slice of cake, I started bribing the old man for the recipe. At first he wouldn't give it up, but after buying a couple more slices and a sheet of raffle tickets and a little pleading, he finally came off the recipe and we've been making it for Christmas ever since.
I'll save you the bribing and raffle tickets and share the recipe. This is the simplest, most delicious cake ever. The old man baked it in a loaf pan, but I prefer a 9X13 pan so it bakes quickly and doesn't get crusty on the edges. Pick out a decent whiskey for this cake...it doesn't have to be top shelf, but if it's skunky, the resulting cake will be skunky as well.
Irish Whiskey Cake
1 yellow cake mix (or 1 yellow cake scratch recipe)
1 small box of instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 whiskey
1 cup of nuts
Combine the first 5 ingredients and beat well. Fold in the nuts. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or a tester in the middle comes out clean. Don't over bake! Cool slightly then poke holes in the top of the cake to allow the sauce to penetrate.
Sauce
1/2 c whiskey
1/2 water
1 c sugar
1 stick of butter
In a heavy saucepan, combine the 4 ingredients and bring to a boil for 4 minutes. Pour over warm cake and allow to seep in.
By all means, serve this cake warm! It's okay cold, but warm, it's out of this world!!!!!
4 comments:
That cake sounds yummy.
I really liked that little beer garden too, and the levee, and the aquarium, and the..... you get the point. :op I'll have to check out the Syndicate. Never noticed it before. Is it right there on the levee?
The Syndicate is walking distance from the levee...I'm thinking 3 blocks, give or take. When you go into the lobby there's a huge display of 1920's mob stuff...Tommy guns and stuff like that. Remember a book called The Syndicate's Wife? Apparently it was written about what went on in the restaurant's previous life.
This sounds like a recipe my hubby would enjoy! Does it taste or smell like Whiskey. I never acquired a taste for alcohol and is it kid edible. If I make a cake here, all would want some. :)
It DOES taste like whiskey...but it doesn't burn your throat like straight alcohol. It's the butter and sugar you taste more than anything. I'm fairly sure the alcohol cooks out of the cake when it's baking...probably cooks out of the sauce during the boiling too. I've served it to the kids before and it's never made them tipsy :)
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