Spice Cake with Orange Whiskey Icing

In search of a different kind of cake to serve after dinner I surfed the web and came across an interesting recipe that I changed significantly. If you do not like the taste of anise, don’t worry, the flavors combine well so that no spice is dominant. Be sure to use good fruity EVOO as it helps to balance out the spices and creates a rich depth to the cake.

Cake Ingredients:

 

  • 1 cup of beer , use a dark or lager variety
  • 1 cup of molasses
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup of EVOO 
  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 teas of ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

Prepare a bundt or tube pan with EVOO and flour

Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Combine beer and molasses in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring frequently to be sure it is well blended.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the baking soda and leave it to foam. Wait until it is done foaming, stir.

With a mixer beat the eggs and the sugar with a whisk attachment, if you have one, until they form a pale froth, about 5 minutes.

Add the EVOO  in 2 batches until blended well. Add beer mixture.

Add dry ingredients beat until combined well but do not overbeat.
Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50-55 minutes.  Until a toothpick comes out clean.

Move to a wire rack and wait at least 20 minutes, then loosen the sides and tube area of the pan gently with a butter knife or flat spatula, inverse onto the wire rack and let cool completely. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or :

 

Orange Whiskey Icing:

  • 3 cups (approx) powdered sugar
  • Sprinkle of salt
  • 1 teas softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons (approx) of Jack Daniels or another good aged whiskey or bourbon
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 2 teas of orange juice
  • ½ teas of orange olive oil

Cream the butter and orange zest together. Add 1 cup of the sugar, 1 table of the whiskey, the orange juice and orange flavored EVOO. Blend until no lumps- it will be runny. Add another cup of sugar ,the salt and blend well. Add the final cup of sugar and the remaining whiskey as necessary to create a smooth creamy icing that will “glaze” the cake.

Ice the cooled cake putting 1 table at a time on the top and spreading it just a bit so that it will flow down the sides slightly.

 

DessertsErsilia Moreno