3
Cake Shots
RECIPES for the ULTIMATE PARTY SNACK
Any Booze Cake can be turned into a cake shot by cutting it into bite-size pieces or using mini cupcake pans for the batter. This chapter is full of sophisticated single-serving treats, from Rum Mocha Brownie Bites to fragrant Wine-Tasting Cakes in merlot, chardonnay, or rosé, not to mention party-perfect snacks, from Jelly Cake Shots to Long Island Iced Tea Cakes. Party!
Blue Hawaii Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes
Frosted Long Island Iced Tea Cakes
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SWEET-AND-SOUR PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES combine the tropical flavors of a Blue Hawaii Cocktail—blue Curaçao, pineapple, and rum—with the classic pineapple upside-down cake. Don’t have too many, or things might get a little upside down for you, too!
Spiked Pineapple Cupcakes
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ tablespoons rum
¼ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup sweet-and-sour mix (store-bought or homemade)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons blue Curaçao
A few drops blue food coloring
Rum Pineapple Topping
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 or 3 tablespoons rum
10 pineapple rings
Finishing
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut (toasted or untoasted)
10 maraschino cherries
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 10 ramekins or one cupcake pan. (Pineapple rings can fit into most ramekins, large cupcake cups, or mini cake molds; or cut pineapple into wedges to fit your pan.)
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs. Stir in vanilla, rum, pineapple juice, and sweet-and-sour mix. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Transfer one-third of the batter into a separate bowl and stir in blue Curaçao and food coloring.
3. For the topping: In a saucepan over medium heat, stir butter and brown sugar 3 minutes, or until melted. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Drop a spoonful of sauce and a pineapple ring into each ramekin or cupcake cup. Spoon yellow batter into pans. Refrigerate 30 minutes (chilling keeps the colored layers separate). Add blue batter, filling each cup almost to the top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Loosen cooled cakes with a knife. Press a tray to the cupcake pan or ramekins; flip over to unmold. Top each with spiked whipped cream, coconut, and a maraschino cherry.
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FORGET JELL-O SHOTS. Jelly Cake Shots are the ultimate party treat! Bake them in silicone molds for fun shapes, such as hearts, flowers, or stars, and layer colors. Mix-in ingredients, such as fruit chunks, chocolate chips, or candies, only add to the fun! The recipe is easy to adapt to your favorite liquor or cocktail.
Boozy Cake
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons liquor
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Jelly Shots
1½ cups powdered gelatin
2¼ cups water or juice
½ cup liquor
Finish
Fruit, chocolate chips, flavored liqueurs, candies, or cocktail picks
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch sheet cake pan or individually portioned silicone baking molds.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and milk; stir in vanilla and liquor. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into the batter. Fill the pan or molds two-thirds full and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
4. For the Jelly Shot: In a saucepan, bring 2¼ cups water or juice to a boil; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool about 20 minutes. Stir in alcohol. Refrigerate until gelatin just begins to set; drop in fruit or other mix-ins, if desired.
5. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan (or dish) and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Prepare and chill a second jelly shot in a separate pan, if desired.
6. Slice cake into shapes or unmold. Slice jelly shots to match and stack the layers in shot glasses or on trays. Garnish with toppings or cocktail picks. Party!
Variation
Super-Easy Boozy Cake
For the cake: Make boozy cake in minutes by substituting your liquor of choice in the recipe on this page and layering with a batch of Jelly Shots.
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MANY A WILD AND CRAZY NIGHT has started out innocently enough with a Long Island Iced Tea—a potent concoction of a lot of white alcohols (vodka, rum, gin, and tequila). Nicely spiked with one of these intoxicating cocktails, this golden pound cake is baked and then soaked in another cocktail. Cut into bite-size pieces and skewered with cocktail picks, these libation-like nibbles make party-perfect finger food.
Long Island Iced Tea Cakes
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon gin
1 tablespoon light rum
1 tablespoon tequila
1 tablespoon vodka
1 tablespoon triple sec
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cola, chilled
1 cup sugar, divided
½ cup milk
6 egg yolks
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Long Island Iced Tea Soaking Sauce
1 tablespoon gin
1 tablespoon light rum
1 tablespoon tequila
1 tablespoon vodka
1 tablespoon triple sec
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cold cola
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a glass measuring cup, combine vanilla, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, cola, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and milk. (Don’t worry if the alcohol curdles the milk.)
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks 5 minutes, or until thick and pale. Add ½ cup sugar and beat until yolks form a thick ribbon. Gradually beat in the butter and remaining sugar.
4. Beat in flour and milk mixtures in three alternating additions. Pour batter into the pan. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
5. For the soaking sauce: While the cake cools, combine all ingredients in the cleaned and dried cake pan. Cut cake into bite-size pieces; return them to the pan to soak up the sauce, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. To serve, arrange tea cakes on a platter with cocktail picks.
Variations
Frosted Long Island Ice Tea Cakes
For frosting: Spike marshmallow crème with same amount of all booze ingredients as cakes. Frost and sprinkle with lemon zest.
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FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKES are usually heavy and dense. Not this one. We’ve lightened the texture, and a dash of coffee liqueur gives it an extra-rich flavor. The sauce is made of tequila melted into cajeta—a devilishly good Mexican caramel. You can use store-bought cajeta or regular caramel sauce. Either way, it’s a rich, gooey, sticky delight. Fiesta!
Flourless Chocolate Cakes
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup sugar, divided
9 ounces semisweet dark chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur (store-bought or homemade)
½ teaspoon salt
Tequila Cajeta Caramel Sauce
½ cup tequila
½ cup cajeta or caramel sauce
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup cupcake pan.
2. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter with ¼ cup of the sugar. Stir in chocolate and cook until melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar until thick and pale yellow. Beat in coffee liqueur. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and blend well. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites with salt until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Pour batter into the pan. Bake 15 minutes.
4. For the sauce: Combine tequila and cajeta in a glass measuring cup; microwave 2 minutes, or until melted. Stir until smooth.
5. Unmold cakes onto a serving dish, and pour the sauce overtop.
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BOXED BROWNIE MIXES are plenty of people’s dirty little dessert secret. Our brownie bites may start with packaged mix, but their flavor is boosted thanks to a couple not-so-secret ingredients: coffee and rum. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box!
Mocha Rum Brownies
1 (19.8-ounce) box brownie mix
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup half and half
¼ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
½ cup dark rum
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Mocha Rum Frosting
Recipe on this page
Finishing
24 fresh raspberries
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. Combine all brownie ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let brownies cool completely before cutting into 24 equal pieces.
3. Top with generous dollops of frosting and raspberries. Arrange on a platter and let everyone dig in, family-style.
Variations
Bourbon Brownie Bites with Chocolate Bourbon Frosting
For the frosting and cake: Substitute bourbon for rum and omit espresso.
Raw Chocolate Mocha Rum Brownie Bites
For the finishing: Instead of—or in addition to—the frosting, top brownie bites with wedges of high-quality chocolate.
Brownie Bites with Candied Raspberries
For the finishing: Top frosted or raw chocolate-topped brownie bites with sparkling candied raspberries.
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FLAVORED WITH IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR, coffee, chocolate, and vanilla—the ingredients that constitute Baileys Irish Cream—this Irish cream cake is topped with rich Irish cream caramel sauce to make a delicious Mudslide of a cake. Top it with Irish-cream-infused whipped cream and a sprinkle of chocolate curls.
Irish Cream Cake
¼ cup strong espresso
¾ cup Irish cream liqueur
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
Irish Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup Irish cream liqueur
Irish Cream Caramel Sauce
¾ cup light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup Irish cream liqueur
Garnish
¼ cup shaved chocolate or chocolate curls
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
2. Combine espresso and Irish cream liqueur; set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat butter, cocoa, sugar, and vanilla 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, and then mix 4 minutes, or until fluffy.
3. Add flour and Irish cream mixtures to the butter mixture in three alternating additions. Pour batter into pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
4. For the whipped cream: Add cream and liqueur to a mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, bring brown sugar, butter, and cream to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and Irish cream liqueur.
6. Place one cake layer on a stand or serving platter. Spread half the whipped cream on top. Place the second layer on top, cover it with the rest of the whipped cream, sprinkle with shaved chocolate, and drizzle Irish cream caramel sauce all over.
7. For a crowd, scoop little Mudslide cake slices into individual party cups, pour Irish cream caramel sauce over top, and serve with big spoons.
Variations
The B-52 Cake
For the cake: Reduce the Irish cream liqueur to ¼ cup. Add ¼ cup coffee liqueur and ¼ cup triple sec. For the topping: Spike orange buttercream with Grand Marnier instead of vodka and drizzle with spiked chocolate sauce.
Irish Coffee Cake
Replace the caramel sauce with homemade coffee liqueur and dollops of whipped cream.
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HAVE YOU EVER PAIRED MERLOT with your favorite chocolate, or Chardonnay with your favorite spice? Food has been flavored with wine for centuries, but the concept of baking with wine is relatively new. These simple yet sophisticated cakes pair wines with complementary flavors. Substitute your favorite wines and spices and host your own special wine-tasting cake party!
Chocolate Merlot Cakes
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup merlot
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 ounces dark chocolate, melted
Chocolate Merlot Icing
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup merlot
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chardonnay Anise Cakes
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon anise extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup Chardonnay
½ cup milk
Chardonnay Anise Icing
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup Chardonnay
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon anise extract
Finishing
White, milk, or dark chocolate curls
Star anise, anise seed, lavendar, fennel, or other herbs of your choice
Candied fruits or flowers (store-bought or homemade), to complement a fruity wine
Cocktail picks or cupcake picks for easy nibbling
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 12-cup cupcake pans.
2. For the chocolate merlot cakes: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar 3 minutes, or until soft and fluffy. Mix in eggs and merlot. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in chocolate. Pour batter into pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
3. For the chocolate merlot icing: In a saucepan over low heat, stir together butter and cocoa. Add merlot and confectioners’ sugar, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Keep warm.
4. For the chardonnay anise cakes: In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, anise, and vanilla.
5. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine the wine and milk. Add flour and wine mixtures to the butter mixture in three alternating additions. In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into the batter. Pour into pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
6. For the chardonnay anise icing: In a saucepan over low heat, warm butter until melted. Add chardonnay, confectioners’ sugar, and anise, stirring until the mixture has the consistency of a thin glaze. Keep warm.
6. Arrange cakes on a serving platter. Pour warm icings overtop, garnish as desired with fresh or dried herbs, white or dark chocolate curls, candied fruits or flowers, or cocktail picks, and serve immediately.
Variations
Blackberry Wine Cakes
For the cakes and icing: Omit chocolate. Soak ¾ cup blackberries in ⅓ cup blackberry wine for 1 hour. Drain the blackberries and add the wine to the cake batter. Add ½ cup blackberry wine to the icing.
Rosé Wine Cakes
For the cakes and icing: Replace chardonnay with rosé wine. Add ½ teaspoon rosewater to the cake and ¼ teaspoon to the icing.
Simple Merlot Cakes
For the cakes and icing: Omit chocolate.
