When you're handed a lemon, bake a cake

The inspiration

PS: if you're under 21 you won't be able to bake this cake with the recommended ingredients so check out this one instead :)

Okay this isn't one of those "when life hands you lemons" moments but rather a you bought something that turned out to be a lemon {eyebrow raise}. I rarely imbibe, like pretty much never- I'd rather save those calories for dessert.  So I'm not sure why I chose to purchase this bottle of Southern Comfort Cherry- I think it was the tag-line "Bold Black Cherry" ( I love cherry flavor). So, this was, um, not good,  as my fiance put it- "it tastes like cough syrup." Honestly, I think NyQuil's cherry flavor has a better taste.  Not one to be wasteful, I was determined not to let those $12 bucks be a total waste, so I baked a cake.


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Cups Coffee (I used Wegman's Cherry Chocolate)
• 1/2 Cup Southern Comfort Cherry (or whatever you've got on hand)
• 1 Cup of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder ( I used regular but I'm sure dark would be divine)
• 1 Cup of Unsalted Butter Cut into Pieces- for expedited melting
• 2 Cups of Granulated Sugar
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Eggs
• I didn't add this in mine- but a cup of chocolate chips would have added some sweet texture to this cake- just saying <wink>

For the Glaze:
This is where I got a little free spirited....so can you!

• 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Butter- melted
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Splash of Coffee- add until you reach desired consistency

Directions:

1. Generously grease your lovely bundt pan with butter
2. Heat oven to 325 ( you will bake on center rack)
3. You will need a 3qt pan or larger, add coffee, whiskey, butter and cocoa powder- whisk or stir until your butter is melted
4. Remove pan from heat and mix in sugar until dissolved- set aside to cool
5. In a medium bowl whisk remaining dry ingredients (flour, baking soda & salt)
6. IN a small bowl whisk eggs and vanilla
7. Once chocolate mixture is cooled- I just added the flour mixture into the pot and whisked until incorporated, then added egg mixture. (this is also where you might want larger than a 3qt pot- if you decided to mix in the pot- it made a teensy mess in a 3qt)
8. This is where you would stir in the cup of chocolate chips if you decide on adding them
9. Pour batter into greased bundt pan- place in oven and bake for 40 minutes (more or less depending on your oven)
10. Cool cake completely before removing from pan- you might need to loosen it a bit.

Whisk Away

Almost Finished Product!

Frosting Directions:
I took all of the ingredients above and whisked until desired consistency and drizzled back and forth until it was all used up.

Enjoy!
XoXo