cake | m.davis xoxo

Bourbon Apple Cake {recipe}

Fact about me: I’m obsessed with magazines. I used to subscribe to 10+, but I’ve been simplifying lately and have gotten down to a way more convenient 8.

One magazine I will never stop subscribing to is Real Simple. Funny thing is, if you’d asked me in college if I read Real Simple, I would have looked at you like you were crazy because it’s an “adult magazine.” Who wants to learn more about organizing, cleaning, 5 chicken recipes for the week or issues like what to wear to a winter day wedding? That’s so boring and old. Hand me a People, please.

Well, guess what, priorities change and now it’s my absolute favorite magazine. It’s one of the few magazines I read cover to cover (another is GQ – a terrific magazine) and savor every little article, thought or recipe.

Last summer, I tried a recipe from the cover of the July issue – Linguine with Summer Vegetables + Goat Cheese and it turned out amaaazing. It’s one of my post re-pinned posts from my blog. Today, I tried the Bourbon Apple Cake from the September issue and oh.my.gosh.

All I can say is, thank you adulthood for turning me on to this magazine.

B O U R B O N A P P L E C A K E

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/3 cup instant grits

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 apples, chopped (the original recipe called for 4 apples, but I used 3 and it was perfect)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F.

2. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. (Funny thing – I had no clue what a springform pan was when I read this. I googled it and thought, oh how handy. I then went to my cabinet to find a pan for this recipe and guess what I found down there. A springform pan.)

3. Whisk together the flour, grits, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add the sugar, bourbon, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Whisk in the flour mixture and butter in alternate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the apples. (The batter will be very apple-heavy.) Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes.

6. Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edge of the pan to loosen, then remove the sides of the pan.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Preferably with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!)

xo xo

September 28, 2014 | Categories: Fall, Recipes | Tags: apple, bourbon, bourbon apple cake, cake, dessert, fall dessert, real simple, recipe | 4 Comments

{Almost} Better Than Sex Cake

When I was younger, a family friend of ours use to make the best cake ever. I would get so excited for birthdays, if only for this cake. My parents told us kids it was called Betty Cake, so I came to assume it was her personal recipe and no one else had ever tasted this deliciousness.

Fast forward a few years later when I’m at a bridal shower and Betty Cake is there. Wow, her cake has gotten pretty famous! I thought. Until people started calling it something else – Better Than Sex Cake. So I Googled it and of course found this popular recipe.

Now, I’m not sure if my parents knew the real name of the cake or not. Maybe they were just trying to delay the inevitable birds and bees discussion in all possible ways, even if that meant changing the name of a cake.

At this point in my life, I really don’t care what the name of the cake is. I would probably just call it OMNOMNOM if I could, but I guess {Almost} Better Than Sex Cake will do.

If you’ve never tasted this cake, don’t wait for a birthday. Make it today, and remember – eat dessert first.

Better Than Sex Cake

INGREDIENTS:

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
8 ounces Cool Whip
½-1 cup Heath toffee bits

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bake the cake according to the directions on the box.

2. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top using a fork.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then slowly drizzle the mixture all over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature.

4. Spread the Cool Whip over the top of the cake, top with the Heath toffee bits and refrigerate again for 1 hour. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

You might also enjoy: Oreo Brownie Delight, Chewy Chocolate Coconut Bars

July 22, 2013 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: better than sex cake, cake, chocolate, recipe | 6 Comments